Flickering Lights and Voltmeter plus more!!!

[downhillpat]

My 87 is giving me troubles...Mainly with the gauges, blower motor, and headlights. I did have trouble awhile back... The first was all the instrument backlights went dead, which burned a fusible link, replaced link, is ok. Then the 2G alternator caught on fire, so I swapped to a 3G reman from a 95 taurus bought at autozone (cringe) I made my own wiring with a 4 ga cable to from alt to a 150 amp resettable circuit breaker. The yellow wire follows it to that side of the circuit breaker. It runs straight to the battery after the breaker. The white and black stator wire is run to the single terminal on the alt and also splits to the carb for the choke. I don't know if it makes a difference but there is only one v belt driving the 3G, and I keep it tight and true. Then about a month later it pulled the old starter stays engaged trick. That warranted me to swap to a motorcraft reman mustang starter (same as the Ford Racing mini starter with the same style and gauge wiring from the kit that is like a 93 mustang with a 5.0) which works flawlessly. Has a motorcraft fender relay as well. And ever since the starter crapped out, the lights have been flickering along with the gauges and engine rpm... When the headlights are turned on, oil pressure gauge almost touches the last white line. If the engine is warm, the temp gauge follows suit. The voltmeter however drops down to the 12-13 volt range and forget about the blower motor, turning that on lowers rpms and makes the wipers move slow. Blower motor is also brand new motorcraft not even a month old as well as resistor and pigtail. (it was making noise) My kenwood head unit will also turn on and off from what seems like not enough voltage or maybe amperage to run in the same manner as the flickering headlights... Franklin...what say you???

[Franklin2]

Make sure the ground wire from the battery to the engine block is ok. Also make sure you have a ground strap from the engine block to the firewall sheetmetal.

If none of that works, take the alternator back and see if it passes on their machine.

[downhillpat]

Now that you mention it...it has been a while since I disturbed that ground back there...will check it out.

Pat