Need help - more electrical problems - possible bad voltage regulator(?)

[barsteel]

Hello!

As I mentioned in my post earlier today, I spent WAY more time today than I wanted to getting my low and high beams to work, but I did. The bulk head connections were corroded, so I spent an hour scraping them, and all was well.

I also noticed after I buttoned everything up that the factory amp gauge started working. It had never moved before, but now it showed a charge, more so when I reved the engine.

Here's where it gets interesting...

One of the high beams was out so I replaced it. Worked fine. For a while.

I drove the car around for a while with the lights on. I parket it and checked the headlights again, and none of them worked, when all of them did less than an hour ago. I put a test light on each headlight socket and was getting current to both the low and high beams. Tested the sealed beamsj with a battery charge pack. Nothing. Burned out.

I put a volt meter on the sockets and it showed about 13.6 volts.

I got in the car and started it up and reved the engine...then I noticed that when I reved the engine, the factory amp gauge pegged at FULL charge. BURIED. I couldn't even see the needle.

Does that mean that my voltage regulator is bad?

One note...

Like an idiot, when I was cleaning the bulkhead connections, I did not disconnect the battery, and probably shorted across a few of the terminals, which may have shorted/grounded the voltage regulator and fried it.

The alternator is new. I have an aftermarket volt meter connected to the fuse panel, and it shows a little over 12V at idle and up to 14 or so at highway speeds.

Please help me figure this out. I thought I had everything nailed after 4 hours of work, now I'm kind of back at square 1.

I don't want to drive the car when it appears to be overcharging.

Thanks...

Chris

 

[KcImperial]

If the voltage regulator was bad then the alternator would not charge at all.

The amp gauge on 67/68 Chryslers is the biggest weak point. It's a big electrical load going through a fragile gauge. I have always bypassed the gauge on all my cars and also check the bulkhead connector for melted wires / corroded connectors.

Over the years, I've had - the amp gauge burn out leaving the entire electrical system dead or the gauge overloads/shorts out and melts bulkhead connector. I had a 68 Newport back in the early 90's and the gauge would arc and burn out every light bulb in the car while smoke poured out of the dash.

 

[barsteel]

KC -

So does that mean that the gauge is bad, possibly?

The only reason I think that the voltage regulator is bad is that it's showing an overcharge and I burned out 4 sealed beams.

The bulkhead connector did have corroded connections, as I had mentioned, but I don't see any burnt/frayed wires, melted connections, or obviously bad insulation.

Chris

 

[KcImperial]

I would say the amp gauge in the dash is bad

 

[barsteel]

Then why would I be burning out headlamps?

I'm not saying I don't believe you, I just have a few things going on that I'm trying to figure out.

Thanks...

Chris

 

[Big_John]

I don't think you have a bad ammeter. Did the voltmeter spike too?

It's possible you have a bad regulator. The points could have stuck closed for a brief time and I suppose that you could have blown the bulbs then. That's some speculation on my part though. The other possibility you have a short between the field wire and a 12 volt source. That will bypass the regulator and cause the spike.

~14 volts is good, so I'm at a loss.

If you want to replace the regulator, I suggest the Wells VR-706. Auto Zone etc. will have them, but you usually have to order it. The VR-706 is electronic and will give a more constant output from the alternator. It's a good upgrade, especially if you have converted to electronic ignition....and it's "plug and play" with no wiring changes.

 

[Fury440]

I would check the floor dimmer switch. They are often overlooked and become corroded.

 

[barsteel]

Big_John -

The voltmeter did not appear to spike, although I was paying much more attention to the Amp gauge at the time. I can start the car and run it briefly tomorrow to see what the voltmeter does.

Since the regulator is relatively cheap, I'll probably just replace it anyway, since that one that I have appears to be original.

I'm just afraid of smoking the whole harness...wiring is not my favorite thing to do...and that's an understatement...

Chris

 

[barsteel]

Fury - Floor switch is brand new, so I doubt that it's the issue.

Chris

 

[commando1]

I'm going initially with regulator.

 

[barsteel]

Could a bad/corroded connection at the negative battery terminal cause the amp gauge to peg? I just remembered that I did remove the terminal once, and just pressed it back on with my hand to get the car started...I was in a hurry...

 

[Wildaugust]

I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that I would suspect the Regulator too. If it's a mechanical VR, you may have damage it while you were cleaning the bulkhead connectors with the power still attached. If it's an electronic VR it probably did fry it.

In any case, I don't see the ammeter being able to burn out headlights. Even if the gauge is defective, the highest voltage available at the gauge would still just be charging system voltage. In order to burn out all four headlights within a couple of hours, there would have to be an overvoltage, overcharge condition. The VR regulates voltage by interrupting the alternators field coil, so, I would suspect that the VR is bad or there is still a short causing the VR to be bypassed, keeping the alternators field coil energized continuously.

I've had issues in the past with Ford VR's failing. When they fail it can result in a no-charge condition or a maximum overcharge condition. I'm happy to say that I've never had a Mopar VR fail.

Anyway, I hope you find the problem.

 

[rkrochen]

I agree go with the regulator. That would likely explain the headlight failure due to excessive voltage not being regulated correctly. I bad ammeter cannot create an over charge situation.
Make sure you disconnect the battery this time.
Good luck.

 

[live4theking]

In the mid 90's on a 68 NYer I had at the time the wires on the back of the alternator shorted together. It reverse feed everything. It blew every bulb that was turned on, but didn't blow a single fuse. Maybe you should take a quick look and see if you have tail lights, marker lights and anything else that would've been on during your short drive. Just a thought.

 

[barsteel]

Well, I think I nailed it.

Spent another 3 hours today and ran grounds from the battery to the frame and the radiator support. That seemed to cure the ammeter.

Spent another hour futzing with the lights...and burned out 2 more sets. So, I pulled off the bulkhead connectors (again), and ran hot wires the to terminals with new (my FOURTH set) of headlamps. Everything worked as it should. I switched it back and fourth maybe 20 times, started the car, stopped the car, mounted the sealed beams.

And then, before I plugged the bulkhead fitting back in with KNOWN GOOD and WORKING sealed beams, I switched the dimmer switch back to the old one. It doesn't look like the original one, but I knew that it was good.

And the lights worked just as they should. I took the car out for a ride and kept switching the brights on and off. At the end of the ride, the lights were still working, the ammeter still appears to be working, and the voltmeter is showing a steady 13 - 14v depending on engine speed.

So...it took me FOUR sets of sealed beams to find out that my brand new dimmer switch likely had a short in it that was burning out the headlights...unless, of course, I inadvertently changed something else that I wasn't aware of.

Let's see how the lights work in the coming weeks...

Chris

 

[livininharrow]

dont tell me. the dimmer switch was made in china. never ever trust a new part and assume it is good when it comes from china.