Slant *        6        Forum
Home Home Home
The Place to Go for Slant Six Info!
Click here to help support the Slant Six Forum!
It is currently Fri Nov 29, 2024 7:29 am

All times are UTC-08:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Voltage Regulator
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:01 am 
Offline
4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:18 am
Posts: 25
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Car Model:
Driving my kid around last night when the ammeter pegged high, dropped low and then stayed on the discharge side. So I went home, good thing I was close by, I guess. Now when I was driving I had the blower on low and my headlights on, and it normally runs on the first discharge mark nearest center. (if that doesn't make sense I'll try to find a picture.) Only last night it was running really low, like 3/4's of the way to the left. So I applied a little gas, and it shot right back up. Which is when it pegged and dropped.

What the <bleep> did I do now? I was able to drive home fine, and the battery is not new. Revving the engine at all did nothing to move the ammeter gauge, but when I got home, I let the car sit in park, turned off the light, turned off the blower and gauge went right back up to center.

That's what leads me to believe its the VR and not the alt, but w/o a meter I have no way of checking.

Any suggestions before I put my hand through another of my windows.


P.S. Thanks Doc, hope you got mail from me!

_________________
The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:16 am 
Offline
EFI Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:04 am
Posts: 269
Location: harford co. maryland
Car Model:
without any test equipment I would inspect all the wiring between the batt. and the alt. then id throw a voltage reg. on it and see what happens (as long as you didn't see or smell any smoke)


Top
   
 Post subject: Smokey Bear
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:23 am 
Offline
4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:18 am
Posts: 25
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Car Model:
Didn't see any smoke and I have no sense of smell, so no I didn't smell any either. I'll give the wiring a lookee-loo and see if I spot anything, like a bad ground or loose wire. Then I'll try a new VR, any recommendations as to which brand, I believe SSD mentioned a Standard-Bluestreak brand as being a favorable choice.

_________________
The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:16 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Contributor

Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:39 pm
Posts: 24446
Location: North America
Car Model:
Is this a '60-'69 car with single-field alternator, or a '70+ with dual-field?

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Image


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:25 am 
Offline
4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:18 am
Posts: 25
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Car Model:
Its a '71, so dual field. Sorry about that.

_________________
The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:25 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Contributor

Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:39 pm
Posts: 24446
Location: North America
Car Model:
NAPA Echlin VR-38 or Standard-Bluestreak VR-125.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Image


Top
   
 Post subject: Ooo-keee
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:40 am 
Offline
4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:18 am
Posts: 25
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Car Model:
Thanks Dan, if the monsoon stops here, I'll try and get that this weekend.

_________________
The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.


Top
   
 Post subject: Its not.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:41 pm 
Offline
4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:18 am
Posts: 25
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Car Model:
It's not the VR, just replaced it and the ammeter is still sitting on the discharge side and will not move regardless of engine rpm. Where do I look now?

One neat little tidbit, when I use the brakes, the gauge actually goes towards the charge side, ever so very slightly.

_________________
The North American Wild Chihuahua lives in a mutualistic relationship with the North American Wild Cow, providing an early alert system and carrion clean up.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:30 pm 
Offline
EFI Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Posts: 370
Location: West Mifflin PA
Car Model: 1967 Dodge Dart 270
You need to check your voltage with a meter. At the voltage regulator and at the battery. My guess is that your alternator is acting up. I had the same problem on my Dart. When I checked the voltage at the battery it would bounce all over the place from 11 to 16.5 volts with the car running.I switched the VR and had the same readings. It caused all kinds of weird lighting problems.I Found one of my rectifiers on the alternator was burnt off. :shock: If you need a meter to use let me know.

_________________
Image
Image


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:38 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Contributor

Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:39 pm
Posts: 24446
Location: North America
Car Model:
Time to test the alternator.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Image


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:49 pm 
Offline
EFI Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Posts: 370
Location: West Mifflin PA
Car Model: 1967 Dodge Dart 270
Good stuff Dan :D

_________________
Image
Image


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:48 pm 
Offline
Turbo Slant 6

Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:51 am
Posts: 855
Car Model:
Just a suggestions; Mopar alt's have really easy-to= swap inexpensive brushes; you don't even have to open the alt up. Problems like yours are often, but not always, just badly worn brushes.

Digital multimeters are so cheap nowadays I keep on in every car, just in case I need one.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:33 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 7:27 pm
Posts: 14491
Location: Park Forest, Illinoisy
Car Model: 68 Valiant
Quote:
Just a suggestions; Mopar alt's have really easy-to= swap inexpensive brushes; you don't even have to open the alt up. Problems like yours are often, but not always, just badly worn brushes.
I have actually changed brushes with the motor running to win a bet before. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Taking money from GM guys is like taking candy from a baby. :lol: :lol: :lol:

_________________
Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.


Top
   
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:41 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Contributor

Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:39 pm
Posts: 24446
Location: North America
Car Model:
Quote:
I have actually changed brushes with the motor running to win a bet before. :lol:
Hey, that's a good trick! Another: Find someone who insists that the secondary side of the ignition has to have a ground path back to the coil for the ignition to work. Remove a spark plug wire, shove a bolt in it, hand it to him, and start the engine. After he climbs up off his butt, ask him to describe the ground path between himself and the coil. :mrgreen:

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Image


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC-08:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited