Alternator is stuck wide open

[nascarxx29]

  To what you started out with and where you took it to.The electrical issues these old cars are prone will make you feel like .Once you findout whats the nature of the problem .We all be better prepared if it arises down the road on somebody elses car

[nascarxx29]

Like I mentioned ealier you got to watch those repo harness for fixable mistakes
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=A12&Number=5339357&page=0&fpart=1

[jmdesigns]

The rebuilder said that the alternator and regulator was good and that I might have a grounding issue at the regulator or alternator. He said that taking a test light connected to the battery positive and probing the regulator case and alternator body was not a sufficent test for ground which is what I did. He said for me to put the alt and reg back on and of I still had the problem to run a jumper from the battery ground to the alt and reg and see if it goes away. He also said that with the newer style higher amperage 2 field alternator does put out more amperage which will wear out the points style regulator prematurely and has a elctronic version which connects and looks the same for $35.

[Nacho-RT74]

round backs ( one field ) and square backs ( double field ) are basically same alts. No more output just because is a double field, all depends of specs on THIS specific alt.

I'm having serious doubts about those "techs"... not saying I know everything, because thats far away from the true, but I changed from 45 amps to 60 amps alt without change ANYTHING ELSE but upgrade on wires to ammeter due the higher Load and what I got is a quicker charge back to batt and alt getting enough juice at iddle ( ammeter stuck death center ) to not suck power from batt except when I'm stopped at traffic light with A/C and lights working ( halogen ). Not change on anything else, not even on regulator.

So the theory about the MORE AMPERAGE ALT wearing out the regulator is not valid at least for me. True mine is electronic but if points wear out, also transistors get heat until broke.

Several ppl here got bad luck with those upgraded electronic regulators with single field setup. Not saying that was the problem but talking about experience.

Bad ground at regulator with firewall IS A PROBABLY reason too ( that IS true ). Use a teeth washer or peel off the paint there ( or both )to check for that

[nascarxx29]

Thats what I thought ground issues somewhere .I didnt have access to modern day mulimeters etc equip back in the day.I had a testlight and and volt/ohmeter.And I agree with Nacho on the Tech advise they fed you .On a 68 car theres only a ground strap near the ballast on the firewall going to engine.And battery - neg cable to corner of intake manifold .Thats all I ever had .You can add on more it wont hurt .I have to ran additional ground to get taillights working better

But I had a friends car no charging condition.With all new parts .And he had the alternator bolts brackets spacers etc all powder coated.And my testlight wouldnt light showing a ground .Until I wire wheeled most of the paint off the mounting bolt and various areas to retain a good known ground.

[71_deputy]

quote:  Bad ground at regulator with firewall IS A PROBABLY reason too ( that IS true ). Use a teeth washer or peel off the paint there ( or both )to check for that
[/quote]

I agree- make sure that there is no paint behind the reg/firewall bolt lactaion and the bolt is clean and shiny( bare metal! )

[jmdesigns]

Hey Guys,
I put the alternator and regulator back on last night. I tried to put it on the same as I took it off to see if i would have the same problem and couldn't tighten the bolts on the regulator because the holes stripped out. Also the washers on the old bolts had light rust on the back side. So with new larger clean bolts no charging problems....works great. The bad thing about this is that a test light connected to the battery and probe the regulator case did show ground so I don't what would be a better check for bad ground. If I was having the same problem again I was going to run a jumper wire from the battery ground to the regulator and test and then to the alternator and test. Maybe this will be good advise for other people.

[nascarxx29]

I testlight ground check regulator mounting alt and engine .If needed I ad a additional one.The regulator mounting holes always strip

Earlier on rebuilder claimed the testlight ground testing was not sufficent.But has always worked for me

If regulator screws going into a loose firewall mounting area.Or bolts not clean on regulator mounting surfaces.Would make the charging problem intermitant causing a fluctuating ground connecting.Thats why I always ground check and tug the mounted regulator etc.And be sure the light doesnt flicker .And if you feel like it run a additional wire back to ground from one of the regulator mounting bolts.Anyway your fixed.And sometimes when a car has been repaint /restored you loose ground connections .You had before

[jmdesigns]

Thanks for your help guys!
Cool thing is I did drive the car last night. I believe the car hasn't motivated under is own power for several years so the last couple of months with me has been good for it. The only issue I ran into last night was that the steering column feels like it is binding up inside. Guess I need to look around and read in the interior section.

[nascarxx29]

Binding There is a steering colum bearing behind turn signal switch .Was column apart or sand blasted??.Check out P.S box .P.S fuild .Belt tension column to box alighment.Was front end rebuilt and realigned

[Nacho-RT74]

and couldn't tighten the bolts on the regulator because the holes stripped out. Also the washers on the old bolts had light rust on the back side.

gotcha!!! there you are.

I got striped holes at ECU... what I made isntead use larger bolts or nuts on back ( is easier on 3rd gens on cowl vents area ) is make a slot at a side of holes and fit J nuts... easier to fix if nuts get striped/damaged, and still looking stock from the front ( using stock bolts )