Instrument Voltage Regulator

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mnmopar

mnmopar

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1964 Plymouth Valiant Convertible.

Back story: Problems with a constant voltage discharge. Replaced alternator, Voltage regulator. Added voltmeter. Went to bypass the ammeter by connecting up the wires. Did that and the convert top motor runs constantly. There were three wires on the back of the ammeter (2 black, one red). When I remove one of the black wires from the combination, the top motor stops running but now will not go up or down.

What appears to be the instrument panel voltage regulator is just hanging there. Not sure where it goes, none of the manuals I have show a good image.

The underdash is kind of a mess. I'm guessing lots of things chopped up over the years (wires going nowhere etc). Just trying to get it sorted out. I have a schematic but it doesn't show where that dang panel voltage regulator or the single balk wire should be.

I know this is a long shot but does any one have an image that shows this?

As always, thanks in advance!
 
I think the inst v-reg was built into the fuel gauge and perhaps why it is wired funky. Does the fuel gauge have 2 or 3 connectors if 3 it is internal. Someone with direct experience with that model should chime in.

If you're getting a bad draw, If tool limited, use a test light and disconnect the neg batt cable. Connect one end of the test light to the - batt terminal and the other to the cable. the brightness will determine the amt of draw. Start pulling fuses one by one until the light dims or goes out. Use schematic to trace what is in that circuit. Aftermarket stereo, amps and things like that are a likely candidate.
 
The power for the top and similar add ons was often tapped directly to the ALT' gauge. Even a clock was made hot there, and without an inline fuse. Anyway...
Your top pump constant run has to be in the up/down switch and/or wiring going to the pump motor.
 
Thanks guys. FABO's are the best.

Your top pump constant run has to be in the up/down switch and/or wiring going to the pump motor.

I would have thought so too but I pulled the switch and it still did it... Whenever that extra black wire gets volts, the motor runs???

I did find what appears to some kind of voltage regulator (coiled wire) that is open but have not tested it for voltage yet. I'm guessing it can't be hot, it was laying on the inside of the dash so it would have shorted long ago. I had to stop after the blood flow in my arms stopped from working over my head.
 
Just and update... Remember I said I put in a voltage gauge? Well, I had to drill up into the underside of the dash to mount it. guess what wiring harness I accidently drilled into. Guess what two wires got crossed...

Man, if it wasn't for me, I'd be outa work a long time ago.
 
Friend of mine started as a young man, cable installer. Once he drilled through a house wall, inside to out, and right through the heating oil tank outside the house

In my HVAC years, a home owner had illegally run romex up under the interior side of closet molding. Our guys hung a gas pipe there, and ran a screw "carefully" into the romex, contacting only the hot lead of the romex, thus hooking the hot lead right to the gas pipe. This was towards the end of an install, and the gas pipe had not yet been grounded.

Meanwhile, one of the guys was installing some duct, on a ladder in the basement, and reached up and grabbed the pipe for support. He's damn lucky he's still with us.

Couple of our guys 'sawzalled' through romex in a retrofit install and one meathead who should have looked first, sawed a hole for a floor register and cut a water pipe in half.

One time I was tryin' to find the thermostat wire which some #$@#!^&&** sheet rocker had covered up. The wall turned out to be 2" thick because of a construction glitch. So of course I drilled right through into the closet!!!

Only once!!!! did I mount a component in a rooftop unit and "screw a screw" right through a return bend on a refrigerant line!!!!
 
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