Ammeter Pegging Out - Update

[my73charger]

This last week I was doing a burnout and while the car was revving it started super charging.  The ammeter was pegging out and I heard my electric fuel pump start screaming.  I turned the lights on and they were super bright.  By this time I was moving down the road so I kicked it into nuetral and revved it a couple of times and it came back down, but now it keeps doing this when I am driving around and when I throw it into neutral and stomp on it it will usually release and come back down only to start pegging again.  Last summer I ran the parallel wires per Nacho's upgrade, http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33574.0.html but I am still running a stock 60 amp alternator.  I took the alternator down to the parts store and had it tested and it passed three times in a row.  I also just put a new mopar voltage regulator and new battery in the car as well.  Not sure what is going on.  Any ideas?

[flyinlow]

Check you voltage should in the 14's. If higher than that and charging excessively the alternator is not being controlled properly. Alternators are normally pretty dull things and they don't get excited by things like burnouts.  Check you regulator to body ground first, clean rust or paint. On the isolated field alternator (2 wire field, 1970 and up) one wire provides system voltage to the field winding terminal and then is grounded thru varying degrees by the voltage regulator thru the other terminal and wire. If that wire has bad insulation and is getting grounded at times the alt. will go full charge when that wire is touching a ground. I think it's the small green wire from the alternator  to the regulator.

[Nacho-RT74]

you could be getting full ground voltage at green wire somewhere, or batt is begining to fail

[my73charger]

Hi Guys,

I found a spot in the original black wire that charges from the alternator that was melted as it runs next to the intake manifold so it got hot at some point in that area.  Could this be the problem?  I think the voltage regulator is pretty well grounded and the field wires seem ok.  Also, do I need to upgrade to an 80 amp alternator?  At this point the only additional electrical add-on the car has is the electrical fuel pump.  I used to run an electrical fan but I went back to a manual fan instead.  Nacho, how about you just come rewire my whole car for me.   

[Dino]

Hi Guys,

I found a spot in the original black wire that charges from the alternator that was melted as it runs next to the intake manifold so it got hot at some point in that area.  Could this be the problem?  I think the voltage regulator is pretty well grounded and the field wires seem ok.  Also, do I need to upgrade to an 80 amp alternator?  At this point the only additional electrical add-on the car has is the electrical fuel pump.  I used to run an electrical fan but I went back to a manual fan instead.  Nacho, how about you just come rewire my whole car for me.   

You bet that could be the problem!  Fix and insulate those wires before you have a fire.  Next time you see your electrical system go into overload.  Turn the sucker off and disconnect the battery!!!!!  You'd be surprised how fast that car will burn to the ground.  I'm not kidding.

60 amps is plenty for your use, you can get an 80 amp but likely it'll never use the surplus.  If you plan on adding lots more electrical then a bigger alt is no luxury and you might as well install it now but I think you'll be fine with the 60.

[my73charger]

I cut that entire section completely out and plan to replace with new wire.  Good advice as well.  I hate electrical issues.

[Dino]

I cut that entire section completely out and plan to replace with new wire.  Good advice as well.  I hate electrical issues.

Excellent!

I hate any issue with a car but the ones that can turn the car into a heap of ash is pretty much the worst yeah.   

[flyinlow]

Yea ,replace that wire. I like to double insulate wires that are not fused. Like the charging wire. The wires near the engine seam to suffer insulation failure faster.


Do you carry a fire extinguisher ?

[my73charger]

I will insulate it well.  I need to buy a new extinguisher.

[Nacho-RT74]

Nacho, how about you just come rewire my whole car for me.   

Actually, I'd like... I have couple of friends more who wanted too

[my73charger]

Nacho, how about you just come rewire my whole car for me.   

Actually, I'd like... I have couple of friends more who wanted too

[Nacho-RT74]

I meant, couple of members of the board who would like I travel to USA to make that..

( after re-read what I wrotte, it seems I told couple of friends here to travel to USA with me LOL )

[my73charger]

Ok the problem has not gone away.  I just took it for a ride, stomped on it going down the highway and the next thing you know, the ammeter is pegging.  I pull over, shut it down for a bit and start it back up and it is charging normally.  All wire is new to and from the alternator to the ammeter and still I am having issues with the ammeter pegging out.  One common denominator seems to be creating the problem.  Every time I stomp on it and rev the motor on a burnout or hard launch it seems to trigger the problem.  I am thinking it could be either the alternator (which was tested and seemed to be ok), or the voltage regulator (new mopar black one last summer), or maybe the ammeter itself?  Any ideas?

[Nacho-RT74]

definitelly, alternator is shorting out. PROBABLY the internal vent vanes are getting some friction with stator leads ( it happened to me maybe twice ). Check for axial play on rotor

[my73charger]

Thanks Nacho!  When I spin the pulley with the belt off it makes a clicking noise.  Guess its time to buy a new alternator.

[Nacho-RT74]

no really need for that, usually is an easy fix. Just open and check for some friction points... then you can try to locate where is and bend a little bit whichever is making the clicking noise... I put some pressure on stator leads into the housing to keep them away from the vent vanes. Or file out the vane could be touching the leads if you find which one is

[my73charger]

Ok thanks Nacho.  I'll give this a try, although I've never taken an alternator apart before.  I'm willing to give it a try though.

[flyinlow]

Does the alternator pulley have any end play? Are the bearings going bad allowing things to touch?

[my73charger]

Ok I took the alternator off and pulled it apart.  The pulley doesn't seem to have any play at all.  I think the noise was the back bearing being pretty dry so I greased it.  I can't really see any obvious friction points that could be creating a problem.  After putting it back together it spins quietly.

[kman440]

Swap out the voltage regulator, only $30. Had the same problem last night, noticed gauge maxed out as I was heading to a show. I did the head light wiring upgrade with fuses and relays, but I still burnt out the headlights. The old manual said problem is sticking regulator, swapped it out, replaced the lights and all is good.

[my73charger]

This problem did turn out to be the alternator.  I put a new one on and the pegging and high charging has stopped.