well.. the only thing I can think of now is the ground point, I just looked at it a little bit ago and it looked pretty bad.. there was paint, and the surface that it was being grounded too wasn't really flat. So.. I'm thinkiing maybe I'll ground it on a better spot on my car. I also ordered some 1/0 wire, PROBABLY overkill, but I don't care. I don't want any loose ends when I'm done with all my upgrading. So once I get that new wire in and install it I'll let you all know how that goes, I'll probably get it all in on Wednesday.

Also, I am basing the fluctuating off of the cluster, my dad also had the idea that the cluster might be bad. Also, for all of you that are skeptical about me getting a new alternator, it did fix the whining problem that my old alt was making.

As far as getting a cap goes.. I really don't want to get one. lol. if it means having my lights dim, then so be it. The fact that my lights dim doesn't bother me so much, I just feel like lights dimming so easily could be an indication of my car not getting enough power.

What I'm wondering other than the ground point is how much total Battery wattage you have. Caps really make more of a play in the sound scheme. The thing with alternators besides they have to work through the battery is they don't produce anywhere near their stated amperage at an idle/lower RPM'*. And this goes x2 for the high output ones. The amperage they put out is linear to RPM.

I stated earlier that ZZP has a voltage booster, they also have a smaller alt pulley that will spin the alt faster. Both of these would help prevent voltage drops at idle.

oh yeah, i forgot that you posted that.. but on the zzperformance website they don't list a bonneville. Should I buy the one for the grand am?

Grand Am ---> ZZ Performance

and the voltage decreasing/increasing has no co-relation at all to my RPM'*

Check the plug on your alt first, but it should be the same.

we replace ALOT of GM clusters.. and wacky acting gauges are #1 problem next to DOA

I would think it would work. they say:

96-2004 compatible (Does not work with '05+ Grand Prixs', 97-98 Grand Am, 97 LeSabre or 96/97 Bonneville)

Their exclusion of only the 96/97 Bonneville would indicate the rest are fine. You can call them or zip them an email.

Like RPERRY said, we have seen our share of bad clusters here. If you can get a voltmeter tapped in and watch the two at the same time, it should give you a better idea.

yeah i emailed them and they said it would work. ill order one of those tomorrow probably. ill also try out the voltmeter sometime soon

Alright, so I bought a digital multimeter and i tested the battery/alt

Car off - 11.5v
Car on *no load* - 14.4v
Car on *load* Heat on high, fan on high, brights on, no music playing. - 12.2v

Someone wanna interpret this for me? haha. I kind of get it.. But I don't know if this means my alt is good or bad or if my battery is good or bad.

Oh yeah, something else worth mention I think.. I was driving home today on the freeway listening to my iphone through my headunit, all of the sudden the music shuts off, actually like all the lights in my car did, and then my car made made a ding, ding, ding noise. Then my music started back up and my gauge cluster had only two lights lit up, the brake light and the anti-locking one and they stayed like that until i stopped at the gas station and turned my car off and on. That was scary.. haha

Sounds like you have a problem with a battery cable. It'* loosing the connection, that'* why the radio cut out. The anti-lock light came on because there was a interruption with the signal from the WSS, once that happens the TC is off until you restart the car. Start checking for any corrosion. There'* also a chance the battery cable has gone bad.