Trying to i.d. relay(?)

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lild

lild

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Last night I tried to fire up the Valiant and it cranked for a bit then just stopped. I hooked up my battery charger and tried again and I get this weird clicking/whinning noise from what I think is a relay. Its not the starter relay as Ive searched through posts here to identify that. The part Im trying to identify is on the opposite side of the master cylinder from the starter relay and wire junction panel on the firewall. Small metal box with a couple of wires.
 
Is this on your 64, sounds like from the location it is your voltage regulator
One wire on top and another on the bottom ?
 
memike said:
Is this on your 64, sounds like from the location it is your voltage regulator
One wire on top and another on the bottom ?
Click to expand...

Yeah its the 64. I need to look at it more closely tonight. I was in a rush and mad last night, still am a little. Wifes van got window bashed out and purse stolen. Tried to get the car running so I could drive it and she could drive my truck.
 
lild said:
Yeah its the 64. I need to look at it more closely tonight. I was in a rush and mad last night, still am a little. Wifes van got window bashed out and purse stolen. Tried to get the car running so I could drive it and she could drive my truck.
Click to expand...
sorry to hear that. people suck. it sounds like you have bad connection(s) at the battery/starter or a half dead battery. check and clean all your grounds and clamps etc. make sure the battery is fully charged.
 
memike said:
Is this on your 64, sounds like from the location it is your voltage regulator
One wire on top and another on the bottom ?
Click to expand...

X2.

Battery chargers are not what is called "filtered" and have a lot of "ripple," what amounts to a large AC component, or in other words, pusating DC. When you heavily load them, as in using them for boost, or even charging a really dead battery, this ripple goes up, and stuff like radios and other electronics do not react well. You may have an old mechanical relay type regulator, and the AC ripple sent the thing into a tizzy.
 
So to answer the first response I got, yes, one wire on top and one on bottom.
Judging by the responses I would say my voltage regulator is whats making noise.
So could that have created the original problem of the car just going completely dead and I mean it was cranking full steam and then just nothing?
Or am I dealing with another issue and created the dead regulator with the battery charger?
 
You have to determine and define "completely dead." Could be as simple as a bad battery clamp or an internally corroded battery cable.

Get a test light, multimeter, and a bag or two of clip leads from Radio Shack. You should have these anyway.

Stab the light/ meter right into the top of the battery posts. Anything there? Turn on the headlights -- any light, glow, anything? Does the test lamp go out or the voltage reading drop?

If the battery shows some voltage, even 8V or so with lights on, but the lights don't work, move your meter/ test lamp to the two battery clamps -- Any test lamp, any meter reading?

Now move your test lamp / meter to the engine block, and to the "big stud" on the starter relay. Any reading with headlights on?

If not, the trouble is right in that area --dead/ bad battery, bad clamps or cables, etc

If you do have at least 8V or more, and no headlights, could be fuseable link or bad connections through the bulkhead connector, or bad connections at or even a bad ammeter.

What do you have in the way of a shop manual or wiring diagram?

Wiring diagrams from MyMopar somewhat useful, not always complete:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

Direct links. Far better than nothing

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1964/64ValiantA.jpg

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1964/64ValiantB.jpg

I don't know how much help, here's a free 65 Plymouth service manual. Electrical type in page 8-2 in your viewer, then back up one page to 8-1. Wiring is on page 8-96

[ame]https://www.dropbox.com/s/upks33txhbe9tjw/1965%20Plymouth%20Service%20Manual.pdf[/ame]

This MAD electrical article has a simplified diagram that shows the main power path. I believe that in your car, the main feeds do not go through the main bulkhead connector, but rather have their own separate feed-throughs off to the side

amp-ga18.jpg


http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml
 
I heard that a ballast resistor could go bad quick and cause that problem. Thats why we're suppose to keep a spare at all times. At least thats what all my mechanic friends say
 
Ballasts do go bad, but frankly, in my entire life (I'm 65) I've only replaced 2 or 3 in all these cars:

55 Chev

57 Chev

63 Chev (resistor wire in the wiring, I think)

69 383 4 spd RR

70 440-6 4 spd RR

64 426 Wedge

70 'Cuda

63 FJ-40 Landcruiser, 360/ 340 / 318 powered

I've owned more, but don't think they use a ballast

Presently, 67 Dart eliminated ballast with HEI module

In all those cars, from '66 to present, I think I replaced on in one of the 55--57 Chevs because "somebody" left the key on, and I believe one failed in my 69, which was factory single point/ factory coil. A coil failed in that car as well.

The 70 had a number of ignition systems in, started out with factory dual point (440-6) then added the old rectangular Mallory hi output coil, then "back then" the CDI (Delta, SST) kits were a "big thing," then I scored a "tear out" of a Mopar breakerless some kid thought was bad. This was right after those first came out 72? or 73? some kid had a 340 Duster and thought he was having trouble with the ignition. He and I made a "deal" I'd put a breaker points distributor in the car and I could have all the breakerless stuff. I don't remember there being a thing wrong with it, and by that time, the 70 RR had a 71 340 swapped into it. THAT was a fun car. Wish to hell I had it -- or one like it --again.

Old, faded photos. Top is the RADAR shop at Miramar. We had permission to do auto work out there, but this was pushing it.

From left, we have "Miramar 61 or 62" one of our trucks, a Plumb Crazy Cuda of a guy I've forgotten his hame, a Poncho/ ChevII of a guy at the shop, my old black 426 '64, a friend's 68 383 RR, and the rear of my '70 440-6

Bottom photo is right after I swapped in the 340, out of a wrecked '71. You cannot see here, but I was broke by the time I got this far, and for several months, I drove it with 318 manifolds and a single Y pipe provided by the Junkey. This was prior to installing the Mopar breakerless setup.
 

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I need to spend some quality time with the car tonight. I did check connections with my test light and had bright light to the starter and relay. But without a meter I have no idea what voltage is getting where.
 
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