Re: Possible Electric Problem

["Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob,

Does this happen at all speeds, or just at idle?

It sounds like an alternator problem.  The alternator is a three-phase AC 
generator, and it sounds like one of the three phases is bad, so you're 
seeing two out of three phases generating power.

- -rb

>
>Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 08:05:05 -0500
>From: rfg@domain.elided
>Subject: Possible Electric Problem
>
>	I have a 92 525i, E34/M50.  I have recently noticed that the
>headlights and the interior lights ...how can I explain this best?...while
>remaining bright and putting out lots of light, pulsate.
>
>	What I mean is this:  if you see someone coming toward you on a
>bicycle with a head light run by a generator, when he is pushing down on
>the pedals, the light is bright, but when his pedals arrive at the six
>o'clock and twelve o'clock positions, the light dims slightly.  So what you
>see as the cyclist approaches is that brigh..dim..bright..dim sequence in
>his head lamp.
>
>	Well, this is exactly what I am seeing in my headlights and
>interior lights.  The difference in the bright/dim cycle is very subtle.
>They consistently put out plenty of light, but they _never_ "pulsated"
>before and I believe it is getting more severe.  At first, a few weeks ago
>(?) I barely noticed it.  Now it's more apparent.  These things never get
>better, so I thought I better check this out.
>
>	 I suspect alternator problems, but the electronics on these BMWs
>are so much more complicated than the cars I worked on as a kid that I'm
>just not sure.
>
>	Many thanks,
>	Bob G.
>

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