my 60 valiant is having some gauge problems ,when the car is running the temp gauge ,and gas gauge are pegged all the way over.and the alternator charges ,but the the ammeter jumps arond a lot .any help would be great thank you.
60 valiant gauges
- Thread starter 60valwgn
- Start date
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The temp / fuel problem is separate from the ammeter
I don't know where the instrument voltage regulator/ limiter is on a '60, it might be in the fuel gauge or a separate unit
The ammeter sounds like another problem, and could be a lot of things
Bad connection in the ignition feed to the regulator, bad alternator, bad regulator, bad ground on the regulator, bad connections in the bulkhead connector. I believe that the battery main feed and charging line on yours goes through the firewall separately form the other bulkhead connector
MAKE UP a great big long clip lead about 4' long with no12 wire. Connect from the battery pos to the regulator IGN terminal temporarily and see if the problem is helped.
Make up a big wire, either no 10 or three no 12's in parallel, and connect your alternator output stud directly to the battery hot. Your ammeter will not work, but compare VOLTAGE at the battery before and after you do this to see if the problem changed If it helps, you have problems in the battery charge lead/ ammeter circuit, possibly the ammeter itself
Also run the engine at night in a dark spot, raise the hood and look at the alternator. IF you see sparks inside the alternator NOT FROM the brush area, but IN the windings area, the windings have come loose and are shorting internally.
IF the above does not cure the trouble, I'd replace the regulator WHICH IS A GUESS, and last the alternator.
I don't know where the instrument voltage regulator/ limiter is on a '60, it might be in the fuel gauge or a separate unit
The ammeter sounds like another problem, and could be a lot of things
Bad connection in the ignition feed to the regulator, bad alternator, bad regulator, bad ground on the regulator, bad connections in the bulkhead connector. I believe that the battery main feed and charging line on yours goes through the firewall separately form the other bulkhead connector
MAKE UP a great big long clip lead about 4' long with no12 wire. Connect from the battery pos to the regulator IGN terminal temporarily and see if the problem is helped.
Make up a big wire, either no 10 or three no 12's in parallel, and connect your alternator output stud directly to the battery hot. Your ammeter will not work, but compare VOLTAGE at the battery before and after you do this to see if the problem changed If it helps, you have problems in the battery charge lead/ ammeter circuit, possibly the ammeter itself
Also run the engine at night in a dark spot, raise the hood and look at the alternator. IF you see sparks inside the alternator NOT FROM the brush area, but IN the windings area, the windings have come loose and are shorting internally.
IF the above does not cure the trouble, I'd replace the regulator WHICH IS A GUESS, and last the alternator.
I thought it might be two different problems ,the regulator is in the fuel gauge .I had thought of hooking up a seperate regulator .thanks for the good ideas on these problems ,it gives me some great ideas to try . thanks so much .
cudamark
Well-Known Member
Check with Redfish on here for a voltage limiter kit to replace your factory one before you ruin your gauges. Go through the tests on the charging system to find out why the ammeter is jumping around. If you have the stock, point type voltage regulator, I'd get a replacement solid state one even if the existing one is working. It makes the system much more stable.
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