what causes this??

[Tourettes]

I think the ghost that lives in my '83 is mad at me! last week all the lights started pulsating with the rpms of the motor. i poked around inside the motor and it stoped(not sure how or why).Then on monday(7-29) while driving the digital clock starts to flicker as do the rest of the interior lights :confused: . So i pull over, turn the key off, and the vehicle is dead.no lights/stereo/headlights/clock/ignition all dead.
i go to check under the hood, and as i slamm the door shut everything comes back on :confused: . Great i think to myself, but i still cannot find what causes this phenominom! Vac wouldnt cause this would it?

now, the speakers are fried(mostly static with some sound), and the motor revs up upon starting to (guessing) 3x idle rpm while at idle. and if it doesnt diesel, POW! it backfires

It was running perfectly, and i didnot touch the dizzy or adjust anything. all i have done is check wires.
Please help me before the poltergiest destroys my Wag!

[gsmikie]

check your battery cables and check the famous amp gauge in the dash sounds like a bad elec connection

[ArtsiFrtsi]

Also check the connections on your alternator...

[Tourettes]

thanks Mike and Art.
But would either of those situations fry my speakers and cause an increase in my idle?

[PhilSine]

Your voltage regulator could be on its way out or gone all together.

[jeepguzzi]

I had a bad connection at the alternator. It blew out the headlights. I suppose it could have blown other stuff, too.

[la mula pescadora]

and people dont forget the most important thing on the electrical system the ground

[1Lobo]

Tourettes,
It sounds like you might have two problems. The flashing could be the regulator for your alternator. I think on your model it's internally regulated, so you may want to get it tested at Autozone or somewhere like Autozone. The other thing, which may account for all system problems, is that a wire is bare somewhere and grounding out your system. It would have to be a loose wire, because your slamming the door probably jostled it off the metal it was grounding on. Your symptoms sound similar to mine. All electrical systems died because the previous owner had the wire leading from the alternator too close to the exhaust manifold. The plastic melted, allowing the metal to contact the manifold, which in turn blew out the fusible link between the alternator and the (I think) starter relay.

Much luck.

[infincool]

Hey there JeepGuzzi. Are you a Moto Guzzi man too? Is that where the name is derived from? Been a big Guzzi fan since my teens. Just curious.

[Tourettes]

Well i solved half my problems! turns out that the pos battery cable had removed it self from the post conector just enuff to be a very hidden PITA!! as we all know never pull by the wires,only at the connectors.someone shoulda told that to the PO!!
The stereo static problem was an easy fix too!When the power died it reset all the stereo settings, including fading all sound to the front speaskers(as the rear are totaly shot!).
thanks for much help!
im gonna redo most of all the electrical next week end!