C'mon!!!!! Now what

[Bobs69]

I checked a few grounds tightened them up.  I adjusted the alternator/voltage regulator to give me some more power.  The last time I started it, I turned on the headlights after a few seconds it started to run rough then died.  Regulator appears fine when I took it off to check.

Almost like there is no gas, I haven't checked that, because I'm doubting it's the problem.  I'm just sitting here thinking its must have something do with me adjusting the regulator.

[alcusswhen]

You blew the ballist resister and fried the points.

[Bobs69]

Okay okay.  You mean the points in the distributor?  I don't have points anymore.  Anything else?  thanks.

[elacruze]

What was your starting point? What was your end point after adjustment, what checks did you run before and after?

[Bobs69]

haha.  Oh crap.  I'm sure this isn't what you mean but............ At the battery I was getting 12.5volts, first adjustment put it up to 16.7 the third try was the charm.  14.5 to 15volts.

I read in the manual to make adjustments of .3 at a time.  I thought to myself what the heck are they talking about and remember seeing a mechanic just casually do it with it on the car.  I did unplug the batter and take it off each time.

I'm suspecting the ignition box.  The orange one.  I'm just waiting for it to get a little dark out so I can peak thru the windshielf and under the hood to see if I got spark.  I was toying with the test light yesterday and noticed it (the orange box) would light the test light when I touched the silver thing with the 2 screws.  Now it does not.
I took the connector off and got power from that wire.  Think it was the yellow with a white tracer......

[elacruze]

The headlights may be a clue.

Check your power circuit through the bulkhead connector. It supplies both the ignition switch and the headlights. If the connection was marginal but functional for the ignition, the headlight amperage could have been the straw that broke the camel's back, particularly if you had been running in a low-voltage condition which increases amperage in the system.

[b5blue]

The transistor on the top of the box should be showing voltage when checked with a meter, not full voltage but a lesser value if it's good. Use a meter not a test light just to be safe on that. Be sure (by checking for continuity with OHM's setting) that the box casing itself is grounded very well also. Many times I checked for spark by undoing a plug wire at the dizzy and holding it just up from being connected to the contact inside the cap. Remote cranking should let you hear a faint snap or pop sound as it arcs. Earlier this year I had an intermittent no spark problem that drove me nuts! I feel your pain! (You can get a cheap meter for 10-15 bucks) B5

[Bobs69]

Thanks guys.  This is going to take me awhile.  I'm not fond of wiring and mine is a mess.  So first off I should be looking for a wire at the bulkhead that is damaged?

As for the other then, boy I wish I could see the replies as I'm typing mine.  The resistor I think it was on the ignition box.  I'm assuming that's the silver thing with the 2 screws coming out of it?

[Bobs69]

The headlights may be a clue.

Check your power circuit through the bulkhead connector. It supplies both the ignition switch and the headlights. If the connection was marginal but functional for the ignition, the headlight amperage could have been the straw that broke the camel's back, particularly if you had been running in a low-voltage condition which increases amperage in the system.

Just re-reading your post.  I can only assume because I don't know wireing and haven't looked yet, but you have an incredible grasp for the obvious!  I'll check that first, then move on down the line.  Whatever that is.  The box I guess then I'll probably rely on you guys again.  I do want to learn tho.

[b5blue]

Transistor: part of, and mounted on top of, ECU, size of a quarter MOL, has 2 tiny screws visible, silver colored. Resistor: white ceramic, mounted near but not on or part of ECU, 2 kinds. one about the size of a BIC lighter but squared off, has 2 wire prongs one on each end. second one has 4 wire prongs. 2 on each end and is of course wider. Do your self a huge favor and order a correct for your year "engine harness" (with the ECU modification) that just plugs in properly.       

[elacruze]

Search 'bulkhead connector' from the home page and you'll find many threads about care and repair of this trouble spot, with some photos if I remember correctly.

[Bobs69]

The headlights may be a clue.

Check your power circuit through the bulkhead connector. It supplies both the ignition switch and the headlights. If the connection was marginal but functional for the ignition, the headlight amperage could have been the straw that broke the camel's back, particularly if you had been running in a low-voltage condition which increases amperage in the system.

Okay I'm almost embarassed to admit after all this time I still haven't fixed it.  After looking at the diagram and attempting to redraw it with coloured pencils to try and learn it, I realized it would be easier to change some parts.  Boy I was convinced it was the ignition box but no.  So I got a new blue box and the blue voltage regulator to go with it.  Still nothing.

So my question is, what is the power circuit?  What colour wire is it and what position in the bulkhead connector is it?

[elacruze]

This page should have what you need to look at, and the website has other invaluable resources too. http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

[poppa]

You blew the ballist resister and fried the points.

Where are you on this??
Do you have spark?
Does it crank over?
Do you have power at the distributor?
Are you running a ballist?
Power at the ballist? Before and after? With key on? While cranking?
I'm lost....

[Bobs69]

You blew the ballist resister and fried the points.

Where are you on this??
Do you have spark?
Does it crank over?
Do you have power at the distributor?
Are you running a ballist?
Power at the ballist? Before and after? With key on? While cranking?
I'm lost....

My apologies.  You guys are helping me out and I wasn't courteous enough to even update everyone.  Damned Canadians!!  I was lost so I got out the soldiering iron and started sureing up some connections.  I soldiered and drilled holes for 2 wires thru the bulkhead connector to bypass the male/female connections.  Honestly, not sure what I did.  I just didn't like the looks of those wires so I fixed them up.  I swear the only thing they do is goto the wiper motor.  Anyhow, there was another sub-par connection that I can't think of right now that I put some soldier on because I could see some bare wire on the outside of the crimp connection.  Those were darker wires and if memory serves (probably not but maybe) went in the direction of the meat & potatoes (voltage regulator and so on.)

I did finally get spark.  I had a inline tester that lights up.  I wouldn't say it looked the most promising but I'll look into that later.  But it ran smoothly.

Now playing with the continuity tester I had power at both sides of the ballast (2 prong).  One side duller then the other, that's the way it's suppose to be right?  The voltage regulator had power (new one I got from someone)  Found out later from looking online it's a race only item.  Great, so it puts out a constant 13.something.  That's not good enough for the street is it?  I have electric fans.  DUAL electric fans.  The regulator I had before was the old adjustable guy from the good old days.

1.  Now what bothered me and I don't understand why, and I'll re-check it now that it's running, when I unplugged the connection to the distributor with the and probed it with the tester I got nothing from but I'd hear an odd staticy sound coming from the distributor even without it plugged?  No I wasn't smoking crack. 

I had stripped alot of crappy old tape (yeah even off the new harness I had, heat off the headers ruin this stuff??  That will be another thread later this winter) so I could follow things better.

2.  I couldn't get the tester to light off the transistor on the ECU again.  Couldn't do it with the volt metre either.

3.  I had my "MotoMaster Eliminator" battery charger on the back measuring the Volts coming to the battery.  It was 13.4 or so.  Charging mode not on.  This thing is digital and wonder about it sometimes.  The battery is a RED TOP GEL kind, the charger I got has a setting for this.

     NOW the charger(not the car) has a option to see what sore of percentage the alternator is working at.  Or sending the the battery I guess.  It came up with a RED light which means CHECK things over.  Something is wrong.  So I switch it to see the volts.  13.5V, switch the setting again to BATTERY % it says 100%

     SO I GET MY VOLT METRE.  Goto the back of the car where the batter is and touch apply the metres probes and I get smoke out of the metre.  I couldn't believe it. 

Now, I'm real lost with these metres.  There is 2 options where to plug in the red.  I had it in the right spot because I've asked people before.  Plus a friend of mine who is a mechanic was down a week or 2 previous and showed me.  The other hole is for ...............something!  For real quick readings on high volts???  My mechanic pal here asked me if I had totally discharged the battery and hooked up the charger backwards and charged it up that way.  I said not likely.

I'll go on about the fuel pump in another thread I started, providing I find it!  I was feeding the carb with a syringe and nothing was coming out of the steel line from the pump at idle, it did once I throttled it, then I scrambled to put the line together.  I took the pump off and I want to get that damned pushrod out, had to order another allan key/socket.  11/32, I hope it works!

[Bobs69]

did I confuse everyone now?

[b5blue]

Ummm...errrr.....I don't know if smoking meters is any better than smoking crack!  Ya kinda lost me at the end there. Got pics? 

[W4ATL]

Multi meters have several inputs. One is for voltage (V). Another is for AMPS (A) which allows you to measure current. Same as the amp meter in our trusty 60s Mopars. When you measure current the meter is like a dead short. So if you put your meter in the A and GND connectors and then place the leads on your better you are essentially shorting out your battery. The meter should have a fuse that will blow in case that happens.

[poppa]

For amps what you essentilly do is make the meter a part of the circuit. Example (probably a bad one) ,you would "wire" it into the circuit, take the (pick one) pos battery cable off, hook one end of the meter to the cable and the other end to the pos battery post. Now it is part of the circuit. I'm not saying to do this, just that is how it works.Easiest example  I could think of this early in the am

[elacruze]

You're running in circles. Slow down and think about every move before you make it. Write down each step you take, so you remember them correctly.
Shooting a shotgun in the dark won't hit the target, it just makes more holes.

[Bobs69]

You're running in circles. Slow down and think about every move before you make it. Write down each step you take, so you remember them correctly.
Shooting a shotgun in the dark won't hit the target, it just makes more holes.

Ah you know me so well.

[elacruze]

You're running in circles. Slow down and think about every move before you make it. Write down each step you take, so you remember them correctly.
Shooting a shotgun in the dark won't hit the target, it just makes more holes.

Ah you know me so well.

It's just a house of mirrors.

[Bobs69]

What do you mean a house of mirrors?  Too many things to look at all at once?

It runs again.  I'd really like to know what happened to my volt metre.  I'm sure I was using it properly, I've used it in the past.  I realized I gave quite a long story earlier.

It runs great until the fans kick in, then the battery charger(the once that measures volts and Alternator%) indicates that there is a problem.

[elacruze]

What do you mean a house of mirrors?  Too many things to look at all at once?

It runs again.  I'd really like to know what happened to my volt metre.  I'm sure I was using it properly, I've used it in the past.  I realized I gave quite a long story earlier.

It runs great until the fans kick in, then the battery charger(the once that measures volts and Alternator%) indicates that there is a problem.

'house of mirrors' means I see myself in that description. I didn't learn to regiment my processes until I was in my 30's.

Multimeter...need to know what kind before diagnosing. If it was connected properly, it just blew a component. Bad luck.

You need to know how many amps your fans draw. The single fan in my friend's race car drew ~25 amps, you could be drawing 40-50 amps which is way more than your stock alternator can provide at anything less than high RPM. I have a 78A alternator and will upgrade to a 120A with my Gen II engine management.

[b5blue]

  AH the "lazy idle alternator output syndrome" rears it's ugly head again. I went with a Denso 120amp kit from Mancini Racing. That Alt. has an idle output capable of up to 80 amps.   

[Bobs69]

What do you mean a house of mirrors?  Too many things to look at all at once?

It runs again.  I'd really like to know what happened to my volt metre.  I'm sure I was using it properly, I've used it in the past.  I realized I gave quite a long story earlier.

It runs great until the fans kick in, then the battery charger(the once that measures volts and Alternator%) indicates that there is a problem.

'house of mirrors' means I see myself in that description. I didn't learn to regiment my processes until I was in my 30's.

Multimeter...need to know what kind before diagnosing. If it was connected properly, it just blew a component. Bad luck.

You need to know how many amps your fans draw. The single fan in my friend's race car drew ~25 amps, you could be drawing 40-50 amps which is way more than your stock alternator can provide at anything less than high RPM. I have a 78A alternator and will upgrade to a 120A with my Gen II engine management.

Okay first thing I'll do is find out how many amps my fans draw.  And I'll try real hard not to talk about anything else untill I do that!

Staying on track and focused is real tuff sometimes!

[TylerCharger69]

Change that orange box.   I went through 3 of them.  Then I went to Autozone  (shhhhh)  and got a Sorensen ECU  for 17 bucks  and havent had a problem since.