Hi I have a 1986 Chevy Camaro Z28 IROC Z that I recently bought a couple weeks ago that has a 350 TPI that was switched instead if the 305 TPI and since then I have been having a problem with the charging of the car! I have opened the alternator and replaced the Dio Triode and Voltage Regulator and also the 2 small spring loaded brushes! Now the problem I am having is that it is still not charging right because I have had the alternator checked and it checked out fine after the 3rd time of opening it up and replacing parts. Pretty much there is hesitation and lack of power while giving it gas to drive and if I turn my headlights on, my radio will shut off, so there is either a wiring problem or i'm being told it could just full blown be the alternator, i'm not too sure. Any help or guidance on this issue would be greatly appreciated. Also, after running the car for a little bit, it wants to just die on me, but then I go to start it and starts right back up or there have been a couple times that it would die and then I try to go and start it up again and it sounds almost as if the starter is not getting enough power! Not too skilled with the electrical part of cars, lol! Thank you to whoever can maybe give me some insight!

 

use a volt meter to measure the voltage at the alternator, then at the battery (while the engine is running). then turn on all the lights and heater, and read it again. an alternator can cause hesitation, but it will eventually die and will not restart. if you dont have the jump start the car all the time, then its still charging some amount. also, the oem style alternator is computer controlled. it can be wired to not need the computer, but i dont know how that is done. also, when was the last time the car had a full tune up? (i.e. spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, cleaning throttle body, air filters)

 

Well see here is the thing, I just got this car about 3 weeks ago and when I first got it, I realized that the engine had been switched from the original 305 TPI over to a 350 TPI. That definately didn't disappoint me in any way, however, after about the 2nd day of having it I realized there was some problems with wiring having to do with battery, alternator, starter, etc...and so I had that fixed! It apparently didn't last too long though because I ended having to open up the alternator 3 times to replace different parts inside that were going out. After the 3rd time of me doing this, I put the alternator back into the car and started it..i noticed that when I would give it gas, there would be some hesitation with the RPM's while in neutral or park! So a random thought crossed my mind and I went back under the hood and removed the 2nd ground wire that was also coming off the engine manifold to the shock tower, and then started it again and it seemed fine. Well after that, I took it up to Advance Auto Parts to have it tested all again. The battery and the alternator and starter all checked out good. The alternator was putting out around 14.39 volts! Well another week went by and hadn't really drove it too much because of the problems I was still seeming to have and now the car is back to hesitation sometimes while taking off or like earlier today, I took it to the BMV to get the title and plate transferred and on the way back home, I would go to turn a corner and it would almost act like it was gonna die out and then I would put my foot down a little more on the gas and it would like snap out of it then be good. Until I came to making another turn and then as I was a few blocks from my house, the car started the hesitating as i'm going at about 25mph...so once again I would put my foot down more on the gas to snap it out of its issue...only this time it when i put my foot down pretty much to the floor it would hesitate and sputter and eventually die out! I could start it right back up but then couple seconds later it did it again. I really don't know what the issue could be, but I feel that it is something not too serious, just this is my first chevy and i'm mechanically inclined but when it comes to wiring and electrical, not so much!! Also, if i turn my headlights on, my radio will shut off, which to me means that there is something not grounded right or power is going somewhere it shouldn't be. one other thing too that is puzzling me a bit is that now for the past couple weeks(seems to be getting a little worse idk) is these three wires that are like a connector next to the big wire harness by the computer...they are 1 pink with black stripe, 1 solid pink and 1 brown or black wire...these wires are getting a little bit more heated than I think they should be. Obviously I know now I kinda got screwed a little with the car, but if it's something that isn't too serious and I can get it fixed, then I will, otherwise thinking of just selling to someone that has the time and money to get it up and going normally!! Sorry for being so long, just figure the more in depth details I give, the more likely someone may be able to understand the problems I am having right now

 

from the sound of it, your charging system is working correctly. the hesitation sounds a lot like worn out spark plugs. do a full tune up to the car and see how it runs after that. as for the stereo turning off with the lights, is it an aftermarket stereo? if so, someone just wired it wrong and probably grounded it through the gauge light wire.