White Spyder Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 Had the Windsor out for a drive today and stopped to visit with a friend. When I restarted the car all was good. As I was driving I herd a click click from the dash and the amp meter was bouncing back and forth. Then it stopped and seemed to be working as it should. A mile or two later, click click from the dash and it was bouncing again. Stopped after about 5 seconds. Another couple of miles and it did it again. This continued for the rest of the 15 mile trip home. It seemed to be more time related than distant related. I was cruising on the interstate at 60mph. Everything else appeared to be working normally. The car is still 6v positive ground. I installed a new battery a week ago. It is connected correctly and I did not have the issue then but I only started the car an let it warm up. The first 20 mile there was no issue. It only started its dancing after I restarted the car after an hour for the trip home. Any ideas as to what might be going on? Quote
1950 Special Deluxe Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 Sounds like a short. Maybe the auto reset breaker tripping and resettling? Quote
DJ194950 Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 (edited) Bad breaker sounds possible as a short would cause this but the breaker is temp. tripped. But it takes some time to reset. A minute or more as it cools. Maybe just a loose connection is really more likely and works for a while while until shaken some more by driving more?? Think I'd start at the amp meter connections. Corrosion? Time to check some more, good luck. Edited March 8, 2015 by DJ194950 Quote
Oldguy48 Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 Bad breaker sounds possible as a short would cause this but the breaker is temp. tripped. But it takes some time to reset. A minute or more as it cools. Maybe just a loose connection is really more likely and works for a while while until shaken some more by driving more?? Think I'd start at the amp meter connections. Corrosion? Time to check some more, good luck. X2 Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 check for loose connection at the ammeter, back of switch and on to the light switch as these are main power taps for most circuits Quote
White Spyder Posted March 8, 2015 Author Report Posted March 8, 2015 Time to become the contortionist under the dash! Quote
busycoupe Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. After cleaning connections, checking the output voltage of the generator, I finally replaced the voltage regulator.....problem solved. You may want to look may want to look at the regulator. Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 8, 2015 Report Posted March 8, 2015 I had one that danced on a 50 plym wagon. It had a bad voltage regulator. Quote
Mark D Posted March 9, 2015 Report Posted March 9, 2015 I've got a wonky headlight switch that is in need of replacement. Lost my lights cruising in VT last summer and traced it to the switch. It loves to make the meter dance. Currently in search of a replacement. Quote
fordkustom Posted March 9, 2015 Report Posted March 9, 2015 check your voltage regulator here is a fun video Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 10, 2015 Report Posted March 10, 2015 That dancing meter must be the Fred Astaire model........................lol Quote
White Spyder Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Posted March 10, 2015 That dancing meter must be the Fred Astaire model........................lol More like Fats Domino "Twist" ! Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 10, 2015 Report Posted March 10, 2015 Twist...........hmm, I think that was Chubby Checker. Quote
White Spyder Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Posted March 11, 2015 Twist...........hmm, I think that was Chubby Checker. Ah, you are correct. Quote
White Spyder Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Posted March 11, 2015 I think I found the source of the dancing! Finally got under the dash and all the connections looked clean and tight. I removed the nuts on the amp meter connections just to clean them and make sure that there was nothing hiding. When I was reassembling I noticed that one of the wires on the right side had left chaffing marks on the dash support way up neat the top. Pulling the wires down reveled a bare spot in the wire. This was about an inch from where the wire entered a bundle of other wires. Now how to repair without having to do a total dash re-wire. I will do this eventually but now is not the time. My solution was to use liquid electrical tape to cover the exposed wire. I then slipped some shrink tubbing over the wire, pushing it all the way up to where it goes into the bundle. I then used a syringe to push clear silicone to fill and encase the wires. A test I the garage show the amp meter acting as it should but because of torrential rain I was unable to do a road test. Think it will hold? 2 Quote
Jerry Roberts Posted March 11, 2015 Report Posted March 11, 2015 I'm betting that you are good to go . Quote
Young Ed Posted March 11, 2015 Report Posted March 11, 2015 Sounds good to me as long as you attached it somehow to keep it from rubbing through again. Quote
TodFitch Posted March 11, 2015 Report Posted March 11, 2015 . . . My solution was to use liquid electrical tape to cover the exposed wire. I then slipped some shrink tubbing over the wire, pushing it all the way up to where it goes into the bundle. I then used a syringe to push clear silicone to fill and encase the wires. . . Think it will hold? Sounds like that will be good for a long while. If you secure the wire near where it was rubbing so that it doesn't move and rub more the it should last indefinitely. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Posted March 12, 2015 Good repair.............just goes to show you a person needs to look at stuff when something's not right. Your initial guess or two may not provide the answer, but looking will often lead you to the answer......whatever it is. Quote
Ulu Posted March 13, 2015 Report Posted March 13, 2015 Congratulations on finding the short circuit. Not always easy, but usually easier on these old cars than new ones. One other thing that'll drive the ammeter bonkers is if the fat generator wire gets loose. When this happened to me I tightened the terminal nut, and the ammeter stabilized. Driving on a bumpy road, the ammeter was jumping up almost every little bump from that loose wire. And if the battery ground strap gets lose while driving the ammeter can peg as the regulator freaks out at seeing a miniscule battery voltage and goes to full charge mode. This happened to my '47 one day. I just tapped that terminal tighter on the battery post, while the car was still running, and ammeter immediately dropped back to normal. Quote
Mark D Posted March 13, 2015 Report Posted March 13, 2015 I've extended the life of a few brittle wires with shrink tubing in the last few years. Handy stuff to have around the shop. Quote
White Spyder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Report Posted March 29, 2015 Got a chance to test today. FAIL! The repair did not work and now I am having other issues. Looking into a re-wire. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 29, 2015 Report Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) withdrawn... Edited March 29, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams Quote
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