240 Charging failure idiot lights

The list goes on with my freshly rebuilt 5.0L swap.

No temp gauge. Fixed
No cooling fans. Fixed
Starter electrical (ground). Fixed

Now there is a host of idiot lights on the dash. Charge light. Brake failure, E-brake, and lamp failure lights are all on. The new Napa alternator isn’t charging. So I get the Charge light.

Are all the others supposed to come on when there is an alternator failure? Or is the wiring just half-assed. surprised the previous owner had zero troubles with it.

Those are always on with the key in the run position until you start the car and the alternator starts charging. Totally normal. Is the alternator properly grounded?

Rebuild the engine again

2manyturbos said:

Those are always on with the key in the run position until you start the car and the alternator starts charging. Totally normal. Is the alternator properly grounded?

Click to expand...

Last time I checked. All the lights remain on whole wile running. May have to check the connections. Could have wiggled out.

Jack said:

Rebuild the engine again

Click to expand...

Will have to rework the wiring...

Make sure the alternator is properly grounded to the block.

The Napa reman failed after 30min... they refunded my money. Going with an ACDelco.

So... during a charge failure. Why are the brake/light failure idiot lights being engaged?

Is there some wiring I need to refurbish?

It's completely normal on any car of that era for lots of the dashboard lights to turn on when the alternator isn't working. This is used as a bulb check before starting the car. If the alternator goes slightly bad, the Alt light will come on by itself while running. If the alternator goes completely bad, or the belt breaks, you get a light show.

Makes sense. Haven’t driven a car this old since high school... I haven’t drove this car for 6 months