I FOUND MY GLASSES! I cleaned up my post for those who moght wish to save it in their tool box. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Dulmage" <big-d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 9:51 AM Subject: Re: Battery, Alternator or Regulator problem '64 Sport Fury
Test battery. Should not drop below 10 volts on cranking. You cold have 9.8 or so butif t is bad it will drop to 8 or 6 or less in a hurrry. A battery must be charged to test it. Not just five minutes but at least a couple of hours on a say 10 amp charger. You dont need a load tester if you dont want to spend the money. Just use your voltmeter and crank it. For a mild trest on condition use you voltmeter and turn on the headlights. it will drop but should remain steady for 5 inutes. If it is a bummer it will fall continously at a fairly fast rate.All testing should be done with a voltmeter. Charging systwms with alternators are so simple , that is what confuses one. Check voltage at rest AT THE BATTERY. Engine off. Start car and run at about 1500 rpm. Does the voltage rise ? If it does it is charging. If not it isnt. Now for the 64 dollar question . Is it the regulator or the alternator. To find out we need to remove the regulator from the system or by passs it. With a single wire alternator remove the small wire (unplug) from the field terminal (Only one on a one wire so no chance of making an mistake) Run a jumper from the big alternator terminal to this small one. Start the car and repeat the 1500 RPM test for just short time. Does the alternator work now? If yes it is Ok and the regulator is kaput. Replace the eregulator. If NO then it is the alternaltor. If it is the alternator and it is mopar it is most likely only brushes as nothing else goes wrong with these good ol bruts. Replace and repeat the test. With two wire alternator it is a bit easier . Remove both plug in wires . Turn the ignition to on. Using a test light find which of those small wires has power. Plug that wire back on the alternator. Using a jumper ground the other alternator terminal to the alternator case. Leaving the other small termnal unplug. Start the car. Do the 1500 RPM test and see if voltage is rising. If yes same as before Alt is good. If no relace brushes and start again. If yes then regulator is kaput. Do not replace both . That is just a waste of money. Just do this test exactly as described . It works and it is fool proof. The amps of an alternator are controlled by its windings. The regulator controls the voltage so that is why we only test voltage to find out if it is functioning. The dash gauge is a decoration. Pay little attention to it whatever, unless it is on the discharge side. Dont try to rationalize when you are doing these tests. Just do them . They work. Five minute should be all that is necessary to diagnose any of our Mopars alternator systems. Ok 10 your first time. Anyway it is easy. Never guess. That is unprofessional. There is nothing hard about these systems , people just make it hard.
Don----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Watson" <wwatson6@xxxxxxx>To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 2:23 AM Subject: Re: Battery, Alternator or Regulator problem '64 Sport FuryWhen you were driving around, did you notice where the needle was on the alternator gauge? Most people condem this gauge and suggest disabling it ASAP. However, knowing whether the gauge was showing a charge or discharge would point you down the right road to correct the problem.Slow starting, dead turn signals, are not signs of a fuse problem. Bill Vancouver, BC----- Original Message ----- From: "Douglas Sutherland" <pluckedchickens@xxxxxxxxxxx>To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 12:33 PM Subject: Battery, Alternator or Regulator problem '64 Sport FuryI keep my battery unhooked while my car is not in use. My car has been sitting for about 3 cold weeks so it wasn't an easy start, but she finally turned over.After leaving the house, I made 3 stops. Started fine for the first two times and on the last time there was barely enough power in the battery to get started.While driving back home my CD player went dead, but the radio stayed on and my turn signals went dead also -- maybe a fuse blew?Got her back in the garage, checked the fuse box -- all is fine. When I tried to restart her, the battery was dead.Is this a Battery, Alternator or voltage Regulator problem? Maybe a short?Thanks for your help.Doug_________________________________________________________________----Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks!'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:----Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks!'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
---- Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks! '62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network