Yet another charging problem in my 66 dart 225
12-17-2007, 01:22 PM
#1
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Yet another charging problem in my 66 dart 225
My Dart would not start the other day. The battery was completely drained of life. I pulled the alternator and had it tested. It tested bad so I got a new one, threw it in and recharged my battery overnight. Put my battery in today and started up my car. She wouldn't catch which is not unusual because the dart doesn't usually start on it's first go when it's cold outside. I don't think it was a ballast resistor won't start kind of thing. It was strong though, had power, strong battery. Started it up again and nothing happened. Sounded like a dead battery and then the positive post on my battery started smoking.
So, unhooked the battery quick as anything and am now scratching my head a bit. Before you ask, is the battery in right? the answer is yes, I did not put the battery in backwards. I'm thinking that perhaps it's a voltage regulator problem? The voltage regulator is newish, put in about a year ago when I had electrical problems before. There is a fusible link on my positive battery connect but I wouldn't think it was the problem.
Anyone have this happen before?
Oh, and the battery isn't one that gets refilled so it's not that either. Perhaps the battery was toasted from the start but it seems like it wouldn't smoke...
So, unhooked the battery quick as anything and am now scratching my head a bit. Before you ask, is the battery in right? the answer is yes, I did not put the battery in backwards. I'm thinking that perhaps it's a voltage regulator problem? The voltage regulator is newish, put in about a year ago when I had electrical problems before. There is a fusible link on my positive battery connect but I wouldn't think it was the problem.
Anyone have this happen before?
Oh, and the battery isn't one that gets refilled so it's not that either. Perhaps the battery was toasted from the start but it seems like it wouldn't smoke...
12-18-2007, 06:35 PM
#2
You should NEVER test an alternator by taking it to a store, except as a last resort. First, the pimple faced kid running the tester could be wrong, or just lying to sell you a new alternator.
On those old cars, it's very easy to test the alternator.
First, GET A METER. Troubleshooting by "easter eggs" or "shotgun" part replacement is not the way
Check that you have battery voltage at the large lead (nut connection) at the alternator. Get a clip lead, and pull the only small wire (connector) of the alternator (field) connection. Take your clip lead and clip to the alternator where you just removed the pull-off connector, lay it aside.
Start the engine on fast idle, and hook the meter to the battery. Clip the other end of your lead to a battery "hot" such as the nut on the alternator. If the alternator is GOOD you should hear the engine load, you should hear the alternator whine, and the voltage at the battery should jump UP on the meter. If you ref the engine just "some" the voltage should go up above 14, depending on how dead the battery is.
IF THIS DOES NOT CHARGE, it might be the alternator has serious problems, or it might be that is simply needs brushes.
Check that when you clip the lead on to the hot connection, and you can do this with the engine off, you get a small "spark." If nothing, either you need brushes, or the field of the alternator is "open" "bad." You can pull the brushes out, and poke your ohmeter down in against the rings inside to check for continuity. If the field is "open" they you are done---go buy an alternator
If the alternator DOES CHARGE with the clip lead, but not hooked to the "normal" regulator connection, there is two possibilities--either you have a wiring problem, or a bad regulator. Hook the regulator up "normal" with the key "on" or the engine "running" Check with your meter to ground, and the + lead on both connections of the regulator. If you have battery on one side, but nothing on the other, you are done--go buy a regulator.
NOW YOU ARE NOT CLEAR!!!!!
You said
======================================
started up my car. She wouldn't catch
It was strong though, had power, strong battery
Started it up again and nothing happened. Sounded like a dead battery and then the positive post on my battery started smoking.
=======================================
I don't know what this means. Do you mean
You turned the key, the starter cranked, but the engine would not run?
You turned the key, and got the "buzzing" sound of a poor connection?
You turned the key and NOTHING happened?
First, you might simply have a bad cable, or a bad terminal connection. DO NOT GO BY LOOKS USE YOUR METER
Pull the connectors off and CLEAN the terminals. BUY A BATTERY TERMINAL CLEANER
It might be a bad battery. Just because you charged the battery does not mean it is good.
You might have something "in the car" that is draining the battery--did you do all this testing immediately after installing the battery?
Can you have a reputable shop "load test" the battery?
Let's say you are sure the battery is now charged, and
You had it load tested, and it shows OK
You cleaned the terminals, and...
it still won't crank.
Learn to "rig" a remote starter switch. On those older cars, there should be a "starter relay" on the firewall. You can simply "jump" it with a screwdriver, which will remove the key, wiring, and that relay as a problem.
The relay looks like this:
An auto car will have 4 terminals, a stick car will have 3
Short the TWO LARGEST terminals to run the starter.
If the engine will NOT CRANK, take your meter and stab one probe DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY hot post. Not the connector, the HOT POST.
Now clip the other lead of the meter to the hot connector itself. With the engine trying to crank, you should read LESS than .2 Volts, that is "point" 2 volts. Do the same for the negative. Put one lead DIRECTLY on the negative post. Clip the other to the block. Try to crank. You should again, read less than .2-.4 V the less the better.
If the negative test is "good" and it still won't crank, it could be
A poor battery--but you load tested it, right?
A bad positive cable, or
A bad starter or starter solenoid.
You can now put one lead DIRECTLY ON the hot post of the battery, and clip the other down on the large starter stud at the starter. Try to crank. You again should read LESS than .2-.4 V the less the better. If this checks OK, then the cable is good.
If at this point the cables check OK and the engine won't crank, you either have a poor battery or bad starter or solenoid.
Easy. When you learn how, you can do this whole deal, in about 1/2 hour or less, and not even get very dirty.
On those old cars, it's very easy to test the alternator.
First, GET A METER. Troubleshooting by "easter eggs" or "shotgun" part replacement is not the way
Check that you have battery voltage at the large lead (nut connection) at the alternator. Get a clip lead, and pull the only small wire (connector) of the alternator (field) connection. Take your clip lead and clip to the alternator where you just removed the pull-off connector, lay it aside.
Start the engine on fast idle, and hook the meter to the battery. Clip the other end of your lead to a battery "hot" such as the nut on the alternator. If the alternator is GOOD you should hear the engine load, you should hear the alternator whine, and the voltage at the battery should jump UP on the meter. If you ref the engine just "some" the voltage should go up above 14, depending on how dead the battery is.
IF THIS DOES NOT CHARGE, it might be the alternator has serious problems, or it might be that is simply needs brushes.
Check that when you clip the lead on to the hot connection, and you can do this with the engine off, you get a small "spark." If nothing, either you need brushes, or the field of the alternator is "open" "bad." You can pull the brushes out, and poke your ohmeter down in against the rings inside to check for continuity. If the field is "open" they you are done---go buy an alternator
If the alternator DOES CHARGE with the clip lead, but not hooked to the "normal" regulator connection, there is two possibilities--either you have a wiring problem, or a bad regulator. Hook the regulator up "normal" with the key "on" or the engine "running" Check with your meter to ground, and the + lead on both connections of the regulator. If you have battery on one side, but nothing on the other, you are done--go buy a regulator.
NOW YOU ARE NOT CLEAR!!!!!
You said
======================================
started up my car. She wouldn't catch
It was strong though, had power, strong battery
Started it up again and nothing happened. Sounded like a dead battery and then the positive post on my battery started smoking.
=======================================
I don't know what this means. Do you mean
You turned the key, the starter cranked, but the engine would not run?
You turned the key, and got the "buzzing" sound of a poor connection?
You turned the key and NOTHING happened?
First, you might simply have a bad cable, or a bad terminal connection. DO NOT GO BY LOOKS USE YOUR METER
Pull the connectors off and CLEAN the terminals. BUY A BATTERY TERMINAL CLEANER
It might be a bad battery. Just because you charged the battery does not mean it is good.
You might have something "in the car" that is draining the battery--did you do all this testing immediately after installing the battery?
Can you have a reputable shop "load test" the battery?
Let's say you are sure the battery is now charged, and
You had it load tested, and it shows OK
You cleaned the terminals, and...
it still won't crank.
Learn to "rig" a remote starter switch. On those older cars, there should be a "starter relay" on the firewall. You can simply "jump" it with a screwdriver, which will remove the key, wiring, and that relay as a problem.
The relay looks like this:
An auto car will have 4 terminals, a stick car will have 3
Short the TWO LARGEST terminals to run the starter.
If the engine will NOT CRANK, take your meter and stab one probe DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY hot post. Not the connector, the HOT POST.
Now clip the other lead of the meter to the hot connector itself. With the engine trying to crank, you should read LESS than .2 Volts, that is "point" 2 volts. Do the same for the negative. Put one lead DIRECTLY on the negative post. Clip the other to the block. Try to crank. You should again, read less than .2-.4 V the less the better.
If the negative test is "good" and it still won't crank, it could be
A poor battery--but you load tested it, right?
A bad positive cable, or
A bad starter or starter solenoid.
You can now put one lead DIRECTLY ON the hot post of the battery, and clip the other down on the large starter stud at the starter. Try to crank. You again should read LESS than .2-.4 V the less the better. If this checks OK, then the cable is good.
If at this point the cables check OK and the engine won't crank, you either have a poor battery or bad starter or solenoid.
Easy. When you learn how, you can do this whole deal, in about 1/2 hour or less, and not even get very dirty.
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