Electrical Ghost - United Bimmer Community

**KeallaS** · 02-28-2006, 11:17 AM

I am new here. I just purchased a '92 318is with only 45,000 original miles! Everything stock. The car is awesome but I am having some problems.
It starts up fine but the headlights, dials, computer etc. seem to flash erratically. Not blinking like a flasher but very quick bright then dim. It does not seem to affect the car's performance although there is a slight rocking back and forth in idle. All the fuses are good. I checked the charging circuit and get a strong 13-14 volt reading even with everything on. I should probablly change the alternator to the Bosch 140 but I heard that you have to change the ignition coils as well? I know there have been other threads on this but I can't seem to pinpoint my problem. Thanks for any help....

**komodo** · 02-28-2006, 11:42 AM

First of all, welcome to UB!

I know the Bosch 140 works fine in other e36's (I installed one in my 328), but I'm not 100% positive on the 318.

Does the voltage remain constant even through the dimming/brightening?

**c1apton** · 02-28-2006, 11:48 AM

First -Welcome. Re; dimming of lights check the following - belt tension -if the belt is glazed or loose it will slip at "low load" situations causing lights to vary. Also check ALL the grounds (and there are a ton of them) usually you'll find bundles of wires (usually brown) tied together in misc locations throughout the car, check them for tightness & possible corrosion.

**KeallaS** · 02-28-2006, 04:06 PM

I checked the belt and tried to tighten it the best I could. It is a new belt replaced last month when I bought the car.
Here is the readings which are really strange.
When the car is off-12.8v
When the engine is running-14.9v-15.2v every other second!
Then, and this is really wierd, when I turn on the rear defrost the blinking stops and the meter is 14.2v. Yet when I press the gas the blinking starts again....
I checked some of the grounds I could find and they all look good. The car is in excellent shape(I am the second owner).
I am stumped. I guess I will take the alternator in and have it checked out...

**Dudesky** · 02-28-2006, 04:15 PM

Could also be the voltage regulator. Some earlier 318's had problems with reg's on alternators manufactured by Valeo.

**c1apton** · 02-28-2006, 04:36 PM

After reading your voltage reading of 15.2 then lights stop flashing when defroster is turned on - I tend to agree with Dudeskys' idea of Voltage reg.

**komodo** · 02-28-2006, 05:33 PM

**KeallaS** · 03-18-2006, 07:17 PM

Just an update....
I was finally able to install a new alternator, Bosch 105.
Fixed the problem and everything works. Kinda a pain.
Thanks for the help!
M42s Unite!!

**komodo** · 03-19-2006, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeallaS

Just an update....
I was finally able to install a new alternator, Bosch 105.
Fixed the problem and everything works. Kinda a pain.
Thanks for the help!
M42s Unite!!

Congrats!

Stick around the community though, don't run off.

Check out the lounge.