The other Polara

[MrMoparCHP]

Well our well needed rain has come and with it so do problems.

When I went to go somewhere water started pouring out of the heater floor ducts. This was water and not coolant, we are talking quarts not drops.

I figure the cowl drains are plugged up, I hope I can clear them without pulling the fenders. If I see things right I should be able to get to the side ones from the bottom, worse case I may need to pop the bottom of the fenders out.

Alan

 

[polara71]

being in California has helped the car not rot away...those damn drains, so many cars have rusted away because of pine needles and leaves in the water channels

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I haven't got into it too deep yet but I have looked an my CHP car and the parts car and I do not think it is the drains.
If the side drains were plugged up the water would be coming in the fresh air vents in the kick panels.

The only place I see water getting into the heater is in the seal against the firewall.
Without pulling the wheel liner to pull the heater I may just put a bead of RTV along the top edge and hope for the best.

Alan

 

[polara71]

If the side drains were plugged up the water would be coming in the fresh air vents in the kick panels.

good point .....

 

[MrMoparCHP]

For those of you that like to live vicariously through others here is the latest on my recent issue.

First up I looked at the section off the parts car that was still upside down from cutting the brackets off of. First up I looked at the drains and saw a few things, one the drains were covered by he fender in a manner you would need to unbolt the bottom to get access, the other was that they were wide open to the chamber that brings fresh air to the kick panels so that theory was out.

So out to the car to look into it more, I first pulled one of the vents to look inside and it didn’t look bad so I pulled the wheel liner so I could get at the heater. I first thought I’d be pulling the full heater assembly but at first I just removed the cover.

Before I removed the cover I needed to remove the hoses so I clamped them off which seamed to work.

From there I could see that the heater had been getting water in it for quite some time.

While it was open I put the hose on the vent a full flow and the drains worked just fine, at no point did I see water getting into the heater.

(Please ignore the bodywork as this project was abandoned the second I acquired a real CHP car)


I then dried it out and examined the cover and seal, nothing looked out of place but still feel that the water was getting in through the seal. One thing to note, any water that comes off the windshield that doesn’t go in the vents drains off the ends of the cowl typically the sides. In my case the volume of water was causing it to flow over the front which comes down the face of the heater. When this happened the car was parked nose high on my driveway so the water was pooling in a low spot by the fan motor. All to note that the vent hose (see the second picture) (for whatever it is for) drains into the cover, that is an opening the is not truly sealed and water can easily get in.

Knowing I may never fix the problem I chose to rectify it. I drilled some drain holes in the cover that should keep the water from accumulating in the housing.

Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

The ongoing project of making this car more reliable had me swapping out the voltage regulator with the later style one. This also required adding a brush to the alternator and another wire.

Mounting the regulator was interesting in that the second hole already had the drill dimple located for this regulator, I guess the writing was on the wall when the made the new generation bodies for 1969.

I still need to wrap the harness but I wanted to make sure that it worked and everything fit.

Once I had the old harness apart (unwrapped) I put it back in and located the ignition wires and voltage regulator connector.
A new piece of blue wire was needed to run from the alternator to the regulator, the wires were fitted to the alternator and some cable ties were placed throughout to hold everything in place.

Now I had the breakouts all placed I again separated everything so I could comb the wires and eliminate crisscrossing of wires, along with trying to place wires so that they did not breakout from the middle of the bundle.

The blue wire that originally went to the voltage also went to the ballast and is where the new blue wire from the regulator was going to tie in with.
Originally the blue wire that came from the bulkhead connector went to the ballast and a tap came back to the voltage regulator.

I chose to flip that part putting the connector with one wire on the ballast and cutting the connector with two wires off.
It was there that I put the new pigtail for the voltage regulator. The original green wire from the alternator than went to the voltage regulator was cut back to match length.

I salvaged the connector from the regulator and used it for the new blue wire on the alternator, I just soldiered the wire to the old terminal.

I still need to remove the piggyback terminal from the ballast resistor that supplies power for the ignition module.
The plan is to remove the other terminal from the housing and soldier the wire to it.

Alan

 

[commando1]

The devil is in the details. Good job, Alan.

 

[bluefury361]

The ongoing project of making this car more reliable had me swapping out the voltage regulator with the later style one. This also required adding a brush to the alternator and another wire.

Nice work alan. I'd be interested in how much of an improvement in the charging rate is abtained.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Excellent stories.....I had to laugh but was relieved that everything turned out OK for you.

I havent seen a difference in thecharging rate but then again my car was charging real well before this.
On a cold morning after starting it would take a 1/2 mile or so to get back to normal.

Normal with the points style regulator was just to the charge side of center (maybe 1/8"), now it is pretty much center (maybe 1/32" off)

One of the noteable difference is no fluctuation in the headlights, everything is steady.

There is a difference in the enginnering of this regulator and the electronic replacements for the points style, this is the way to go if originality is not an issue.


Alan

 

[bluefury361]

One of the noteable difference is no fluctuation in the headlights, everything is steady.

There is a difference in the enginnering of this regulator and the electronic replacements for the points style, this is the way to go if originality is not an issue.

Thats the main issue with my 69. The OEM regulator keeps the battery charged just fine, but at idle with the light on is an issue. The more power accessories used the dimmer the lights become.

I'll have to follow your lead and try the upgrade.

 

[commando1]

I HAVE (!!) to do this also on Bittersweet. But I am clueless on this part:

This also required adding a brush to the alternator and another wire.

Can you elaborate on how to add a brush to an alternator? I'd be very interested.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Good question as I didn't know till my friend did it, initially I thought you'd have to open it up but no.

You can buy a brush set from the parts store. With the alternator on the bench set it pulley down, the brushes go in from the outside, it is assembled, dropped in the hole and screwed down.

I have noticed in the past that some of the alternators come with the terminal clocked differently than others, well all you are doing is utilizing the other location.

I'm pretty sure it was that simple but I was just looking over his shoulder.


Alan

 

[bluefury361]

Good question as I didn't know till my friend did it, initially I thought you'd have to open it up but no.

You can buy a brush set from the parts store. With the alternator on the bench set it pulley down, the brushes go in from the outside, it is assembled, dropped in the hold and screwed down.

SOoooo. you are modifying the original 69 alternator......?

I'm thinking of an upgrade to a later model alternator.....
I have a 60 amp unit, I think from 1979/80 that I want to use.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

It was the original round back alternator, brush was added in the other hole (we replaced the original one while we were there as the kit comes with both).




Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

SOoooo. you are modifying the original 69 alternator......?

I'm thinking of an upgrade to a later model alternator.....
I have a 60 amp unit, I think from 1979/80 that I want to use.

I think with this alternator you just need to remove the ground wire on the other terminal.

Alan

 

[bluefury361]

I think with this alternator you just need to remove the ground wire on the other terminal.

I think so too. The ground added ground wire will allow the newer alternator to be used with the early regulator. I want to go to the later regulator, like your using, and upgrade the wiring on my 69.
That way I can take full advantage of the higher amp's.

 

[commando1]

This is why going off topic here is great.
I pick up juicy tidbits like this. Thanks.

 

[mr. fix it]

I'm just getting caught up. excellent post & thread here!

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Over the weekend I went to a Mopar show in Cupertino a 4 hour drive for me. I took my Polara and it performed great and for the first time i was able to make it to the show without having to get gas on the way. Having a 23 gallon tank helps but getting 17.2 MPG is what make the difference. This is the original 318 with about 80,000 original miles on it, it has been upgraded to electronic ignition.

Here is a picture in the parking lot with my friends MG (his 67 Barracuda is in the body shop)

 

[polara71]

I remember those days in a 318 polara.....