discharge/overcharge?
............ a slight discharge, it usually reads a slight charge or not at all ................... showed even further discharge. ............ "fuse" holder in the red wire coming from the starter relay to the amp gauge................. it had a 20 amp fuse in it that was blown. replaced the fuse and it fired right up, put a meter on it and its overcharging, fluctuates a little but basically 15.5V with the headlamps on but the amp gauge still shows the serious discharge. i................plugged it back up goes back to 15.5V. I added an extra external ground to the voltage regulator, no help, I put another regulator on it (already had it , should be good .............. wiring diagram on a mad link ............... i unhook the amp gauge i don't have any voltage on the black wire, only the red wire and if i unhook the black and red wires from each other ............... kills all power and the car dies................... i do loose that volt from battery voltage like i spoke of earlier at the volt gauge and ign switch connector but they are still about 14.5v with the car running so its still seeing the overcharge in there. .............
DAMN that is hard to read, LOL
OK please do read the MAD article carefully, as it explains the hows and whys of much of the grief with these systems. The diagram on the MAD site is fairly accurate though simplified
For a shop manual, ...........EASY, and FREE
This thread..........
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617
and more of them at MyMopar
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
Also at MyMopar are aftermarket, simplified wiring diagrams which are not always accurate but somewhat easier to follow "for some jobs."
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=24
ALSO bear in mind that for some years the shop manual is WRONG there is a wire (green / red?) and yellow? through the bulkhead connector dealing with the start wire and the horns. There is a mistake in some of the shop manuals
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NOW that fuse in the red wire is COMPLETELY inadequate. It must be much larger, perhaps 50A or so. I would try to find some "fuse link."
The 14.5.....15.5V is confusing, or maybe you have an intermittent connection that is throwing you off
HERE IS the deal on over voltage
1....Rare but sometimes a bad battery can do this. Charge it up, have it tested if possible.
2....USUALLY this is because of voltage drop in the harness, and sometimes drop in the ground circuit
3....If you fix or check 1, 2 above, it can be a REGULATOR
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HOW TO check for voltage drop. Easy. Get your meter, and clip the meter to the VR IGN terminal and to battery POSitive post. Turn the key to run, engine off. You should read a VERY low value, the lower the better. More than .2--.3V (3/10 of one volt) means there is excessive drop in the power to the VR
THIS circuit "path" is (on unmodified cars............)
Battery.........starter relay stud.........fuse link.......through bulkhead...(red).......to ammeter.......through ammeter.....out (black wire).........to "welded splice"...........to ignition switch connector..........through switch..........out switch (dark blue)........back out through bulkhead..........to underhood loads, IE ignition system and VOLTAGE REGULATOR
MOST COMMON voltage drop problems..........
Bulkhead connector (large red, large black, and blue IGN)..........ignition switch connector........and the switch
LESS common.........ammeter connections, and ammeter wire terminals....
RARE but has happened...........failed "welded splice". This is a factory welded splice in the BLACK ammeter wire a few inches away, taped up in the instrument panel harness. "Save it for last"
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Check the GROUND circuit. If the above checks OK or you have fixed it, now check the ground. Start and run the engine at "low cruise" (good fast idle) and make this check first with all loads off, and again with loads "on" ........lights, heater, etc
"Stab" your meter probe directly into the top of the NEG battery post. Stab the remaining probe into the mounting flange of the VR. Stab "hard" through paint, etc.
You should again read almost no voltage, or perfect is ZERO. If you read more than .2V you have a poor ground. VR MUST be grounded to "same as battery" negative.
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If you do the above, and it still runs above 14.2 when warm, replace the VR. Buy a good one.
