[DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation.

Wed Feb 15 00:20:22 EST 2017

Does the swinging settle down with a load such as headlights and or cooling fans on? It seems the alternator is working but regulator not so much.

      From: Mike Drew via DeTomaso <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
 To: DeTomaso Mail List <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> 
 Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 7:19 PM
 Subject: [DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation.

  Guys,

  Yesterday I accompanied the new owner of a '74 Pantera from Sacramento
  to his home in San Diego.

  We almost made it.

  As we entered the worst of the LA megopolis, the charging system
  suddenly didn't. The am we had been dancing around for hours and it
  finally stabilized deep in the discharge zone. With headlights and fans
  on, crawling in stop and go traffic, it wouldn't be too long before the
  car quit completely so we dove off the freeway into a gas station and
  then enjoyed a two-hour tow truck ride (gotta love AAA premium!)

  Today we started troubleshooting. The new owner is almost devoid of
  tools, but we started by changing the regulator since its cheap. The
  result was an ammeter that now danced violently either side of center.

  Next suspect was the alternator. Although it was new, it was a standard
  Ford remain and thus probably only 50A. We took it to a nearby
  alternator/starter shop where they rebuilt it and converted to 90A in
  just over an hour. They said it tested good beforehand, but since we
  were there, why not improve it?

  With the rebuilt ammeter installed, the needle swing was even more
  pronounced, wider at idle, and reducing at about 3000 rpm.

  Now armed with a recently purchased voltmeter, we tested voltage at the
  battery and found it cranking out 14.3-14.6 volts depending on rpm and
  electrical load (headlights etc)

  After a quick call to SOBill Taylor (bless him!!!!) we reinstalled the
  old regulator to see what would happen.

  Ammeter jumping stopped, replaced with a constant discharge. Voltmeter
  testing at the battery revealed 12.5 volts--the battery was powering
  the car and the alternator was doing nothing.

  We reinstalled the new, electronic (as opposed to stock-style
  mechanical) regulator, and once again had proper charging indications
  at the battery, but the ammeter continued its wild ways.

  I shot a video and stupidly oriented my phone vertically. Only idiots
  shoot videos like this, so my profound apologies:

  [1]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q

  So what do you think the next course of action should be? I have at
  least one extra stock ammeter and several regulators, so I am thinking
  of loaning them to him for troubleshooting purposes. Do any of you have
  any suggestions?

  (No, don't suggest he just bypass the gauge or switch to a voltmeter--a
  voltmeter would not have warned us of our charging system failure and
  would have left us stranded on the freeway!)

  Thanks in advance for any constructive advice (other than to learn how
  to hold a phone properly when shooting a video!)

  Mike

  Sent from my iPhone

References

  1. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q

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-------------- next part --------------
   Does the swinging settle down with a load such as headlights and or
   cooling fans on? It seems the alternator is working but regulator not
   so much.
     __________________________________________________________________

   From: Mike Drew via DeTomaso <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   To: DeTomaso Mail List <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 7:19 PM
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation.
     Guys,
     Yesterday I accompanied the new owner of a '74 Pantera from
   Sacramento
     to his home in San Diego.
     We almost made it.
     As we entered the worst of the LA megopolis, the charging system
     suddenly didn't. The am we had been dancing around for hours and it
     finally stabilized deep in the discharge zone. With headlights and
   fans
     on, crawling in stop and go traffic, it wouldn't be too long before
   the
     car quit completely so we dove off the freeway into a gas station and
     then enjoyed a two-hour tow truck ride (gotta love AAA premium!)
     Today we started troubleshooting. The new owner is almost devoid of
     tools, but we started by changing the regulator since its cheap. The
     result was an ammeter that now danced violently either side of
   center.
     Next suspect was the alternator. Although it was new, it was a
   standard
     Ford remain and thus probably only 50A. We took it to a nearby
     alternator/starter shop where they rebuilt it and converted to 90A in
     just over an hour. They said it tested good beforehand, but since we
     were there, why not improve it?
     With the rebuilt ammeter installed, the needle swing was even more
     pronounced, wider at idle, and reducing at about 3000 rpm.
     Now armed with a recently purchased voltmeter, we tested voltage at
   the
     battery and found it cranking out 14.3-14.6 volts depending on rpm
   and
     electrical load (headlights etc)
     After a quick call to SOBill Taylor (bless him!!!!) we reinstalled
   the
     old regulator to see what would happen.
     Ammeter jumping stopped, replaced with a constant discharge.
   Voltmeter
     testing at the battery revealed 12.5 volts--the battery was powering
     the car and the alternator was doing nothing.
     We reinstalled the new, electronic (as opposed to stock-style
     mechanical) regulator, and once again had proper charging indications
     at the battery, but the ammeter continued its wild ways.
     I shot a video and stupidly oriented my phone vertically. Only idiots
     shoot videos like this, so my profound apologies:
     [1][1]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
     So what do you think the next course of action should be? I have at
     least one extra stock ammeter and several regulators, so I am
   thinking
     of loaning them to him for troubleshooting purposes. Do any of you
   have
     any suggestions?
     (No, don't suggest he just bypass the gauge or switch to a
   voltmeter--a
     voltmeter would not have warned us of our charging system failure and
     would have left us stranded on the freeway!)
     Thanks in advance for any constructive advice (other than to learn
   how
     to hold a phone properly when shooting a video!)
     Mike
     Sent from my iPhone
   References
     1. [2]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   _______________________________________________
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   Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
   DeTomaso mailing list
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   [4]http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
   To manage your subscription (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.)
   use the links above.
   Members who post to this list grant license to the list to forward any
   message posted here to all past, current, or future members of the
   list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive
   or approve the archiving of list messages.

References

   1. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   2. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   3. mailto:DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   4. http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso