Happy April gents. This is a bit of a long shot, but I thought I'd see if anyone else has had similar problems or a suggestion.

'82 D150 slant 6 truck. I recently did the HEI refit with a NOS GM late 70's Chevette HEI coil/bracket and the Standard LX301 module. Module on a GM thin heat sink that many use with heat paste.

I was pleased to get success on first time fire up and dialed the timing in a bit. While messing with that and restarting a few times, I occasionally heard a high pitched buzzing. I didn't get focused in on where it was coming from too well, but seemed to be possibly the voltage regulator or maybe around the heated choke assist.

The new problems now are:
No charging of battery.
No guages working ( OP, temp, fuel, voltmeter).
No turn signals
No Windshield wipers
Didn't check brake lights.

Still working:
Starter
Headlights and side markers work, but headlights are on separate relays off battery that I installed.
Dome light
Don't know if the alternator itself is still good or got cooked.

The PO had installed a direct wire from battery to old coil + with a switch on dash. Guess the igniton switch feed to coil no longer worked. Cranking with key, switch on for ignition. switch off to kill engine. I used the same wire to feed the new coil. No fuse installed on that. I didn't use a relay for my HEI feed, but have the stuff to do it later.

So far, I have replaced the Voltage regulator The old one was a newer mopar one and previously worked. The old one now has a hole burned in the backing. Maybe I cooked the new one as well? Standard, not painted. Also replaced the fusbile links in the harness near the starter relay. Old ones didn't appear to be be cooked or stretchy. No changes to problems. I found one more fusible link off a side battery terminal feed, but that seems OK. double checked all fuse box fuses and all look good.

For a day, I could no longer start the truck and thought I may have now cooked the module. I did get it started today, so I think it was just a carb flooding problem. Engine runs well, but sucks down battery quickly, of course.

I had read that the lean burn spark control box, etc. circuits were all separate from other electrical systems. I thought that disconnecting the two harness plugs from the old ECM might have taken something out of the circuit. Replugging them in did nothing. Right now, I just have the plugs wrapped up and and old 318 BBD aircleaner on it. Used old ported vacuum hose to ECM now directly to new vacuum distributor.

If you read this far, I'm not real great with vehicle electrical matters. I do have the correct FSM. Any ideas on where I went wrong? Would a voltage regulator shut down the things that shut down and if it is the VR, what may be causing that failure.

Thanks!

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1982 Dodge D150 ( Ram)
225 with A833OD. 2bbl. Non power brakes

Just as a general theory, go through the wiring diagrams in the manual, looking for areas that all those different circuits have in common.

Do you have a meter to help you diagnose? If not, get one - they are essential to fixing electrical issues.
Always start with the basics: power and ground to whatever circuit you are checking.
It's a good time to brush up on electrical principles (Ohm's Law, etc). It's not as scary as it seems, and our older vehicles are a great place to learn due to their relative simplicity.

More specifically for your truck, I would start at the ignition switch since you already have indications of a problem there (bypassed to make the truck run) and it is the common power junction for much of the truck.

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O==\=/==O

"A mechanic is Somebody."
- Jim Preston

sixinthehead, Thanks for your reply. Very good advice. I do have a VOM meter and use it as I know how.

Today, I redid my fusible links to common buss box block, no change. I found a Dk Blue wire that shed it's insulation in the wrapped harness all the way from the OP pod attachment to the heated choke assist terminal. Looked like it had been that way for quite a while. Have a new terminal ordered and will run a new wire as well. With all that taken out of circuit, no change.

Maybe the ignition switch is problem. What I can't understand is how all was working before HEI job and now much is not. Heavier draw for HEI module?

If anyone has done an HEI conversion on an 80's truck and had similar problems, I'd love to hear about it.

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1982 Dodge D150 ( Ram)
225 with A833OD. 2bbl. Non power brakes

Happy to report that after some days, I have the truck properly charging, gauges and turn signals working. Redid the oil pressure/choke heater wiring, voltage regulator and new plug, etc. Much wiring diagram study, but too many possibilities to be sure. What seemed to do it was replacing the one fusible link I did not previously replace. No sign of the old link failing, same as all the others I did replace, but a new one did the trick.

Also striped the harness down on the passenger side engine/engine bay. Removed all lean burn system wiring and rewrapped with harness tape. Also pulled the plugs I had in, NGK UR4GP single platinum's. From someone's old post, I had found info on ACDELCO R45TS. Supposedly a half heat range cooler than the NGk's., although just copper core. Some charts I had found sometime back seemed to bear that out. The NGK's looked pretty good, but just a hint too white. Installed the Delco's gapped at .042. Running pretty well, but I need to muck around with timing advance, probably the vacuum.

The refurbished distributor I got from a forum member a while back, cured my dancing timing marks. I'm glad that I can now get the truck inspected before expiration.

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1982 Dodge D150 ( Ram)
225 with A833OD. 2bbl. Non power brakes