LUVTruck.com

First I would like to thank all who helped me with my brake problem, brakes have been successfully rebuilt and seem to be working OK still a bit squishy, maybe need some additional bleeding. Now on to a clutch rebuild this weekend, any hints, comments or suggestions would be welcome. I have noticed my head lights are dim and when I rev the motor up they brighten as do my instrument panel lights, anybody have this problem, thanks.

Before anything else have the battery check out. That would be the simplest check and cost to repair.

Have the alt checked. Maybe check the belt and replace it if needed. Also you might want to upgrade the wiring to the lights to a larger guage wire.

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Resident lurker

Alternator coil might need to be rewound, or needs a new diode, or may even just need to have the contacts wire brushed.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

a small amount of light brightness change whith motor rpm is to be expected. The LUV alternator cant be more than 30amps, my f-150 has a 35amp alternator and it does this too. But check your conectionsd and such to be shure. As far as the clutch goes, pull the motor, it will make things easier and its not hard to pull. After that its perty straight forward.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

Have the voltage regutator checked out,these trucks have a crappy electrical system with the stock alternator they will always dim.Convert over to a standard GM alternator the rewire is very simple and you'll have all the power you can handle and won't need a external regulator your lights will not dim anymore at all

I vote with tat2artist Voltage Regulator!! Mine did the same damn thing and I had my battery checked and Alternator checked as well. So I put a new Volt. Reg. in it and have never had a problem since.
Just my two pennies
Later
Husker

hummmmm... maybe i have had a problem and never realised it
Anyone know of a way to check the voltage regulator whith a multi-meter?

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

There is a procedure for checking the regulator in the chevy shop manual. At least for the series 5...I could probably scan it and email it to you if you want.

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Resident lurker

i have a chevy series 10 manual, i just have to find it...

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

What year is your LUV .... there are 2 types of regulaters ....
the good kind and the bad kind ... lol..... the older kind i dont know much about ... but the newer kind is mechanical and can be bought at your local parts store ... 34.95 is what i got mine for been working great since then


Yup dont know much but i hope it helps a lil' bit

My alternator went out about 3 months ago, I replaced the battery, voltage regulator and alternator and my lights still do the same thing. It doesn't really mean much to me, she's been like that since the day I got her and she never skips a beat with just a shade over 55,000 miles.

It may be that that thumpin stereo ya got in it is sucking the power.

I have seen a bad alternator do it to a LUV before. Dunno why, but it dud it.

I think it shorts out after a while and needs a hammer.

It is probably something that is fixed by a regulator, diodes, v8, and a alternator. Reminded myself that I sound like one of the ghostbusters...

It's great - It needs an engine, transmission, brakes, drums, transaxle, wiring, carb work, tires, rims, body work, lights, radiator, valve job... I only paid $4800 for it!

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

My electrical system was craaap on my LUV. even after installing a 100amp GM alternator. that is one reason I re-engineered my electrical system. when the headlights were on and the blower motor was running the blinkers would blink slow as crap. There are sooooo many wires running this way and that in the charging system I can see how there is a huge voltage drop in the LUV wiring.
all that is fixed now.
I can't wait to drive it!!!!

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03Cobra

I am thinking about stripping out the wires and putting in new. That corroded stuff don't work as well ya know.

Was guage wire did U use?

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

I used 16 ga for most of it and then some 10 ga for the power wires to the relays and headlights. I am using 100watt "blue" bulbs in hella H4 housings.
I am working the headlights, fuel pump, electric fan, starter and nitrous all on relays.
If you are going to re-do the wiring I highly suggest making a diagram first then tackling it.

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03Cobra

I agree. Cause once you have it tore up, you are officially sunk.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

Its not too hard to put the headlights on relays without completely rebuilding the harness. You use the current wiring to run a pair of relays (high/low beams) and wire power through the relays to the headlights directly (well, through a fuse,circuit breaker) to the battery. I've never gotten around to doing it to any of my trucks yet, but I think one or two people around here have. From what I recall of previous posts on the subject it is more than enough to cure the dim headlight disease. It also is A LOT less intensive than replaceing the whole harness.

The best solution is to rewire the whole truck as the stock harness is pretty weak I've had some really mysterious things end up being shorts, breaks, or wires with a connection but really high resistance. Its not a big stretch to imagine that replaceing the wires powering the coil on a stock luv could net a couple of HP. If your headlights are dim, what else isn't getting enough juice?

I wanted to add that I didn't replace the "entire" electrical system.
I left everything that didn't need to be changed.
the blinkers, blower motor, windshield wipers, fusebox (just cause I like the way it looks in there), ignition, headlight switch and tailights.
I started by taking the entire wiring harness out and figuring out what I didn't need. then I put it back in and looked at my diagram and started adding wire. I zip tied it all back up for a clean neat look.

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03Cobra

Throw your tounge across it.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together