Abnormal startup and bad voltage regulator?

[agarc023]

The more important question for me is about the regulator. When I first start my Eclipse, especially in the morning, all of the lights start to blink. Actually, its not really a blink, its more of a fade to darkness and back to fully lit. This happens to all of the interior lights and exterior lights. Does anyone know what could be causing this (bad regulator maybe?) and does the fact that I just had a new alternator installed have anything to do with it?

Also, when the car is cold and I go to start it, the engine takes a while to start. I turn the key and it cranks, but it will go for about 10 seconds sometime to start.

If anyone can help out with these it would be very appreciated.

 

[TrevorS]

The more important question for me is about the regulator. When I first start my Eclipse, especially in the morning, all of the lights start to blink. Actually, its not really a blink, its more of a fade to darkness and back to fully lit. This happens to all of the interior lights and exterior lights. Does anyone know what could be causing this (bad regulator maybe?) and does the fact that I just had a new alternator installed have anything to do with it?

Also, when the car is cold and I go to start it, the engine takes a while to start. I turn the key and it cranks, but it will go for about 10 seconds sometime to start.

If anyone can help out with these it would be very appreciated.

Did the fade behavior begin with the installation of the new aternator? What is the condition of your spark plugs?

 

[agarc023]

Hey thanks for the reply. I think that it did start after the new alternator was put in. The spark plugs have not been changed for a while.

 

[antilag]

How is the battery? While you are cranking check the voltage drop at the battery. Does it idle up a little bit to make the light become bright again?

 

[brownfinger]

Is the belt tight, and check your grounds for corrosion.

 

[agarc023]

How is the battery? While you are cranking check the voltage drop at the battery. Does it idle up a little bit to make the light become bright again?

The battery is fairly new, was changed about a month ago. Also, how would I go about checking the voltage? Sorry I'm a bit of a newbie and these are the first real problems that car has been having.

The belts seem pretty tight to me, but I will double-check. Which grounds should I look at? The ones for the alternator and such?

 

[antilag]

Making sure the cables on the battery are free of corrosion and where the ground cable goes to the chassis is what I think he is saying.

You will need a volt meter on the battery while someone is cranking the engine. Make sure your static voltage (when the car is off) is over 12 volts and while the car is running you are getting 14.7ish volts.

 

[agarc023]

Making sure the cables on the battery are free of corrosion and where the ground cable goes to the chassis is what I think he is saying.

You will need a volt meter on the battery while someone is cranking the engine. Make sure your static voltage (when the car is off) is over 12 volts and while the car is running you are getting 14.7ish volts.

The static voltage, car off, is right at about 12. With the engine running it went up to about 15 and the needle fluctuated very slightly back and forth past the 15 mark. It seemed to be at the same rate that the headlights were fading in and out.