I have a 2001 avalon XLS and I can't keep my headlight and dashboard from flickering. Its gets pretty bad when I turn the system up . I have 2 Kicker 10L7 w/ 1000watts memphis amp to a total of 1000watts in the car audio system setup. I have installed a capicator and even upgraded to a yellow top optima. The yellow top optima fixed the problem at first but the flickering is back again.
i think the only thing left for me is to upgrade an alternator to fix the problem. Does anyone know how many amp the stock alternator have? I can't seem to find any alternator to upgrade for the avalon. Any ideas? I read that the highlander alternator is a direct replacement but what year toyota highlander and is it strong enough
thanks guys
I don't know how upgrading a battery can fix a problem at first and then the problem comes back, unless if the battery is bad, or you're driving with diffrent conditions, such as wipers, high blower motor settings, idleing while said is happening, etc. I assume for the negitive wire feed to your amplifier you wired it to chasis ground, yes? If so you should consider running a new ground from the battery to the chasis of the car.
Because now you're expecting the factory ground system to handle another 50+amp load, which isnt going to happen easy. I recomend using 0, 2, or 4 gauge wire for a new ground run from the battery, and besure to free the connection area of any paint/rust, including chasis and battery.
And for upgrades keep in mind that the Avalon line is an unpopular one so theres not many aftermarket parts for it, but shares the same engine as the V6 Camry, Highlander, and I belive one of the minivans too.
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I don't know how upgrading a battery can fix a problem at first and then the problem comes back, unless if the battery is bad, or you're driving with diffrent conditions, such as wipers, high blower motor settings, idleing while said is happening, etc. I assume for the negitive wire feed to your amplifier you wired it to chasis ground, yes? If so you should consider running a new ground from the battery to the chasis of the car.
Because now you're expecting the factory ground system to handle another 50+amp load, which isnt going to happen easy. I recomend using 0, 2, or 4 gauge wire for a new ground run from the battery, and besure to free the connection area of any paint/rust, including chasis and battery.
And for upgrades keep in mind that the Avalon line is an unpopular one so theres not many aftermarket parts for it, but shares the same engine as the V6 Camry, Highlander, and I belive one of the minivans too.
I had all the stereo equipment professionally hooked up at a shop. From what I see, I do see a ground from the battery to the chasis of the car because upgrading the ground was one of the thing I did to try to fix the flicker. Well the thing with optima battery is that they work great when you first buy them but over them, their performance decrease because you're using up all the "juice ". I don't know , at least that's what an audio shop told me .
I know the avalon isn't a popular car for aftermarket parts but I wanted a reliable luxerious car so that's why I picked it.
Do you think if I installed the highlander alternator, it would fix the problem ?
I had all the stereo equipment professionally hooked up at a shop. From what I see, I do see a ground from the battery to the chasis of the car because upgrading the ground was one of the thing I did to try to fix the flicker. Well the thing with optima battery is that they work great when you first buy them but over them, their performance decrease because you're using up all the "juice ". I don't know , at least that's what an audio shop told me .
I know the avalon isn't a popular car for aftermarket parts but I wanted a reliable luxerious car so that's why I picked it.
Do you think if I installed the highlander alternator, it would fix the problem ?
Depends on the ratting of your alternator, if its 100 stock to a new 130, thats pretty good, but 85 to 130 would be a greater, obviously. Try the dealer or a better auto parts store to give you the exact modle number for the Avalon and Highlander alternator, and their varriations. And if you ran a ground it is critical that all the connectrion points are clean of any paint, and should be really shiny!
(if I don;t make sense is cause im really tired. P: )
BUT, if you really wanted to eliminate the flicker, it would involve shifting your optima to the trunk or other place of residence, leaving the stereo wiring hooked up. Then remounting the stock battery + connected to the rest of the car/
What would then be used is a battery isolator, which using one input from the alternator, it has two outputs which charge each battery. However, these outputs cannot effect each other, so when your subbin' is raping your optima battery, the stock battery that is acting as the holding tank for the lights, blowers, wipers ect remain unaffected.
However the same load is on the alternator, if not a little more because of the extra battery. But you can play your stereo as much as you want, and the car will always start because the power systems are seperate.
I'd like to do this to my car sometime, I do all my own work, but I'm just a little lazy sometimes, (and cheap!!) Oh, and if the battery is relocating into the trunk it must be vented to the outside in some manner (Lead acid batteries emit flamable vapors as they charge) And used with the conjunction of a new alternator, you should get some sweet results.
To be honest, I pull all my batteries from recycling yards, so they're not top notch. :P My system puts about a 50 amp stress on my alternator, just one optima battery, stock 100A alt, and yeah, the voltage dips really bad when subbin' it up at idle, so try to push it to the limit when you're actually moving and the alternator can acctualy output its rating.
yay.
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Last edited by Jigg007; 05-21-2008 at 01:48 AM.
Reason: fruitloop cerials
Depends on the ratting of your alternator, if its 100 stock to a new 130, thats pretty good, but 85 to 130 would be a greater, obviously. Try the dealer or a better auto parts store to give you the exact modle number for the Avalon and Highlander alternator, and their varriations. And if you ran a ground it is critical that all the connectrion points are clean of any paint, and should be really shiny!
(if I don;t make sense is cause im really tired. P: )
BUT, if you really wanted to eliminate the flicker, it would involve shifting your optima to the trunk or other place of residence, leaving the stereo wiring hooked up. Then remounting the stock battery + connected to the rest of the car/
What would then be used is a battery isolator, which using one input from the alternator, it has two outputs which charge each battery. However, these outputs cannot effect each other, so when your subbin' is raping your optima battery, the stock battery that is acting as the holding tank for the lights, blowers, wipers ect remain unaffected.
However the same load is on the alternator, if not a little more because of the extra battery. But you can play your stereo as much as you want, and the car will always start because the power systems are seperate.
I'd like to do this to my car sometime, I do all my own work, but I'm just a little lazy sometimes, (and cheap!!) Oh, and if the battery is relocating into the trunk it must be vented to the outside in some manner (Lead acid batteries emit flamable vapors as they charge) And used with the conjunction of a new alternator, you should get some sweet results.
To be honest, I pull all my batteries from recycling yards, so they're not top notch. :P My system puts about a 50 amp stress on my alternator, just one optima battery, stock 100A alt, and yeah, the voltage dips really bad when subbin' it up at idle, so try to push it to the limit when you're actually moving and the alternator can acctualy output its rating.
yay.
Thanks for the quick reply, I didn't think going from 100amp to 130amp would make any difference but guess i'm wrong.I was plan on putting the optima battery in the back and just a regular battery in the front but the audio shop told me it would help but still no eliminate it because the alternator could only put out so much power. I think I will try and go to all the auto part shop and see what kind of alternator they have. What amount of amp on my alternator do you think would be sufficient ? 200 amp ?
Thanks for the quick reply, I didn't think going from 100amp to 130amp would make any difference but guess i'm wrong.I was plan on putting the optima battery in the back and just a regular battery in the front but the audio shop told me it would help but still no eliminate it because the alternator could only put out so much power. I think I will try and go to all the auto part shop and see what kind of alternator they have. What amount of amp on my alternator do you think would be sufficient ? 200 amp ?
The bigger the better!
I heard of a company called Iraggii Alternators or something, seen their products on ebay with 1MZ-FE replacements 220+ amps.
Adding another battery to the car is like adding a 2,000 farad capacitor.
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i have sold and installed 12volt for the last 15 years. worked for pioneer as a product specialist. the end result is a bigger alternator is a waste of money. alternators will not even begin to put out their full power until the battery is about 90% empty. Get a sealed gel battery and put it in the trunk. wire it parallel to the front battery. put a circuit breaker within 18 inches of the front battery on the main wire going to the one in the trunk. put another circuit breaker on the same hot wire within 18inches of the rear battery. this will protect you if you have a short in the wire either in the front or rear. we don't want a battery acting like an arc welder through your car. i have ran as many as 7 batteries connected to a stock 60 amp alternator with no problems. you will damage your alternator if you exceed the max capacity by 120%. If you need more juice, put 2 in the trunk. use sealed to make sure no gases enter the car for explosion, or bad vapors. Plus extra batteries help start the car in the winter. I have double the alternator output in cars with the same issues you have, end up with the same results before the alternator was upgraded. batteries are the way to go. I can get you a diagram if you are not comfortable with the wiring. additional batteries ground straight to the chasis.
i have sold and installed 12volt for the last 15 years. worked for pioneer as a product specialist. the end result is a bigger alternator is a waste of money. alternators will not even begin to put out their full power until the battery is about 90% empty. Get a sealed gel battery and put it in the trunk. wire it parallel to the front battery. put a circuit breaker within 18 inches of the front battery on the main wire going to the one in the trunk. put another circuit breaker on the same hot wire within 18inches of the rear battery. this will protect you if you have a short in the wire either in the front or rear. we don't want a battery acting like an arc welder through your car. i have ran as many as 7 batteries connected to a stock 60 amp alternator with no problems. you will damage your alternator if you exceed the max capacity by 120%. If you need more juice, put 2 in the trunk. use sealed to make sure no gases enter the car for explosion, or bad vapors. Plus extra batteries help start the car in the winter. I have double the alternator output in cars with the same issues you have, end up with the same results before the alternator was upgraded. batteries are the way to go. I can get you a diagram if you are not comfortable with the wiring. additional batteries ground straight to the chasis.
Oh wow. thanks for the info. Yeah i would like a diagram for the wiring. You could send it to my email at tranbh01@yahoo.com
thanks again
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