LUVTruck.com

It's an '81 4X4 Luv, manual transmission. Dunno what's up with this. It never did it before this truck sat for several months, but now that I've fired it back up it does. Anybody know what's up with this and how to stop the flashing? (VERY RAPID FLASHING) Thanks very much for any help!!!

A google search shows a rapid flashing is Low Voltage.

There's a "How-to" on changing alternator brushes over at IsuzuPup.com.

That may or may not be the problem, but it's a lot cheaper than an alternator.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

I agree with JoeIsuzu. When the brushes were going out on my honda, it would make the light flicker. A flicker is similiar to a rapid flash, isn't it?

Eric Q.

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'75 body with '82 diesel running gear
My build thread.

Uh, before you go and replace anything to do with the alternator, check the regulator. You can check the regulator by full fielding the alternator and seeing if the battery voltage hits somewhere around 14v, or by measuring the amps coming out of the alternator. A new regulator is about $30, where a new alternator is close to $100.

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1980 4X4 LUV daily driver, as stock as can be.

And new brushes are less than $10.

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'75 body with '82 diesel running gear
My build thread.

Cool! I just think he should do a little testing before he replaces anything. Yeah, I know that brushes are only $10, but what if he replaces them and still has the same problem? So, after that, it's either the regulator or the alternator, and let's just replace the regulator, 'cause it's under half of what the alternator costs, right? Total of $40 now. But, what if the regulator was doing its job, and now you know that you need to replace the alternator. Well, now you're out $140 rather than just $100 if you had tested the charging system and fingered the alternator in the first place.
I'll agree that if you think it might be the alternator, $10 on brushes is a good gamble...

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1980 4X4 LUV daily driver, as stock as can be.

Well said. Throwing parts at an undiagnosed/unproperly diagnosed problem is never the right way to go.

Eric Q.

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'75 body with '82 diesel running gear
My build thread.

i had the same problem with my truck. the generator light would flicker with the rpm's. i thought it might have been the voltage regulator or the alternator. so i replaced those and the light still came on. so the next thing i did was test my ignition. i found out in my distributor that the cap and rotor were no good. so i replaced thouse and screwed with the timing for a while. and put in new plugs and the light has not turned back on since. i thought it was really wierd cause it was the generator light that came on. so i thought it had something to do with the charging system. but i guess the whole wiring system in those trucks are connected in series. so whenever that generator light comes on. its not just your charging system. its also detecting a wiring problem. i know a lot of people that have said luvs wiring was not very good. so if i were you do a couple of ignition and charging tests. and if you dont find anything then there is a wiring problem.

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The regulator is internal on this alternator. Does that matter?

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Oh... you have an '81. My '80 has an external regulator. Well, at this point, you could take the whole alternator into your local autoparts store... they'll usually test it for you.

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1980 4X4 LUV daily driver, as stock as can be.

Ever since it was a couple of year old, I had all sorts of electrical trouble on my 77. Maybe 7-8 years ago, I discovered bad connections in the riveted together fuse box parts. Since I soldered them, no more.