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-   ERA---Speak with Bob Putnam (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/era-speak-bob-putnam/)
-   -   Charging Problems (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/era-speak-bob-putnam/17578-charging-problems.html)

Richard 06-03-2002 07:14 AM
Charging Problems
 
Bob, I can't figure this out. I've checked all my connections, with someone who isn't color blind, and everything seems kosher. My car runs but doesn't charge. Do you have some ideas where I screwed something up? or where I should start my dianosis?

Thanks

Bob Putnam 06-03-2002 09:10 AM
Richard,

First, check the bottom fuse on the passenger's-side fusebox. If there's power there, check for 12 V at the voltage regulator plug red wires. Also check that the regulator is grounded through the black wire that attaches to the case screw.

The wires that go into the plug should be:

brown
red
red (jumped from first red)
(small gap)
no wire


Remove the regulator connector.
Using a short jumper wire, connect the brown and red wire on the connector.
Start the car and carefully raise the revs to 1200-1500 rpm. If you show a charge, the regulator is bad. If you still get nothing. the problem is at the alternator. Make sure that the connections on the alternator are correct. See this diagram

bigmike 06-03-2002 10:26 AM
Thanks, Bob.
Even though I have a Shell Valley car, your help and tips are priceless.
BigMike

tezmarez 06-04-2002 05:06 AM
Bob, thanks. That gives me something to do when I get home.

Richard 06-25-2002 06:16 PM
Ok, I've replaced the alternator, the fuse and the regulator and now it charges.

Thanks Bob

On another note, I had it out today and about a mile from home it quit. Engine turns over but no spark. I'll look at the MSD and the coil. Any other suggestions? Also suggestions on plug wires? One is so close to the header that it melts.

Gary Morris 06-27-2002 09:57 AM
Richard......just more things to check. I recently had the same thing happen to me. We changed the MSD box and every thing else we could think of. After all day trying different things it turned out to be the module in the Mallory Unilite distributor. Changed that out and all was good! Just giving you more options.

Gary
ERA #291

Bob Putnam 06-27-2002 11:05 AM
Richard,

Gary's comment was accurate. The Unilite module MUST be run with a ballast resistor too. They don't last long running on full voltage.
There are some MSD notes posted here
and here .

chopper 06-27-2002 02:34 PM
I concur with what the learned Mr Putnam says about the ballast resistor. My car, when purchased from the original owner, had the MSD 7AL ignition system hooked up through a Unilite distributor. After two failures of the distributor module in less than 6 months, at a replacement cost of $95 a pop, I yanked the Unilite and installed an MSD billet distributor. After reading several of these threads, I went back in and found that the original owner had wired around the ballast resistor and the Unilite was getting full voltage. MTBF was about 250 miles. I like the MSD distributor, but it would have been nice to save the $240 if I'd known all I had to do was move a couple of wires around.

Jack21 06-27-2002 04:37 PM
Coupla suggestions. If your headers are that hot, get them coated inside and outside. Then mount your plug wires with one of the wire bracket kits out there that keeps them off the headers. The FMS plug wires fit good but the wire itself is a little thin. MSD plug wires, using now, work great. MSD billet distributor works great too once sorted out.

Anybody out there setting up MSD vacuum advance billet dist?


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