Ok, let me start by pointing out that my car spends a lot of time idling because I am a pizza delivery driver. (leave it running at the curb when I go to the door)

The other day was my first time taking it to work since my engine swap. I am used to just leaving my car idling with the lights on, heater fan going, and the radio playing. This time, the customer was very talkative and I stood there at the door for a good 5 to ten mins. (And even before that I was idling around the neighborhood looking for the house.)

When I got back to my car the lights were **** yellow and the radio had turned itself off. I kicked the throttle, and maintained some decent rpm leaving, and it was fine.

Is this a sign of a bad battery, bad alt, or is everything working right I just need to turn off my lights?

 

i idle with my parking lights on, radio on (i got a amp to) and some times talking on my CB (if its hooked up) and it has a built in and external amp, do it 40 forever (got an eletric fan to) with a/c or heat on........... no problems, but i do have a powermaster alt and a 1000 cranking amp batt.....


sit and idle with parking lights, radio, heater, seat heaters in my honda and have no trouble and its all stock

to get to my point have your alt and batt tested out LOL you may have a charging problem or a somewhat weak batt

 

I mean, the batt was bought in September, but it was CHEAP. (One step up from a wally world special) I have since ran it dead probably 20+ times, and for a while it was in my 85 that just about drains the battery every morning... I have no problem believing its weaker than crap!

 

yea you got to have a good batt, even with a good alt, as the alt dont fully charge at an idle (especialy if its a stocker) so you need that extra help that the batt gives, try turning off your head lights when sitting, but leave your parking lights on for safty reasons since you are delivering in it

i ran my parking lights all night in my big truck with it idleing, but thats a whole diffrent ball game with mulipal battries, but to get to the point parking lights are safe enough if you are sitting on the side of the road taking a pizza to someones door

 

Is it also possible my alt could be dieing? I mean, If I know I will need a new batt someday in the near future, thats cool, I just want to pinn-point the problem now.

 

could be a bad batt will cause a alt to over work its self, if you cant test your alt your self, go to a autoparts store and have them test it and the batt

 

Ya. Now I just need to get the thing to stop eating tranny mounts....

 

did you try energy suspension??? i fixing to, i got a energy tq arm bushing, but a OEM type trans, busted the heck out of it again, dang trans shifting so good, LOL....... im also putting better control arms and all on it to

 

First off walmart bat's aren't that bad. Any battery will go bad if you competely drain it. I have been using a walmart bat to run my winch with nothing to charge it, has been doing just fine. (9000 pound warn)
I would check the bat and the alt, one of the two is probably bad.
Do you have a system in your car?
You may need a higher amp alt.

89RS_82Z
Not to hijack,
but when you put your toruqe arm bushing in how hard was it?
I put an energy susp in mine today.
I couldn't get the slip part to clear it. I ended up (triming it). It holds a lot better then stock now. But that just dosen;s seem right.
It dosen't bother me to much cause my TA it cracked at the axle so I have to replace that anyway.

 

didnt do it, had the trans shop do it when rebuilding the trans, but they said it was a PIA

 

No system yet, but where would I get a higher amp alternator? Whats the damage one something like that? Can I take the stock housing and re-build it to have a higher output?

 

look on jegs or summit, but i just went for the power master, its nice having just a little chrome under the hood, rest is chevy orange and black

 

Well, I painted mine to match the engine

 

well then check out jegs for a rebuild kit, that will do ya good prob

 

You could also get the one you have rebuilt to higher output. There's a Alternator / Generator / Starter shop here, across the Sound from you in Chico (Bremerton address) called DC Engineering. Probably one or two over by you also. DC Engineering rewound my stock 105 amp alt to output 140 amps, and it carries a warranty - cost about $180. I went this route because it's the stock housing and fitment was no issue. Or you could go overboard and check out www.excessiveamperage.com