318 ammeter erratic?

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mycuda

mycuda

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Just got 318 in 69 dart. Runs good with decent cam, holley 650, headers, new battery, that's about it.
Ammeter in dash fluctuates from charging to discharging every couple seconds but is consistent. Havent had time to look into it yet.
Any suggestions why? Alternator? regulator?
This is the alternator from /6 that used to be in the car.

Thanks in advance.
Dave
 
This seems to be a cyclic thing as opposed to just simply erratic?

Actually the two symptoms / causes could be related.........a bad connection

It could also be the regulator itself

Look underneath your regulator. If there are two great big wirewound resistors, this is an old "contact type" electromechanical relay. I would replace it.

Make absoLUTEly certain the regulator is well grounded. Scrape the mounting, and the VR flanges clean, and use star lock washers. Make sure the bolts are tight and not stripped.

Also make sure the voltage drop to the VR IGN terminal is not excessive, and that you have good, adequate grounds between battery, body, and engine
 
Had the same issue when I swapped my 360 into my barracuda. Went through 3 voltage regulators until I changed the ballast resistor and the ballast resistor fixed my issue. Just another idea for you to try.
 
kris66cuda said:
Had the same issue when I swapped my 360 into my barracuda. Went through 3 voltage regulators until I changed the ballast resistor and the ballast resistor fixed my issue. Just another idea for you to try.
Click to expand...

This could not possibly. What you had there is some connection issue, probably the bulkhead connector, and when you bumped those wires, you "made" the connection
 
I would get a replacement electronic reg which most replacement ones are electronic. If there are no wire wound resistors on the bottom side then it is electronic
 
67Dart273 said:
This could not possibly. What you had there is some connection issue, probably the bulkhead connector, and when you bumped those wires, you "made" the connection
Click to expand...

I knew that was coming. "Aint know way a ballast resistor can effect the charging system".
Sure it can. Anything that can draw majority of voltage off blue w/white hot in run can effect the voltage regulator. Not a common fault in the later isolated field systems.
 
No, Red, I'm sorry. This don' happen. It don. It' hain't the way **** works

The ignition system is a LOAD. It draws CURRENT. And, it's "fairly constant," at least when the engine is running from an idle up through fast idle to "low cruise," and even extremes of current draw from idle to high RPM, the load change is not enough to affect the charging system. At least not a HEALTHY charging system.

IF SOMEHOW the ignition DOES affect the charging system, it would be because of a problem in the "blue" run / IGN1 circuit, IE bad connection in the bulkhead, at a splice, at the ignition switch connector, or in the switch, etc. etc.

If what you say can, did, and does happen, the ignition would have to be drawing a LOT of current, FAR more than it does.

Now, wirewound resistors do not short. At least not Mopar ballasts. This is because they are "space wound" on a ceramic form, and the only way you COULD short them would be to "toss a wrench" across the ballast resistor terminals. I think even I would notice that.
 
Thanks for all the input/advice.
Will have time this week, car will be coming home so I can start working on it more.
I will let you know what I find.

Thanks again.
Dave
 
67Dart273 said:
No, Red, I'm sorry. This don' happen. It don. It' hain't the way **** works

The ignition system is a LOAD. It draws CURRENT. And, it's "fairly constant," at least when the engine is running from an idle up through fast idle to "low cruise," and even extremes of current draw from idle to high RPM, the load change is not enough to affect the charging system. At least not a HEALTHY charging system.

IF SOMEHOW the ignition DOES affect the charging system, it would be because of a problem in the "blue" run / IGN1 circuit, IE bad connection in the bulkhead, at a splice, at the ignition switch connector, or in the switch, etc. etc.

If what you say can, did, and does happen, the ignition would have to be drawing a LOT of current, FAR more than it does.

Now, wirewound resistors do not short. At least not Mopar ballasts. This is because they are "space wound" on a ceramic form, and the only way you COULD short them would be to "toss a wrench" across the ballast resistor terminals. I think even I would notice that.
Click to expand...

My buddy had the same issue and we swapped out the ballast resistor and it fixed his issue as well. I don't think that its a coincidence
 
I thought erratic amp gauges was a Mopar trademark.
 
kris66cuda said:
My buddy had the same issue and we swapped out the ballast resistor and it fixed his issue as well. I don't think that its a coincidence
Click to expand...

Let me explain something. Just because you, or your buddy, or your cousin's uncle's daughter's brother in law did "something" and it cured "something"....................


that does not mean that "something" was the cause.

You are "up there" at the firewall. There is a LOT of harnessnessly "goin on." You have connections, you have the bulkhead connector. ALL these OLD connections on these old girls are suspect nowadays. Hell, they were suspect when these cars were 5 years old, and in some parts of the country (rust belt) they were an issue when TWO years old.

So you get in there.

You wiggle stuff around. You replace the ballast and "it works." Hell it's happened to ME. And I think HEY!!! FIXED!!! Until a week, or two, or three later.........and the problem ....is... ....back

IF this "fixed" the problem it's because you have A SECOND PROBLEM. You have VOLTAGE DROP caused from BAD CONNECTIONS in the circuit path FROM THE BATTERY............THROUGH ALL THE CONNECTIONS...........SUPPLYING...........THE IGNITION.........AND THE.........REGULATOR............terminal

The simple fact is the "several amps" that the coil and ECU draws is NOT enough to adversely affect the charging system unless there is a separate problem.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I thought erratic amp gauges was a Mopar trademark.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. The gauges are usually rock solid. You may have bad wire connections at the gauge or somewhere down the line which can cause the current to fluctuate wildly. As previously stated, the charging system can be at fault too.
 
I tell you what: just remove the alt or reg from the circuit and watch the guage reaction. Just pull a field wire off. Those old mechanical regulators are just a glorified on/off cycling switch.When working correctly they cycle so fast that the guage doesnt register it.
 
kris66cuda said:
My buddy had the same issue and we swapped out the ballast resistor and it fixed his issue as well. I don't think that its a coincidence
Click to expand...

It's not a coincidence at all because they have nothing to do with each other. (the charging system and ballast)
It was a freak accident.
 
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