abe72 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Hello all, I'm having trouble maintaining a charge in my battery. Once I get the car started with a jumpstart, everything seems to be working okay until i apply the breaks and or turn on my lights. The radio loses power momentarily then returns until the breaks are applied again. If I turn off the car it wont start without a jumpstart. I've checked the battery and had the alternator rebuilt thinking that could've been the problem. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 How old is the battery? did you load test it? I had a simmilar problem with mine, battery tested good but failed load test. Put in new one and has been great since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 How old is the battery? did you load test it? I had a simmilar problem with mine, battery tested good but failed load test. Put in new one and has been great since. Battery is about year a half maybe longer, not very old. When the battery was tested it only read 10 volts while the car was running. Could that be the issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7tonemonte Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Voltage regulator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Voltage regulator? Thought about that too. How do I test it and where is it located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Yea 10 volts while running is to low. does it still have external regulator? or has it been switched over to internal? If its external it will be on the core suppore behind the drivers side headlight on motor side of core support, if its internal its inside the alt. sounds like its not charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorDog72 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 you should see around 14.5 volts if the alternator is charging properly. Try pulling the ground wire off the battery with the engine running and see if it stalls out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Yea 10 volts while running is to low. does it still have external regulator? or has it been switched over to internal? If its external it will be on the core suppore behind the drivers side headlight on motor side of core support, if its internal its inside the alt. sounds like its not charging. Still has the external regulator. Thanks on the location. you should see around 14.5 volts if the alternator is charging properly. Try pulling the ground wire off the battery with the engine running and see if it stalls out. Okay, what would it mean if it stalls out or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 If it stalls out it is not charging, if I remember correctly take a voltage reading at the terminal where the red wire comes out of alt and see how much voltage is there. If its a low # it alt.if high #its the regulator. I'm pretty sure thats it maybe someone can verify that its been a while. regulators are fairly cheep and available almost everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7tonemonte Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 That's about exactly what my car was doing on the way home from a eastern meet a few years back. Was charging fine then when I turned on lights it went down to about 10 volts. That's a very cheap fix to replace the regulator. I brought the alternator with me to the parts store and they tested it. Came up fine. I believe the regulator was under$20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Steve, Tony, Thank you both for your suggestions and answers. I will do further testing this afternoon after work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymontesa70 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 i had a similiar issue as well. I would replace the regulator, then the alternator would go, then one headlight then the other. I chased some serious electrical down all summer when i probably should of just rewired the car. Long story short i end up making one huge ground loop ( battery-block-tranny-frame) and low and behold not a charging problem since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastss Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Jump out regulator terminal plug a & f terminal should put out full amps at 1500 rpms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted May 30, 2015 Author Share Posted May 30, 2015 Follow up: Replaced the battery cause it wouldn't hold a charge anymore, while at the store thought about it and bought a voltage regulator and replace it as well. Got all connected and fired right up. good, no dimming of lights or any other issues. Started it this morning and the Gen light comes on!!!! WTH? Light stays on until the rpms are increased then the light goes off and stays off until the next start. Had it checked and was told the alternator was bad, again? Does this sound right? Just had the alternator rebuilt this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leghome Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 That could be Abe. A bad voltage regulator can cause other problems. At one time I built and rebuilt Alternators for GM here in Anderson Indiana. I do not remember a bad regulator causing the alternator to go bad but nothing is impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I bought a brand new chrome alt from summit made in the USA for right around a hundred bucks. That was about 3 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe72 Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Follow up: Contacted the vendor that I purchashed the alternater from and he agreed to exchange it for a new one. Installed it, tested it and the amps/volts are at about 14.5 running. Haven't had any issues since. Guessing it was a bad alternater all along (keeping fingers crossed). Thanks to everyone for your responses and suggestions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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