Check out of charging system

[DanEC]

I jumped the positive cable connection at the starter relay to the gound on the voltage regulator and got 12.8 volts (I've had the charger on the battery).

I then unplugged the regulator, installed a jumper lead on the yellow wire and connected to the positive meter probe and turned the key on. I again got 12.7 volts.

I didn't try turning the flashers on since I had voltage.

Thoughts??

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I jumped the positive cable connection at the starter relay to the gound on the voltage regulator and got 12.8 volts (I've had the charger on the battery).

I then unplugged the regulator, installed a jumper lead on the yellow wire and connected to the positive meter probe and turned the key on. I again got 12.7 volts.

I didn't try turning the flashers on since I had voltage.

Thoughts??

On the alternator, confirm that you have the big ORANGE wire connected to the BAT terminal, the BLACK wire grounding it, the BLUE/GREEN wire to the FIELD and the WHITE/BLACK wire to the stator. Then pull the plug on the voltage regulator and jumper between the first tang that has the BLUE/GREEN wire and the third tang that has the YELLOW/RED wire; do not plug the voltage regulator plug back in to the voltage regulator. Start the car and rev no high than 1500 RPM and view the VOM's voltage at the battery. Report back.

[DanEC]

Since the ammeter was showing a charge (pegged over with a partially discharged battery) with the power and field jumped together; and since the ground is good - it looks to me that per Bob's electrical primer publication, I have a bad voltage regulator. I took it out thinking it might be a mechanical one that I could check the points and gap inside but it's a sealed unit so I guess it's a non-mechanical unit.

[patrickt]

I'd like to hear the actual voltage reading with the jumper across the first and third tang of the voltage regulator plug and the engine running at 1500 RPM.

[DanEC]

From orange wire terminal on back of alternator to ground for voltage regulator - 12.5 volts (battery geting a little low). No change when I reved it up. The regulator was plugged in.

Unplugging the regulator and jumping the two terminals the voltage from alternator to regulator ground was 14.5 volts and as I reved it, it was climbing to 17 to 18 volts.

Looks like alternator is putting out OK. Back to the regulator?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

From orange wire terminal on back of alternator to ground for voltage regulator - 12.5 volts (battery geting a little low). No change when I reved it up. The regulator was plugged in.

Unplugging the regulator and jumping the two terminals the voltage from alternator to regulator ground was 14.5 volts and as I reved it, it was climbing to 17 to 18 volts.

Looks like alternator is putting out OK. Back to the regulator?

Yes, the alternator is working. Try whacking the regulator with the handle end of your screwdriver and then plug the plug back in and wiggle each wire going in to each side of the male and female ends of the plug.

[DanEC]

The whacking-it-with-a-bigger-hammer trick didn't work and I've had that thing plugged in and unplugged so many times I'm about to wear it out. I went down and ordered a mechanical unit. At least if it doesn't work I can take it apart and figure it out.

This is the same frustrating experience I went through with my 67 GTX last summer and it was the electronic regulator on it also.

Thanks for the help Patrick.