Frustrated - and could use some advice :S

[paulmusiclover]

I've been talking about a few of the issues I've been having across multiple posts, to consolidate, here's where I'm at, and I'm a bit lost on where my issue(s) lie ... they are mostly Electrical I believe at this point:

1. Ammeter Works - shows 0 when off, shows me negatives when I turn various lights and accesories on when vehicle is off or on. I don't believe it's ever shown me a positive actually , though to be honest, I haven't driven the car that much to know yet. I leave the car plugged into a 6 volt trickle charger whenever I have it in the garage (all the time), so I don't know if it's charging with the generator or not. I could use some advice on how to test this. (please bear in mind, I have an ohm meter and a light tester, but do not really know how to use the ohm meter, so advice on this is appreciated too! LOL)

2. May be related to the rest of this, but my starter seems to only work intermittently. My battery may be fully charged, but I'll press the starter button and only see a very small drop in the Ammeter, with no resulting starter movement. If I turn the key back off, and try again a little later, it will work, and turn just fine. it doesn't do this every time I turn off the car, but now and then.

3. Again this may be tied to the rest of the issues, however, I'm not 100% sure. The car dies if I turn on the full headlights/bright (seems like too much power drawn away from the engine and it shuts off) - again, this might be tied to a voltage meter or generator issue. Now, I do know that the starter was rebuilt in the last 4-5 months by the previous owner. I also know the voltage regulator is new within that timeframe as well... I've ordered a replacement light switch just in case there is a short there, will be arriving this week.

I'd really like to diagnose this problem so I can get driving it! Help!

Paul

[Don Coatney]

1) If you race the engine to 1500-2000 RPM's the amp gauge should move to the charging side. Generators do not work at idle.

2) Suggest you clean your battery terminals. What you describe leads me to believe your terminals are not making good contact.

3) There is no physical electrical connection between your headlights and ignition other than they draw power from the ignition switch through the ammeter. Check for loose wires on the back of your ammeter. Disconnect the battery before you do this as the wires on the back of the ammeter are hot all the time.

[james curl]

Paul, on the starter issue, do you have a remote starter, if you do then clip one end to the hot side of the starter relay/solnoid and the other to the center stud, the small one also on the relay/solnoid. Push the button on the remote starter and see what happens. If you do not have a remote starter then take a wire with two clips on it. Hook one to the battery side of the starter relay/solnoid and touch the other end to the small center terminal and the starter should run, if it does not take one jumper cable and hook it to the battery and the other end to the starter cable on the output side of the relay/solnoid. If this does not make the starter run then the starter is either bad or the cable is not tight or the starter is loose and not grounded.

Is this an ohm meter or a multi meter that will also measure voltage? If you are still running 6 volts set it to the smaller scale for DC voltage, usually 24 volts, now touch the negetive terninal to the negetive battery terminal and the other to the postive and read the voltage with the engine not running. Now start the engine and bring thr RPMs up to about 2000 and measure voltage, should be about 8.5 volts, If not trace the wire from the bat terminal on the voltage regulator to the generator, now connect the red wire to the generator and the black wire to ground, start the car and see if the generator is charging 8.5 volts when you rev the engine up. If the meter goes backwards reverse the leads.

[greg g]

If you are keeping the battery on a charger, the vr will not kick in the generator until it senses the battery needs a charge. To test the generator, make up a jumper wire from some insulated wire ad a couple aligator clips. one end of the jumper wire to the field terminal of the gen, its the smaller of the two. Clip the other end to the insulated portion of a battery cable or something else insulated. Start the car and set it to a high idle 1000 or 1200 RPM. then connect the end of the the jumper wire to a good ground. this should send your ammeter to full charge if the generator is working. DONOT leave the wire connected other that to check the gauge. Disconnect it first then deal with the idle speed and shut the car off. If your cenerator checks out you should be good to go. I would go back through all the battery connections, on all the primary battery posts to make sure they are clean and tight. You might want to make sure your starter bolts are good and tight also. If you have a stomp to start make sure those connections are clean. If you have a push button make sure the terminals are button are clean and tight. and also make sure the starter relay (solenoid) if present has a good ground to the firewall or fender it mounted on.

Did you check the grounds for your head lamps?? there is a wire that goes from the head lamp to the bucket. that must be clean and tight and the bucket to fender must be also.