Biggredd2069
Active Member
I'll check the alternator size and battery size tomo. I believe is just a standard size alternator? Does 60 amp sound right without looking?
Battery not staying charged
- Thread starter Biggredd2069
- Start date
"60" is probably a bit high . . .
46 amp with a/c, around 37 amps without a/c from the factory in 67 & 68.
cbarge
World Famous Barge in a Budget
If it is determned the alternator is no good,I would recommend going with a high output PowerMaster alternator to run everything including the EFI and stereo.
Just double up on the factory wiring with a fusible link,and bypass the ammeter gauge if not done already.
Make sure the electronic voltage regualtor matches the max output of the alternator (up to 90 amps)
Mopar
Just double up on the factory wiring with a fusible link,and bypass the ammeter gauge if not done already.
Make sure the electronic voltage regualtor matches the max output of the alternator (up to 90 amps)
Mopar
Last edited:
Biggredd2069
Active Member
Ok. It's the alternator. It's a 50 amp. I had it tested at a shop and was only running 11.9 volts. Took it back to auto zone where I got it and it failed their machine too. I'm gonna upgrade to a better one.
A lot of Auto Bone and Car Crap rebuilds are done overseas and the only parts that get replaced are the ones that failed. Getting very hard to find a quality rebuild unless there is a local old line shop that does them.
Dave
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
Most I have seen are done in Mexico. Although I did many years ago ship about 2 dozen containers of starter and alternator cores out of a rebuilder that closed.
Newport 66
Old Man with a Hat
Find a reputable electric motor shop if possible and have it done. They'll test the armature, windings, replace the bearings and brushes etc. and bench test it. I haven't had good luck with remans. As stated, they overseas builders toss in just the needed parts and throw some silver paint on them.
Biggredd2069
Active Member
I was planning to upgrade from the standard auto zone bs. Something a little more performance and hopefully better quality. I can't keep throwing basic fixes at the car. Especially since I'm doing a lot of electronic upgrades. I've added headlight relays, an electric fan, led headlight halos, aftermarket stereo with amps, fitech efi, and possibly more later.
Newport 66
Old Man with a Hat
100 amp police pkg alternator, VR and wiring upgrade AND the biggest CCA battery you can buy....
cbarge
World Famous Barge in a Budget
Then the Powermaster is for you.
Rather than "police package", possibly the 100amp alternator that went on first-gen Cordobas with the heated rear window option? Look like the normal Chry alternator, but bigger. Mount as the '66-era alternators, too (up higher than the later '70s normal alternators).
That '77 Cordoba application might also generate a particular OEM voltage regulator and such too? Salvage yard items?
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
That '77 Cordoba application might also generate a particular OEM voltage regulator and such too? Salvage yard items?
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
saylor
Senior Member
im just putting some random numbers next to stuff just to ponder thru this while i sip my NoS this morning, have no idea what the actuals amperages demands are:
device / amp draw
just make the car run / 5a
headlights / 20a
fans / 10a
more lights / 5a
stereo and amps / 20a
efi / 10a
more later = / XXa
when my sub hits the voltage meter jumps - powering a 300 fosgate sealed 12" box, 1000w crunch, jvc deck, and 4 pioneer 6x9s, and ive done most of this upgrades already + better ALT + smaller pulley.
what im gettin at is you can size up what you need, instead of just buying something and hoping.
you WILL use better AWG gauge wire than OEM.
you MUST make new FUSED circuits from ALT <> BATT for this new power you are bringing.
you SHOULD make and/or correct all your grounds - lights, body, frame, engine, ALT body, V/R body, NEG batty gnd, orange box, ALL of them. Ground everything. you want NO loss - less than .02 on a meter.
you NEED to buy good connectors that are the melty shrinky kind. Get a real crimper tool dont use pliers to crimp the terminals.. Use heatshrink. Use fuses. this is serious **** right here dont skimp.
I wrote all this up somewhere in one of my posts. maybe the headlight relay crackedback slant six dan mod i did.
try not to die -
- saylor
All this, plus get rid of the crappy battery terminals. The ground is a temporary terminal and they are great to get your beater car through the winter, but really don't age well. The cable gets dirty and corroded along with just not being all that great a connection to begin with. The positive connection is one of those Mickey Mouse terminals that I see sold for hooking up extra cables for stereo amps etc. Nothing more than a set screw clamping down on a cable. Again, a good place for corrosion of the wire(s) to start along with just flat out being a bad way to connect cable. Quite honestly, it would not have surprised me in the least if your charging problem came down to these terminals.
A larger alternator will do you no good when you have these choking the current to and from the battery.
Get yourself some larger cables with good terminals and maybe some of these junction blocks to tap off for your needs.
I had terrible luck with a Powermaster alternator. Brand new, it had a bad front bearing that howled like crazy. I called Powermaster and got zero help with the promise of a call back that never happened. I had bought it from Amazon, so I just returned it without their "prior authorization" and got my money back.
Was my experience atypical? I decided not to try another, based on their customer service.
Newport 66
Old Man with a Hat
The ol' Chrysler wiring/charging system isn't up to all the load and gadgets that you're throwing at it without some serious upgrades. All our help and advise won't fix the '60's components to work with the 2020 equipment. Decision time, do it right or limit the new stuff?
3175375
Senior Member
I too had a bad experience with a Powermaster alternator. Replaced it with a higher output stock unit. This was on my 65 Mustang.
saylor
Senior Member
pretty sure i went with the duralast vatozone not-as-sucky-as-our-bottom-line-product but id have to go look i straight dont remember.
but no the stock harness isnt well designed or equipped once you get away from stock config. and the stock harness is 'adequate' at best i.e. yellow headlights, minimum AWG spec requirement for the related power load, and 50 year old wiring thats been thru how many heat cycles, the whole ammeter-in-circuit, all headlight power goes thru the dimmer on the floor, the list is long.
but no the stock harness isnt well designed or equipped once you get away from stock config. and the stock harness is 'adequate' at best i.e. yellow headlights, minimum AWG spec requirement for the related power load, and 50 year old wiring thats been thru how many heat cycles, the whole ammeter-in-circuit, all headlight power goes thru the dimmer on the floor, the list is long.
Biggredd2069
Active Member
Well I got a power master alternator, 95 amp. Its in. I have all the accessories turned off. And it doesn't seem to be charging. I'll look into better battery cables but with everything off it should work normal. It doesn't appear to be. Maybe a match and some gasoline is in order. All of my accessories are fused and grounded. I should be able to get basic operation. The old alternator tested bad under 2 separate tests. I'm just watching the volts go down again after this new install. Its just a 1 wire setup.
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