Ulu Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) FEF is grounded from the battery to the bell housing, no issue with any rubber mounts. The oil pressure sender should ground the cab (as well as the fenders, grill, hood, speedo cable, etc). Plenty of grounds already exist. Ground straps are a crutch, period. FEF? What's FEF here? Somehow you ground the frame right? BTW, back to my initial suggestion, it was to use temporary clip-on jumpers to diagnose lack of ground conditions. Fixing those conditions correctly, when found, is always better than a band-aid solution. Typically they are corrosion related, and not something you want to ignore. Edited September 23, 2015 by Ulu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 . . . when I sent the generator to VPW they told me there was a disconnected wire in the generator when they got it. . . . Again, I wouldn't be surprised if your loose connection was internal to the generator. I'm not an EE, but I've done plenty of wiring on cars, and it's not uncommon to find a bad brush wire or sticky brush inside a generator. Even a rebuilt one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 FEF? What's FEF here? Somehow you ground the frame right? BTW, back to my initial suggestion, it was to use temporary clip-on jumpers to diagnose lack of ground conditions. Fixing those conditions correctly, when found, is always better than a band-aid solution. Typically they are corrosion related, and not something you want to ignore. FEF = my truck frame is grounded through all sorts of avenues: bell housing to tranny to driveshaft to rear diff to rear axle housing to springs to frame engine to cab to hood to rad support to frame basically anywhere that there can be metal to metal contact is a ground circuit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Although there may be several possible metal to metal grounding possibilities (and the oil pressure line is not one of them as there should be a rubber tube in that line) I believe a good ground strap is cheap insurance. Just my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Prior to retiring I was a field engineer for the company that maintains and upgrades all the bank note processing machines for the federal reserve banks all across the country. One of the things required when doing an upgrade was insuring that all ground straps (and there were a lot of them) were connected prior to the final inspection and returning the machines to service. We were also required to fabricate a cardboard rear door on these machines for testing purposes. On one occasion my boss (many of you know him as forum member Chet) was paying an inspection visit to the FRB in Seattle. Prior to his arrival I connected a ground strap to the temporary cardboard door to insure compliance. He found that and we all had a good laugh. Don, you are one of the most resourceful guys I know. The cardboard ground was just a diversion and your boss never suspected or figured out how you used that ground wire to make Direct Deposits now did he. No wonder you are such a happy guy Don. Hank (Attention Chet and Federal Agents: THIS IS ONLY A JOKE (as if anyone would take this seriously) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 The B-series trucks do not use a rubber oil line flex hose believe it or not! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 The B-series trucks do not use a rubber oil line flex hose believe it or not! Thanks, I did not know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Oil Soup Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I think it is the truck getting even with you for painting her hood. She wants to look like a dignified old gal and not Joan Rivers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) FEF = my truck frame is grounded through all sorts of avenues: bell housing to tranny to driveshaft to rear diff to rear axle housing to springs to frame engine to cab to hood to rad support to frame basically anywhere that there can be metal to metal contact is a ground circuit. Your truck has steel bushings on the rear shackles? My axle isn't grounded at all AFAIK. Rubber bushings everywhere. My bellhousing sits on rubber. Engine sits on rubber. It all grounds through the choke cable and throttle linkage of course, and I suppose the speedo cable, but I don't like to count on grounding through moving parts or bearings. (Of course clutch linkage grounds the bellhousing to frame on mine. Still a moving part.) Edited September 23, 2015 by Ulu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Roberts Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I had a 1955 Chevrolet and did an engine swap . Started the engine and the metal line to the oil gauge started smoking on the outside in the engine compartment . The line got so hot that it burned my hand . The engine was using the line for a ground as I forgot to install the ground strap . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Your truck has steel bushings on the rear shackles? My axle isn't grounded at all AFAIK. Rubber bushings everywhere. My bellhousing sits on rubber. Engine sits on rubber. It all grounds through the choke cable and throttle linkage of course, and I suppose the speedo cable, but I don't like to count on grounding through moving parts or bearings. (Of course clutch linkage grounds the bellhousing to frame on mine. Still a moving part.) My 46 truck has no rubber bushings other than 1 ring of rubber to keep dirt out of the threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollyDodge Posted September 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Thanks again to everyone. This weekend I will make a concerted effort to see if I can find the problem. I printed out everything you all wrote. I have a new multimeter (I am not certain my old one was giving good readings), a stack of wires of various gauges and lengths with clips (for jumping), and I ordered terminals to make up ground cables to try that as well. I don't think the new wiring harness itself is a problem. I tested continuity on all wires before I put them on (RIW is really nice stuff, all terminals are soldered not crimped), I suppose the generator could have a lose wire, but I kind of doubt it, but will check; I will make sure all nuts are tight (I redid the heating hoses on my RAM a few weeks ago and everything was great for a few days then I smelled anit freeze, opened the hood and antifreeze was squirting out of one of the hoses - I forgot to tighten the clamp-I know I am prone to miss tightening things My guess is it is a ground issue after reading all the posts. I painted the engine, Generator, generator mount, etc. So I am going to make sure I have metal to metal contact. I checked the ground on the VR yesterday and the mount is grounded but the mounting bolts are not well grounded, I got intermittent conductivity with them and the cab (I didn't clean them before reinstalling, so I will do that as well). It will be a busy weekend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Your truck has steel bushings on the rear shackles? My axle isn't grounded at all AFAIK. Rubber bushings everywhere. My bellhousing sits on rubber. Engine sits on rubber. It all grounds through the choke cable and throttle linkage of course, and I suppose the speedo cable, but I don't like to count on grounding through moving parts or bearings. (Of course clutch linkage grounds the bellhousing to frame on mine. Still a moving part.) true on the bushings in the spring eyes forgot about those (no rubber on the trucks as noted below),one could also say the rear axle grounds through the brakelines. But the powertrain does ground through several avenues regardless of the direct mounts. edited about the bushings in the spring eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 The front and rear axles on all trucks B thru Y series are all metal to metal...no rubber shackle bushings used. E-brake, oil line and speedo cables are a ground for the trucks too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 But not the brake lines. Those are rubber. The parking brake cable grounds the trans to the cab though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Yes... the brake lines are steel and the brake hoses are rubber. But back to the main issue..no charging. Probably not a bad ground issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I agree with Bob. And I would be looking real hard for a loose or weak wire connection. Not sure why we should be concerned if the rear axle or springs are grounded? There are no wiring connections to them. If you have made the battery ground connection properly at the transmission cover and you have cleaned all the mechanical connections there is absolutely no need to add any ground straps to these trucks. Won't hurt anything but it isn't necessary. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Not sure why we should be concerned if the rear axle or springs are grounded? There are no wiring connections to them. If you have made the battery ground connection properly at the transmission cover and you have cleaned all the mechanical connections there is absolutely no need to add any ground straps to these trucks. Won't hurt anything but it isn't necessary. Jeff just showing how a ground can be formed from the engine to the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollyDodge Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Great news, DD seems to be working fine now. I spent all morning doing all the tests you all suggested plus I did all the checks in the manual. Every thing seemed great, except it didn't charge. Grounds were good etc. So I thought, I wonder about hooking the old VR back up, so I took off the new VR and put on the old one, fired DD up and the Ammeter showed a positive charge as I increased rpms, it charges when the lights are on and the rpms are up. It seems good to go. I don't know if the new VR was bad, or in the process of taking everything apart and putting it back together some connection was improved. Anyway, sure is a great feeling. First time in years she has all her parts working and is in soundw mechanical shape. Thanks again for all the help, I learn so much from all of you. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Be wary of new world wide replacement parts... they might not fix your problem and might make it worse. Glad you got your truck charging with the old regulator.!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollyDodge Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 grrrrr.....Things were working well. Drove DD to town (12 miles), pulled the light switch to see how the amps and voltages worked, and poof...the charge stopped working. Went home and parked the old girl (after grocery shopping), when out in the evening started her up, amps were charging. Wanted to see how the lights worked (can't believe how much brighter they were with the generator charging), pulled out of the driveway, and poof....it quite charging. So came home. Next morning (Sunday), checked all the wiring and grounds again everything seems correct. Decided to put a jump wired from the Bat to Arm terminals, and when I did the amps started registering, I pulled the jumper wire off and it continued to work the rest of the day. For sure something is still wrong. Also, when I drove her to town it kept charging, and never shut off, though the volts were at 6. Anyway, here is a link to a video of the gauges when the were all working. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adug51J3qr8 Any more thoughts would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Have you tried cleaning the contacts inside the old regulator? Jeff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 sorry if this has been mentioned, but have you gone over the light switch? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollyDodge Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Hi: I will clean the contacts. I pulled the light switch out and looked at the wiring and it looks ok as far as which wire goes to which terminal. I also cleaned it really well before I installed it and it worked well (the switch hadn't been mentioned before). I will look at it again. I also pulled the panel switch and check it. I checked the wiring for the lights, I thought maybe they were shorted somewhere, but I can't find such an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollyDodge Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I did get the front emblem put on this weekend which is cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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