Altenator, Regulator?

[Joe460]

Hi, folks. I'm a newbie here, so I don't know if this is the correct place to post this topic.

Anyway, my girlfriend noticed the headlight brightness modulating up and down as the beams reflected off some nearby signage while going through a drive-thru for some goodies. She also noticed the instrument panel lighting doing the same thing in time with the headlights.

I noticed this a couple of weeks ago, but didn't think too much about it, but now it concerns me. In conjunction with the brightness changing, there is a very, very slight "surging" sound coming from the engine, and it appears the surging is registering ever so slightly on the tach needle--barely. Accompanying the surging is a small "woo...woo...woo" sound that coincides with the headlight brightness increasing.

With just headlights on, the "woo..woo" and the brightness have a definite, regular frequency. Putting more "load" on the electrical system by turning on the brights, fog lights and back-up lights makes the frequency lessen...in other words there is more time between the light surging and the weird sound. Each individual application of more electrical loading changes the frequency.

Is the regulator making the alternator work when it doesn't have to here? The batteries are fine as cranking is marvelous on these cold days.

Probably not related, but turning on the headlights sure does make a mess out of some AM radio stations I listen too. A whole lot of RF interference going on.

Any tips out there? Thanks!

[outlawdiesel]

Just get a new hD Altenator and the Regulator is on it to.