Im working on a late 60s 383 in an old 50s dodge pickup. 12v system. Having some trouble with the charging system. It has an external regulator. Alternator has main wire for battery and two field wires that go to the regulator. Problem was that it wasnt putting out enough juice to keep the battery charged. Now that i had the alternator tested, all good, and put a new voltage regulator on, its over charging. Over 15.... Am i possibly missing a ground somewhere? Did i get a bad regulator right out of the box?
Thanks for the replies guys. I sanded both the firewall where the regulator bolts on, and the backside of the regulator itself. Didnt seem to help. I guess it might be bad right out of the box. Ill try to exchange it, and see if the new one does the same.
If it is one of these quite cheap new electronic regulators in the stamped "old style" steel box (shaped like the original) casing I would not discard the idea that it is bad right out of the box. I had the same in my '65 Pontiac, where I exchanged the original, old, slightly faulty mechanical regulator for a re-pop electronic version. It did massively overcharge and almost killed the alternator (alreday started to discolor due to overheating), the ampere metre and cooked the battery before I noted that something was wrong. It was just bad right out of the box and the replacement I got worked fine and still does since then...
Helge71, thats exactly what it is. A cheap one made to look like the original. I got it at advance, i think ill take it back and try one from NAPA. Maybe have better luck.
I know it's not the same scenario but, I replaced the alternator on my OT Corvette once yrs. ago (it's internally regulated). When I started the car all of the dash lights lit up so bright it almost blinded me. I turned it off immediately not wanting to tear apart the dash to replace about a dozen bulbs. Turns out the internal regulator was bad so it does happen even with new parts.
Do you have the old style regulator, and the old style alternator? They changed around 1970. The old alternators have one of the field wires grounded, the later ones have it go to the regulator. Just wondering if your alternator and regulator match?
I agree, you got a bad regulator. There is nothing to adjust, they are solid state. It is impossible to install them wrong, there is a plug that only goes in one way. There is supposed to be a ground wire from the engine to the body, on stock Dodges it is a small braided wire from engine to firewall. Also a ground wire from the alternator that disappears into the wiring harness. I think it goes to the battery.
Squirrel, i believe its the newer style. Both field wires go to regulator, one splits off to go to ignition i believe.
Yep, thats it. Went to Napa, got the NAPA version, which looks cheaper than the advance auto version. Hopefully it works better.
Hmmm , it looks pretty similar to that, but I'll double check the looks of it. Also, same issue with the napa regulator. Over charging. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I can't imagine I got two bad ones in a row, but stranger things have happened. I'm going to go through my wiring this weekend and try to see any issues. Thanks for all the input guys! Appreciate it! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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