Sporadic overcharging

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gorent

gorent

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I have a 74 Dodge 360 Sport that just started occasionally spiking the charging system on and off in no set pattern . Regulator was replaced about a year ago and balance of system is stock . It does this overcharging for a few minutes and then goes back to normal center point on gauge and is fine until all of a sudden it will jump again and dash lights get very bright while in overcharge mode . I have checked grounds on regulator and see no hot spots in wiring or coil ! Seems to be happening more often lately . I have read a lot of posted items and am totally confused as to where to start looking and am not a good amp gauge guy ! Any recommendations would be appreciated !
 
Can you tell how high it goes? One think you might consider is temporarily installing a voltmeter so you can monitor battery charging voltage. The problem is "where to hook it?" If you hook it to say, the ignition switch/ fuse panel, and it's the typical harness--to--regulator voltage drop problem, it will show "normal", please don't cause me to explain that.

If you hook it to the battery, you will need a separate switch or relay, but that WILL show the "true" battery charge voltage.

Might be as simple as a loose connection at the brushes/ VR connector
Might be one field/ brush intermittently grounding, or even an intermittent short in the field winding (rotor) itself

I admit, intermittents are tough.
 
67Dart273 said:
Can you tell how high it goes? One think you might consider is temporarily installing a voltmeter so you can monitor battery charging voltage. The problem is "where to hook it?" If you hook it to say, the ignition switch/ fuse panel, and it's the typical harness--to--regulator voltage drop problem, it will show "normal", please don't cause me to explain that.

If you hook it to the battery, you will need a separate switch or relay, but that WILL show the "true" battery charge voltage.

Might be as simple as a loose connection at the brushes/ VR connector
Might be one field/ brush intermittently grounding, or even an intermittent short in the field winding (rotor) itself

I admit, intermittents are tough.
Click to expand...
Thank You for response...... Gauge in dash pegs past 14 then falls back to center. I will follow threw with testing you recommended and let you know outcome .
 
"Pegs past 14?" Don't you have a factory ammeter, or what?

If it's the factory ammeter and it pegs, it is REALLY overcharging. One thing you could try is try not to "bump" anything, at the time it happens, unplug the VR and see if it stops charging. This will at least tell you if that circuit "has control" or that it's a short/ problem elsewhere such as alternator
 
I had an issue like this last year. My metter was charging, not charging, charging and so on. I had a stocktype point voltage regular. I had an electronic ignition petronix unit with their high output coil. Must have been too much for that old stlye points regular. I switched to an electronic one that hoomed up exactly like the old one. Perfect ever since.
 
The part number was VR706. It was from AutoZone. I even took the bigger points style regular cover and it fit over the new one. Looks stock.
 
whitepunkonnitro said:
Common problem, and almost always a bad regulator.
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Thank You everyone for your input . Problem seams cured after scraping black paint off back MOPAR regulator and mounting with external tooth washers between regulator and body .... So far so good after about 5 starts and road tests. Thanks Again !
 
Also just a thought, i made a short ground wire to go from one of the volt reg mounting bolts to one of the master cylinder studs just to make sure i had a good ground
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Also just a thought, i made a short ground wire to go from one of the volt reg mounting bolts to one of the master cylinder studs just to make sure i had a good ground
Click to expand...

That is not a bad idea, what you ALSO should consider is adding a store bought "starter cable" (eye to eye cable) from the rear of the driver side cylinder head to that same bolt. It does no good to ground the VR to the firewall if the BATTERY is not actually grounded there LOL
 
My main neg goes to left front of head, smaller wire on same neg lead goes to firewall, same size ground from right rear of head to lower part of firewall. The whole car should be grounded. I havent had a issue with a ground problem, just put a extra one in between because i know for certain the master cylinder studs are a good grounding point as they are a part of the firewall
 
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