Maybe this relates to my idiots lights maybe not, but yesterday I went out to my buddys house to strip down his motor and get it ready to be pulled, so I get in my car to head home since it was late and he needed to get jackstands and a jack.

Turn the key, all I hear is a click... wtf but everything in my car is getting power, but my idiot lights are very dim and the clock reset itself.

So I throw a charger on it and the car started, went out a few more times and it restarted up fine.

It has done this once before but 10min later it would be able to fire up.

When I start my car my charging light stays on for about 5min as well.

what do you guys think? bad ground? or the regulator in the alt is gone?

 

Have the alternator and battery tested at your favorite parts store. Both are easy to pull and should be free to test.

 

Sounds alt related. Like the small elect plug is off the back of the alt.

Look for that and also try this: You start the engine and the alt light is on. Now rev the engine quickly to six grand and let off the pedal. Did the alt light go out and the alt now start charging?? If so the plug is off the back of the alt or the regulator has gone **** up. When you rev to six grand and it starts charging..........it is doing a self excitation on itself thru the residual magnatizm in the rotor. Normally the excitation comes from the regulator/fuse to the regulator. ONly two fuse related on series four. ENGINE which is good cause the car started and the Meter fuse which is good cause your gauges are working. So it ain't those items.