Okay Ive noticed this has been happening a few times recentley and im not sure if its normal. If its cold outside and I have my heater running at 5 (max setting), when I come to a stop and the engine RPM's drop to 500 the dash lights and the headlights dim a little. Also the heater fan slows down a little and doesn't blow as hard. But if I give it a little gas (just enough to hit 1000 RPM's) everything comes back to normal. It doesn't happen if the heater is on setting 3 or 4 though? Maybe 5 just used alot of power or is my alternator going bad?

 

The same thing happens on my 98. except i need to get mine to hit 1800 rpms. I think its just to much of a power draw. At least i hope thats it

 

hmm.. i guess the car just isn't generating enough power at 500 rpm to run everythign?

 

You can try getting the alternator tested at a place like autozone. The car is drawing more power than the alternator can put out at the lower RPM.

You can try upgrading to a more powerful alternator, if one is available.

 

Sounds like some sort of power problem, too much being drawn...

Have you ever been through Newcastle, Wyoming? I'm asking because I saw a yellow Monte with the single stripe just like yours in town a year or so ago.

 

Had that happen to me when I had another car ended up being the battery, easy to check at autozone, good luck to ya

 

Ya im thinking its just with the heater on full there isn't enough to run everything. I dont think im gonna worry much unless it starts happening when the heater is on low or something.

No I have never been through wyoming but there are a few out there with the same stripe as mine. Not many tho

 

Ah, well it was the only Monte I had ever seen with a single stripe until I saw yours.

 

It's probably a combination of your Battery being unable to provide the Amps needed by the system to run everything and meet the need of the Ignition Circuit; too.
As Battery's get cold their ability to store energy is adversely effected. You start to lose the deep charge it needs to provide high amps to power everything.
With the Alternator trying to both charge that battery and run the accessories ... the available current from the Voltage Regulator isn't enough to try to keep the battery charged and run what's-ever on at the moment. Somethings got to give ... the whole system sags trying to keep-up ... which, can be a big enough drain to have the Idle fall and even cause the car to stall.

If its the Alternator getting old, the brushes are too short and arcing burning the paths followed by the brushes as the rotor spins causing a resistance that prevents the regulator from getting enough A/C to convert to DC beginning a viscous circle that will kill the alternator, voltage regulator and the battery. The Parts Staores make a fortune on rebuilt alternators from this happening as it often comes on suddenly as the brushes begin to arc.

 

That's a nice way of saying they suck azz.

This is why the electric car won't work for Wisconsin or many of the northern states. In CA the Chevy E1 or whatever it was got about 250 miles per charge, in WI it has been calculated as less than 100.