Some times the electrical gods just smile on you

[woodsrunner]

Less than a week ago I purchased the 66 Valiant that is my avatar. I bought it knowing the ammeter was showing a constant slight discharge. Even though I hate electricity with a passion, I'm pretty methodical. I figured I could fix it. I read all I could here about these cars charging issues. Yesterday I took the car to a local starter/alternator shop and had the alternator tested. The alternator is out of a 62, but passed with flying colors. So, I went and bought a voltage regulator. As I look around I notice huge screws holding the already new VR in place. I also notice the firewall sanded to bare metal under other components.

I figure at this point I'm in trouble. This has been an ongoing problem.

I pull the VR. When I remove the field wire and notice the factory crimp on connection flops around real easy. Upon closer inspection it only has three strands of copper in there. I give it a pull and it pop's right off. I strip it back to clean wire and crimp on a new eyelet. Then I put the new VR on. Fire her up and she's charging just fine now.

Lesson learned. Don't over look the simple stuff. The previous owner got frustrated and sold the car to me at a $1,000 loss because of a .03 cent crimp on eye.

 

[KitCarlson]

Good job! It is often about attention to details.

 

[67Dart273]

I've had simple problems like that, and I've had others (not necessarily vehicles) that would just drive ya nuts.

When I was "in HVAC" service, we got a thorny bush. A "new" customer had a Carrier furnace --which we don't sell -- and had "had" it with brand X's service dept. This was one of the first with a one-piece integrated board. I walked into a "mess."

When the customer would turn the stat up in the morning, it would often -- but not always short cycle. I learned to suspect it was going off on hi temp, but could not duplicate the problem.

Anyhow after about 3 trips out there, replaced the board, the T stat and generally banged my head in the wall, it turns out that way up in the (poorly designed) return there was insulation that was intermittently sagging in and blocking the return. This was a radically and poorly designed house, a cantilever mess hanging off a cliff, involving very high ceilings, and the owner had "the idea" that the return should be "up by the ceiling" and that's where the builder PUT it. (Furnace was in the basement)

I never did find the problem, largely because I could not duplicate it. The owner ended up being PO'd at us, and some water damage / roof leak later caused the problem to be revealed during remodel / repairs.

 

[YY1]

My 67 Coronet discharged the battery every three days.

I checked and/or replaced everything, or so I thought.

Took it to an auto electric specialty shop (the only time I've ever done that).

...and it was the gauge! Even though the gauge worked!

 

[cudajim]

It usually comes down to something simple but finding it may not be so simple.

 

[mcodecuda]

I bought a FWD Charger at a auction cheap, It was pushed thru because it didn't run. It had a new battery and alternator in it. We jumped it and all was fine but the battery would keep dying. I charged it a few times and it kept on dying. Then one night I walked past the car and the passenger floor was lit up. It turned out that the glove box light had fallen out and that's what was killing the battery.