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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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Okay three questions
1) If the battery is holding a charge correctly as it appears it is, could it still be sending incorrect info and therefore worth replacing or trying
another battery?
2) If I want to test the 4 connections to the voltage regulator, how do I properly remove the ground cable and then how do I access the connectors to
the regulator while its running? Those steps aren't super obvious to me?
3) Worse yet, I added some water to the battery, I hit everything with a hammer and at the moment the fluctuations are minor 12.6-14.5v Now I need to
head to the brecha and punch it over a ump to recreate the problem-or am I supposed to drink more pacifico-not sure.
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Sharksbaja
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I would put a fully charged batt in there and see what happens. It shouldn't be necessary to do anything to the volt reg and alt if they are new.
Just wiggle the connections to make sure they are making good contact.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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rts551
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"If the battery is holding a charge correctly as it appears it is, could it still be sending incorrect info and therefore worth replacing or trying
another battery?"
Yes. have the parts guys test it with a load tester
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wessongroup
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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| Quote: | Originally posted by gnukid
Okay three questions
1) If the battery is holding a charge correctly as it appears it is, could it still be sending incorrect info and therefore worth replacing or trying
another battery?
2) If I want to test the 4 connections to the voltage regulator, how do I properly remove the ground cable and then how do I access the connectors to
the regulator while its running? Those steps aren't super obvious to me?
3) Worse yet, I added some water to the battery, I hit everything with a hammer and at the moment the fluctuations are minor 12.6-14.5v Now I need to
head to the brecha and punch it over a ump to recreate the problem-or am I supposed to drink more pacifico-not sure. |
I vote for 3... if you got her running and it starts, keep the hammer close by and get a 18 pack
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landyacht318
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14.5 volts is too high, if the battery is fully charged. 14.5 volts and a fully charged battery will boil away the water.
Only distilled water should be added to a battery. Tap water shortens life, drastically, especially if there are many minerals in it.
If it is below 80% charged, 14.5 is an excellent number. 12.6 is too low unless it is idling with all the lights on and stereo cranked and a
depleted battery.
BTW, If a vehicle needs to be jumped because the battery is dead, it will take 5 to 8 hours of driving (not idling) to bring it up to 100% State Of
Charge, depending on the vehicles charging system and the health of the battery.
The last 20% take as much time as 30% to 80% does.
A battery will start your vehicle at only 35 to 40% SOC or less, but this is very unhealthy for the battery. For maximum battery life you want a
battery to always be as close to fully charged as possible.
So if you need to jump it, later, when you can, hook a battery charger to it. Do not rely on the alternator to do so unless your driving hundreds
of miles in the daytime or you simply enjoy spending money on a new battery every year.
If it is still fluctuating rapidly, I think is's possible you have a loose engine ground. Check that the black(-) wire which runs from the battery
to somewhere on the engine is clean shiny and tight. There should also be a firewall ground, and an engine to frame ground as well. Making sure all
these are clean and tight, as well as the battery connections themselves can eliminate many of the evil electrical gremlins, but by all means, go
swill some Pacificos. I am partaking of some Modelo Negro while visiting family in Ice cold Florida right now.
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arrowhead
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| Quote: | Originally posted by gnukid
No I didn't change the battery afterward, actually just before, and I failed to mount it properly which caused it to jump and cross terminals. Aha!
Hmmm Okay, let me check! |
Hey, you said you changed the battery in your first post, or else I would have said to look there first. A dead cell or high internal resistance can
cause the voltage problems you are seeing.
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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gnukid
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Yep, okay. This helps, I confused myself regarding the order of events since they were so close together-which is helpful. In my head I heard a voice
of an old man throughout this, "Ah, Probably needs a battery" even though I knew I just bought one. Lets see how it plays out today.
Batteries-the great mystery of baja.
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gnukid
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Well I went to autozone who kindly checked the systems under various load and all checked out correctly, I talked them in replacing the battery
anyway, since all parts are new, for no charge and with no receipt. they are amazingly kind there. We installed it carefully, tested it-all checked
okay within normal ranges. Afterwards, with the new battery installed carefully and the terminals super clean and tight, grounds carefully
terminated-the problem was the worse yet when driving 12.6-18v.
When the RPMs up under load with accerssories on and close to 3000RPM the voltage shoots up and is pinned at above 15volts sometimes hitting 17-18v.
When the idle comes down to 1500, all systems are fine but voltage is fluctuating abnormally.
I'll keep at it.
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arrowhead
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You know, it may just be your voltage meter. It may have been damaged. Get a good digitcal volt-ohm meter and put it across the battery terminals,
then observe the voltage under the various loads and compare it to the readings of your voltage meter. The way voltage metesr works -- it does not
actually read voltage. It has a precision resister in series with it and it reads the current. If that resister was damaged, the range of the meter
will be off.
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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I have used a variety of professional voltage meters, my father insists I carry one, under load at higher RPM e.g. 3k and/or with any accessories on,
the voltage will jack up and stay at 15-18v. Also when driving almost always the dash lights are pulsing a bit which was the first sympton I noticed
and it has persisted though it does seem to go away at moments, the radio won't stay on for long either nor plays CDs now etc... Other symptoms at
3500rpm are all gauges will go to full, incorrectly, the temp reads hot off the charts even though it just started, the oil pressure is off the chart,
etc probably the voltage meter is not reading correctly either as it is pinned off the charts too. When the idle comes down the meter readings come
down.
I will keep at it. I am sure that a fused wire, fuse or ground, or diode is at fault. Its a mess.
Here's a photo of the regulator which seems to have a diode attached to the ground which seems reasonable to replace next? There is a starter relay
there too.
I have not replaced the starter solenoid as suggested yet?
[Edited on 1-9-2010 by gnukid]
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rts551
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noise suppressor
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rzitren
Junior Nomad
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If you can get to a phone and give me a phone number I can walk you thru checking your system. I own an Auto Electric shop and can probably solve your
problem in a few minutes. If not send me an email and we will try to solve it that way.
Rick
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landyacht318
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Take Rzitren up on his offer! The rest of us are guessing.
quote
"""Other symptoms at 3500rpm are all gauges will go to full, incorrectly, the temp reads hot off the charts even though it just started, the oil
pressure is off the chart, etc probably the voltage meter is not reading correctly either as it is pinned off the charts too. When the idle comes down
the meter readings come down.""
This has happened to me when the firewall ground visibly appeared good, until I took it off and cleaned it.
This above fluctuations also happened to me when the Enn ESS A (phonetic) was activating my cell phone's microphone from afar. Luckily my tin foil
hat keeps them from reading my mind.
Not that they'd find anything.
Where's my beer.
But seriously, in some areas, while driving, 1 to 2 seconds before my cell phone would ring, my temperature and oil pressure gauges would skyrocket.
So the noise suppression post might have some merit
[Edited on 1-10-2010 by landyacht318]
[Edited on 1-10-2010 by landyacht318]
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MrBillM
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ANALyzing
In those olden days back when, I often had customers call up with long detailed descriptions of their perplexing Electrical problems. After listening
for awhile, I would say (in varying words) "Look, can you put the phone up close to the engine so I can get a better idea of what's going on" ?
To which they'd reply, "but you can't see anything". I'd then say "That's Right. Bring the car in".
[Edited on 1-10-2010 by MrBillM]
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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Thanks for the notes, today I will go at each circuit though its hard to do without cooperation and today is Sunday.
I will take off the chassis ground and clean it up and put it back as I suspect this is likely a source of a probelm. Also I like simple solutions.
I will also write to rtzien.
So frustrating that after so many years of hoping for higher voltage, now my brand new battery is showing 12.8 charged and the car jacks up when
driving-only its too high. It makes me think if I only add more lights and bigger stereo it will all balance out.
I do have other even older cars here including my '65 which always runs so its not the end of the world for now-I have time-and besides what else
would I be doing in baja except playing with old cars.
Here's a '55 I am working on back home with a neighbor friend... not mine belair but a classic baja nomad done right for future trips. I like to pull
up to the most expensive hotel in Cabo and park right in the lobby-while the staff salutes ha!
[Edited on 1-10-2010 by gnukid]
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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Checked all fuses, ground terminals removed and cleaned again. Voltage too high problem ~15-18v exists under load with acc and idle up. Voltage only
slightly high at low idle in the 13v range. Though seems like rapid fluctuation is generally not occurring now as before lights seem solid at idle,
except volts climb as associated with acc and idle. Now I a have a super clean 18v system that my racing buddies think is great-local racing
mechanics/drivers are still asking and so what's the problem?
I did find $400 pesos in my work pants so I figure I am way up and quitting soon. I will go to the professionals now, Nomad Rick and the local
mechanics mentioned earlier in the thread and see if they have any luck. I hope I haven't lost my bronco loco. Thank you for your excellent
suggestions. Have fun.
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gnukid
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| Quote: | Originally posted by landyacht318
I know that on the pre '87 dodges, when replacing the voltage regulator, The battery must be disconnected and the case of the voltage regulator
grounded before rehooking the battery. I read how one guy kept claiming to get faulty regulators, until he read the directions, saying it must be
grounded first. When it failed the voltage was soaring like yours.
I don't know if this applies to a Ford.
Good luck, nothing like electrical gremlins to drive one to drink. |
I think I'll try changing the regulator as you mention again. It is a voltage problem. doh.
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
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| Quote: | Originally posted by MrBillM
In those olden days back when, I often had customers call up with long detailed descriptions of their perplexing Electrical problems. After listening
for awhile, I would say (in varying words) "Look, can you put the phone up close to the engine so I can get a better idea of what's going on" ?
To which they'd reply, "but you can't see anything". I'd then say "That's Right. Bring the car in".
[Edited on 1-10-2010 by MrBillM] |
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vacaenbaja
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See If there is a capacitor that connects from B+ to ground in order to pass some AC component to ground. Look for a leaky or shorted capacitor. Use a
ammeter
to see if you have corresponding current fluctuations.
Then isolate the cicuit that is drawing the excessive current.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Yeah, I see an old condenser there in that photo. Is that for your distributer or is it for noise suppression? That should be easy, hust unplug it
while the car is running.
Oh, remember when you said the motor kept running after you turned off the ignition? What did you do to correct that problem.
I remember one time a customer(when I was a mech) had a similar prob. It turned out the amp/volt gauge ballast resistor was fried.
You can check that visually by looking at the backside of the gauge if in fact your vehicle does have a 4 lead non-solidstate regulator. That pic is
not very concise. It's hard to tell if it's an OEM product.
If your batt is currently fully charged, why do your peers(lugnut friend) think 18v output IS a good thang????
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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