Honda Civic advice needed

[moparguy]

The college boy is home and I drove his 97, 83k Civic the other night. The lights (all of them interior and headlights) would dim quite a bit, then brighten. Kinda like a CTD when the grid heaters are kicking in and out on a cold night.



I've checked for a bad ground and cleaned cables, no help. My guess is it's a internal voltage regulator on the alternator.



If so, what's the cure, new alternator, something else??????



Thanks, RJR

 

[RBallard]

That would be my guess, you might be able to get a place like Auto Zone to test the alternator. They are pretty expensive for that car, I just looked them up on Rock Auto , I have a coupon code # to help some with the price, 34888793354.

 

[rbattelle]

I recently had to replace the alternator on my wife's 2002 Civic. $375 dealer-only REBUILD!!!



When I installed the new alternator I tested it thoroughly and found it to be of extremely low power. I'd guess it's a 60 amp unit, at best; unable to keep up with electrical demand if all the accessories are on at the same time (wipers, high beams, rear defrost, heater, radio).



Before you buy a new one, however, you should check your local area for starter/alternator repair shops. There's a local one here who were able to repair the broken one (new regulator) for $130. Unfortunately, being so new, they didn't get it fixed until I had already put the "new" $375 unit in from the dealer. So now I have a spare.



-Ryan

 

[moparguy]

I'd considered the local alternator shop. I'll pull it off in the next couple of days and drop it off, see what they can do.



Son said, oh yeah dad, it's been doing that for a year or so. Guess it's just my anal self, but now that I know about it I feel the need to do something.



RJR

 

[rbattelle]

Son said, oh yeah dad, it's been doing that for a year or so.

What have you been teachin' that boy!? :-laf



-Ryan

 

[GWest]

Ok heres what you got going on maybe,Under the intake manifold above the brace that goes to the engine block the wires are starting to rub and short to ground this will cause that and many other elec problems! If it is repair the wires and put a section of the split loom plastic tubeing over it. Yes I am a Honda tech and seen a bunch of them do that. Greg