I might has well have been a police man in a Firebird tonight.

1986 MPFI V6 Firebird

My car was doing it a bit last night, but ALOT tonight. My voltage meter was jumping back and forth between 13 and about 16 - alot of movement, causing my headlights to flash alot, too.

I haven't changed anything electrical in the car in a long time, haven't done anything that would seem to lead to this problem. In fact, I haven't modded the car in anyway in over a month.

The other day though, I was trying to pry a stuck vaccuum hose lose and the pliers slipped and I got some major sparks from the alternator. I'm not sure exactly from where, but I'm assuming it was the charging wire going to it.
This was maybe 2 days (I think) before I noticed this voltage problem.
Could I have 'shorted' out my alternator somehow, or is this maybe a bad ground?...

Help.

 

Sounds like you may have shorted out the voltage regulator in the altenator.

If the altenator is old I would just replace it or have it rebuilt.

 

Eh. It isn't old at all. Probably a little over a year.

Guess I can always go up to Advanced and have them test it. I don't know if they can find a problem like that, though.