I need some electrical advice Please

JBCOBRA · #1 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 02:26 PM

Well I got the car cleaned up and took it for a spin and all systems seemed A OK until the Volt gauge started to peg clean off the chart. When I pushed in the clutch and took my foot off the gas I could at least see the needle again

So I tried flipping the lights on and off just to see what would happen and the gauge went back to normal........for a little while. Then it did it again. Tried the light switch again, that didn't help, so I turned the car off then on and it was ok for a little while. By now I figured I better make a bee-line for the house before I fry something bigtime.
I checked all the wires I could find on the car and could not find anything obvious. The battery was new last year. The alternator is a Jones Racing one wire. Everything else works on the car. The car is spf 2218.

Any and all ideas are greatly appreciated

JB

G.R. · #2 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 02:40 PM

Check and see if you have loose ground on the gauge or anywhere. Erratic gauge movement is usually indicitive of a loose ground.

JBCOBRA · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 03:09 PM

Can't find any loose wires anywhere. Do alternators have internal regulators? Also, on the inside of left front fender there is a Motorcraft electronic regulator???

G.R. · #4 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 03:59 PM

I believe all one wire alternators do but if you have a regulator then your alt must be a 3-wire. There is a possibility that the Motorcraft regulator is faulty. Disconnect it(after removing the battery leads) remove it and take it to your local Auto Zone, Checker or parts house that does free electrical testing.
The car does start though, all electrics work? Any other gauges irratic or not functioning properly? Battery is not being drained?

JBCOBRA · #5 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 04:11 PM

Hi G.R.!
Everything works. Car starts etc.....
I should have mentioned that when the amp gauge pegged..........the belt even squeeled for a second and you could feel it on the motor

Velox · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 04:12 PM

JB the stock SPF has the Ford regulator mounted up under the left front fender, and the stock system would not have a one-wire alternator. If you in fact do have a one-wire system, then the stock regulator has been disconnected and perhaps just left there for whatever or future use with redo of a stock setup. I converted mine to a one-wire alt, and removed all the old wiring and Ford regulator. If you have a one-wire alternator, it would be obvious, because it has... one wire on it, not the usual harness connector. The SPF also (stock) ships with an ammeter, not a voltmeter. I have converted mine to a Smiths voltmeter, is that what you have in your dash? If so, it reads up to 17V. If you pegged that, your system was putting out 18V or more, highly unlikely, but meters do go bad. I would think you need to check the actual voltage with a good digital meter at the alternator post when the engine is running and your gauge is pegged, that will tell you for sure what the system actually is at. If really that high, your one-wire alternator's internal regulator would seem to be toast. If reads normal (13 or 14V or so) running, then your voltmeter is the problem - lose wires, ground, whatever. If you really have an ammeter, and THAT is pegged, that is an entirely different problem, flowing that much current through the system big trouble, just my thoughts FWIW

RICK LAKE · #7 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 06:09 AM

JBCOBRA JB you belt is loose or you but some sealer on it like a belt dresing. It is causing the belt to slip and grip. When it grips the gauge pins, the regulator stops charging and the gauge drops to protect the system. And goes back and forth. Try getting some fine sand paper and sand the inside of the pulleys where the belt rides, alt too. Then clean these places off with brakekleen. I would get a new belt because you cann't get the silicone or wax off the belt and out of the pours of the rubber. Try this. If the gauge is still pinning you have either a loose connection to the battery or you have wetted the Alt and possible damaged the internals. I would say with out seeing it you cleaned the car too good.

Rick L.

JBCOBRA · #8 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 07:45 AM

Hi Rick and Velox
I may as well just get a fresh Alternator The belt is tight enough. It is a wide grooved belt with Jones racing pulleys.
Rick, would antifreeze ruin an Alternator? 'Cause I did have have a major antifreeze explosion under the hood a few years ago when I first got the car. I had to plug the bypass on the waterpump because I was have trouble finding the right fitting to hook up the bypass. That plug BLEW out like a Champaigne cork at like 7000 rpm's LOL Jeeze O Man what a mess!!!
Every thing was drenched.
It is an intermitant problem, but it is happening with greater frequency.
Velox, Since I am running a one wire Alt, that Motorcraft regulator does nothing?
I would rather just change that in 2 minutes than an Alt. One wire Alts have an internal regulator?

Velox · #9 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBCOBRA

Velox, Since I am running a one wire Alt, that Motorcraft regulator does nothing?
I would rather just change that in 2 minutes than an Alt. One wire Alts have an internal regulator?

If you have a one wire alternator, then your Ford fender mounted regulator is disconnected and doing nothing. The one wire alts have internal regulators

JBCOBRA · #10 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 09:31 AM

Thanks Velox
I guess I better just swap out that Alt.
Anything else you can think of to do or check?

727pilot@usa.co · #11 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 10:27 AM

Have you checked the engine ground cable? You should have a ground cable from the engine block to the frame. Also look into the grounding of the instrument cluster.

Rick Parker · #12 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 01:45 PM

Your regulator is causing the alternator to go into a full charge mode; if left unchecked it will damage the alternator. If the regulator is a remote (separate from alternator) replace it. Otherwisise have the alternator (with internal regulator checked out. Very high amperage current flowing unnessesarily. Potential fire source.

NJBIGBLOCK · #13 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 11:22 AM

Use a DC voltmeter to check for a voltage drop between the engine and the car chassis.You should not get a reading with the engine running and your accessories on.(lights,radio,etc) If you do either add another ground(if one is not enough) or correct the connection on the existing one. I had a simular problem once and that was it.

JBCOBRA · #14 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 11:54 AM

Thank you guys for all your help!
The problem with the car ended up being totally my fault. I followed all of your advise to the letter and I am sure that will help avoid other electrical problems.
I didn't know that the alternator in my car is basically hot all the time and that the battery should be disconnected when charging. I found this out by calling Jones Racing Products. The guys that made my pulleys, brackets, and alternator. Luckily, they are located relatively close to me and they said bring it over and they would check it out and see if they could fix it (a new one is almost 300 clams) So I drove up there and within 20 minutes they fixed it! I have to tell you that these guys are really busy too, they build pulleys, brackets, dry sump systems and all kinds of cool stuff for the Sprint Car series Teams and almost any other kind of race cars. I have to tip my hat to them. These guys are workers and business is booming, but they took the time to totally hook me up at a very fair price too. Check them out at www.jonesracingproducts.com

rooster · #15 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 06:14 PM

So what was the problem?

Blas · #16 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBCOBRA

...I didn't know that the alternator in my car is basically hot all the time and that the battery should be disconnected when charging...

I'm reading that this is a common to one wire alternators...Were you using a trickle charger or a heavy duty charger, and was it for an extended period of time?

JBCOBRA · #17 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 07:19 PM

From what I understand, most one wire alternators have a built in switch so you can hook up a charger to the battery, jump start etc. This type does not have an internal switch. so when I hit it full blast with the charger and turned the key to start the car the internal regulator fried. Jones Racing also gave me a small but high amp on/off switch to turn off the Alternator to charge the battery or jump start the car. Then you turn on the Alt again.

flipscobra · #18 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 08:58 PM

My spf 363 had a jumping amp gauge made the lights flicker, Replace voltage regulator but it was still jumping. I was telling my friend about it He looked at it and said it was probaly the ground. He was right who ever wired it grounded it to the fiberglass fender. I grounded it to the motor no jumping or lights flickering.

Joe Wicked · #19 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 07:48 AM

Glad you got it fixed. Just remember though, just because a belt is tight, it does not mean that it is OK. If you had gotten something on it that was causing it to slip, it could be tight and still slip. As far as the antifreeze comment, it should not cause a problem as the coils in the alt, are sealed, but if there was any break in the seal (you wouldn't really be able to tell) then yes that could cause problems with the alt.