Hey all - a few days ago while driving my '91 pickup (2.3L), my Brake/Battery/Low Gas/O2 lights started flashing intermittently at seeming random times. I monitored the scenarios every time and here's what's consistent: (1) It does NOT do this when the engine is cool - only when it's well hot.
(2) It tends to first show up at higher RPMs, followed by when at it's owes RPMs, such as when releasing the clutch into 1st and 2nd gears.
(3) For the first few days this was happening, I monitored if the headlights would dim or the acceleration would sputter. It didn't.
(4) Today, after a nice, 8-minute ride at 75mph (after a 3 minute warm-up), when coming to a slowdown and engaging the clutch to downshift, that's when the lights flickered - then stayed on consistently and for the first time, the engine sputtered as if that old familiar feeling when you're running on battery juice instead of alternator juice.

It sputtered some more, died and restarted nicely (thankfully) and I exited the freeway and the lights went back to flickering on & off (with no sputtering for the remaining 25-30 minutes of driving.

My hunch is it's the alternator - or even more precisely (as hunches go), some sort of regulator/wiring issues associated with the alternator. Thing is, I know diddly-squat about such things like what one even looks like, let alone if it's internal or external. My owners manual only covers the basics... and doesn't even mention the alternator! So on top of all this, I have no idea how to determine if I need a 50- or 60-amp alternator.

I am hoping to hear from anyone out there who could save me some time/money and tell me otherwise. I'd rather not spend another $110 on a new alternator if it's something else. That $110 could go to better use buying some decent swag.

 

So a follow-up to those who care or might have the same issues on this model: I had the alternator checked both at O'Reilly's & Autozone and it was putting out perfectly well. Oddly enough, on both places, they said it was the BATTERY that needed replacing! Weird, since it NEVER needed jumping, headlights never dimmed upon restarting and in fact, it always started superbly! So... why all those OTHER idiot lights when the "BATTERY" light would've sufficed, right?

Sigh.

But since the batt was almost a year out of warranty, I went ahead and replaced it. So far, that seems to have been the problem all along. No more flashing idiot lights and in fact, it's idling better with fewer subtle shifting issues at lower revs.

I'm hoping this is truly resolved and I'm just not borrowing the new battery spark to run the plugs, etc.

That's all I gotta say about that...