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Old 10-19-2004, 06:12 PM
jdcoic jdcoic is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12
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The idiot light for your alternator in the voltmeter guage doubles as the choke telltale (that's why it says choke on it). The switched 12V is fed to a relay (called the choke relay, should be on the driver's side of the steering column, right behind that removable panel with the small horizontal vent in it) that goes to the factory electric choke, and it also sends the exciter voltage to the alternator. That exciter circuit needs 10 Ohms/10 Watts of resistance for your alternator to operate correctly. For cars with an idiot light, the lightbulb itself provides the resistance. For cars without an idiot light, there will be a resistor, or piece of resistance wire in this circuit.

The idiot light works on "potential". With the key in the on position (engine not running/alternator not charging) the alternator has less potential than the 12V being fed to it thru the idiot light and acts simply as a ground, so, juice is flowing, and the lightbulb lights up. With the engine running/alternator putting out 14.4V (optimal) which is now greater than the 12V going to the light bulb, juice stops flowing, and the lightbulb goes out.

This light will also remain lit while the factory electric choke is engaged. I can only find reference to this choke relay on 80-81 second gens. I do not have a factory electric choke (no choke at all in fact), so... My car is an '80 TA, formerly a 4.9L turbo. Now it's a '74 6.6L (400) non computer car with an Edelbrock 750. It took some time staring at the wiring diagram, and some extensive wire tracing, but my alternator warning light now functions properly once again.

As to the choke/alternator warning light coming on, I can only think of two things...Either as you slow down, your alternator isn't producing greater than the 12V necessary to keep the light off, or the choke is askew and due to the linkage or something moving it is making contact/completing the circuit and making the choke light come on.

I would start the car, let it idle, with the choke engaged and without the choke and see what lights are on and when. You can pull the wire for the choke, try and narrow it down to the choke or alternator half of this circuit.

I have zero clue about the buzzer, unless somehow it was/or now is tied into your alternator warning light. I yanked my buzzer long time ago...