Hi All! This is my very first post, but it surely won't be my last. I am about to (I think!) buy a 1966 Plymouth Fury III. This new baby has a rebuilt 318 w/ a new alternator and a perhaps non-functioing voltage regulator that the current owner says is causing the battery to drain. He keeps a battery in the trunk, just in case. Yeah... Wow... I took the car for a drive. When I tried to accelerate, it was very slow to do anything and just felt like it wasn't getting any power. The power steering is also in trouble, but that I can probably handle. Before I buy, I thought I would do some research on what I might be getting into w/ the electrical system. Turns out that reading about mopar electrical systems is like reading the written version of the teacher in the Peanuts Cartoon talking. Can anyone point me to a website, book, something that is for dummies w/ no experience in working on electirical systems? I need some help in plain language w/ some serious diagrams! Thanks! :-)

 

Welcome! first thing i would recommend is the proper tools. a digital muti-meter is great tool. I have some links for sites with old Mopar schematics, and there are articles on the web that address all mopar electrical shortcomings. Haynes has a very good book on basic auto electrical, you'll find it a most bigger auto stores. I'm also an electrician and can turn things into english for you! Good luck

 

First off welcome.
And I also recently purchased a 66 fury 3.
As far as the electrical, here is a simple trick.
Get you a 12 volt test light, remove the negative battery cable from the battery and place the test light between the battery and the cable. If the light comes on there is something on or shorted.
So now while you monitor the light find the fuse box and remove one fuse at a time until the light is goes out. Now place all the other fuses back with exception of the one that made the light go away.
If the light stays off you will need to see what this fuse is for (i.e. headlamp , tail lamp ect.) Once you know what its for you can continue further troubleshooting.

Hope this helps

 

Try, www.madelectrical.com
also try Mopar action online
and Allpar has some good info too

 

Start the engine, and then while the engine is running, disconnect one of the battery cables. If the engine dies, then the alternator is bad. Yes, it is possible for a new alternator to be bad, either that, or it was not hooked up properly. The voltage regulator is built in to the alternator.

If the car has been converted to electronic ignition, and the alternator is bad, it will drive as you described, with very little power. The electronic ignition system requires more power to run than the older points type ignition. If it still has the old point distributor and is running as you say, there could be a whole list of things which would make it drive slow; clogged fuel filter, poorly adjusted timing, carburetor troubles, etc.

Work on the battery/alternator problem first. Once that's squared away, move onto the next repair (if one is necessary).

 

The regulator could be external...

 

Thanks so much for the information! You guys are awesome!!! The regulator is external. The guy selling the car has one & hasn't put it in yet. I talked to my dad & he thinks it's the regulator. So, that's what I will replace first. Supposedly the engine's been rebuilt at a shop & the alternator is new. I hope I was over-thinking it & it's just the regulator. I will let you know though.
I will get the Haynes book suggested. The Allpar & Mopar action websites are really great. I've been all over both. I will check out madelectrical.com as well. Thanks so much.
I sent the guy my offer for the car via e-mail today. I hope he accepts it. I beefed up my AAA membership today as well, because ya know, when you have an older car you might have need of more towing insurance

BTW, I have the vin number and found the decoder. It said the original engine was a 318 "LA" Engine. Does anyone know if that's a small or big block?
Thanks again!!!
Lori

 

I dunno if you got your car or not, but to answer your question the LA is a small block. LA family includes 273,318,340,360 CID. Hope that helped and good luck, welcome to the site...

 

the code book cant say its a 318 "LA" since the 318 "LA" wasnt introduced till 67. i can be a 318 "A" engine. how many bolts hold down the valve cover? if its 2 then it the "A" 318. if its 5 then its the 318 "LA"