volt gauge annoying

[NOVAhoe]

so ive noticed lately that my volt gauge bounces around at idle, it just started doing it, but nothing else seems to be wrong with it, its at the right volt range when driving, and my truck has a new alternator in it that was put in right before i bought it, i noticed that it started as soon as the temps outside got cooler, we went from 85+ to low 60s in the same day and its been in the 50s and 60s ever since, but i dont know if that has anything to do with it

 

[WiCK3D_SiX]

Id start with checking your grounds.

 

[NOVAhoe]

ok this is what i noticed after playing with it for a little while, ok my grounds are all good i checked them all over, now when i drive the truck it only does it at idle, when im driving its normal, also the more i drive the truck and the warmer it gets the less it does it, it seems to have something to do with temperature for some reason, its not affecting anything or causing any issues, i was just curious to see if the reason why its doing it because i wanted to see if its like a warning that something about to go wrong lol

ok something else, the gauge seems to be pulsing with the trucks idle, now the only thing ive done to the truck was replace the distributor cap with an msd one, i noticed this issue the next day, are they related somehow?

 

[WiCK3D_SiX]

Magnetic field issue? possible but not likely. Maybe have your battery checked at advance auto. Its free and an easy way to eliminate the two major components in the system. Also, new and reman parts are just as prone to failure as used. Get the alt tested as well. They use the same tool for both and it only takes a few minutes of your time.

 

[SunlitComet]

thermal breakdown in the alternator it sounds like. did you recheck you wiring around the cap?

 

[NOVAhoe]

yeah everythings good i looked it all over today, i also noticed that when its idling and the gauge is pulsing the interior lights also pulse too, i havent driven it in the dark in awhile, which to me sounds like the regulator, and these trucks have internal ones in the alternator right? also when im driving and let off the gas like to stop at a light or something the volt gauge drops to like 12 volts then back up to 14, only for like a second though, soooo now to me its kinda pointing to the alternator being shot, my jeep did the same thing when i got mud in it and it died on me lol, what you guys think? ill have it tested as well as the battery too tomorrow before i start throwing stuff at it though

also the alternator was not replaced, it was rebuilt by jons auto repair haha, thats literally the name of the shop, im going through the service records for it

 

[puckhead]

Sounds like the alternator to me too. That is what my old car used to do and it had a crummy charging system.

 

[SunlitComet]

not his Jon that is for sure. Replace it. diodes and reg are internal.

 

[qukon 95]

If u need a alt get the ad-244 or dr-44 alt and try a Salvage yard may cost u $65.00.

 

[NOVAhoe]

not his Jon that is for sure. Replace it. diodes and reg are internal.

haha no if it was you it probably would have been still working

also i found a tuff stuff 145 amp alt off summit for 119, does that sound worthwhile? or i can spend 250 bucks and get a 200 amp one lol, that might be overkill lol, plus then i would have to do all new power wires, which i plan on doing anyways