Starting issue, 68 newport 383

[Biggredd2069]

I'm actively testing now. After a fresh trickle charge I'm at around 13 volts on battery. After I started it I gave it some revs and it stays pretty consistently around 12. 77 volts. I'm wondering if with the new ignition and voltage regulator I need to wire the alternator different ? I have just two wires on it now but there is an additional tab that isn't getting used on the alternator. Around the 3 o'clock position looking from the front. The belt is seemingly tight enough. I will start unhooking the unnecessary stuff. I feel like it's not charging more so than it's getting drained but that's just a hunch.

 

[Davea Lux]

You have a two terminal alternator, one lead goes to the voltage regulator that supplies the power, the other lead is supposed to go to ground to complete the field circuit. You probably replaced a single terminal alternator with a dual terminal unit so there is no ground lead and it will not work that way. You can ground the unused terminal to the alternator case and that should fix the charging issue. It odes not matter which terminal is hooked to power and which goes to ground.

Dave

 

[Biggredd2069]

Thanks Dave. I'll try that straight away. Need a little more info through. I have an electrical connector and wire ready to go. I hook it up to that unused blade and then I connect that wire to a ground?

 

[stubs300]

Thanks Dave. I'll try that straight away. Need a little more info through. I have an electrical connector and wire ready to go. I hook it up to that unused blade and then I connect that wire to a ground?

I just used the closest ground I could find, mine is connected to a bolt by the block. Good Luck

 

[Biggredd2069]

Well I ran a ground from that tab on the alternator to the firewall and grounded to what seemed like an existing ground. Not feeling real comfortable I'm getting a charge. This morning after a charger I was at over 13 volts.when I started it up I was maintaining around 12. 75. I ran an errand with great anxiety and when I got back home I left it idling, I put the low beam and high headlights on and the radio. I went down to around 12.20 and when I revved it I'm not getting any noticeable volt recharging. I'm in test mode right now so gonna wait to recharge the battery. I'll start it again tomo and run the headlights and stereo again and see if it goes Lower

 

[413]

You may be in Test mode, But the car is in not charging mode.

No reason to drain the battery any further. Charge the battery up and find the problem.

 

[Davea Lux]

Try disconnecting the hot lead from the alternator field, turn the key on, are you getting battery voltage from that lead? If not, there is a problem with the regulator or the wiring to it. If you are getting battery voltage from the disconnected lead, leave it disconnected for now and run a temporary lead from its terminal on the alternator that is long enough to reach the positive terminal on the battery. Start the car and connect the temporary lead to the battery. This procedure bypasses the voltage regulator, the alternator should now be at full charge, check the voltage. If you still do not show a charge, most likely the alternator is bad. Do not forget to disconnect the temp lead when you are done testing.

Dave