[DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation

B Hower b.hower3400 at yahoo.com
Thu Feb 16 07:29:01 EST 2017


That brought an audible laugh here. Bud #3400 ( Drive it like there is no tomorrow -- for there may not be ! )

      From: Laurie Ferrari via DeTomaso <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
 To: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com 
 Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2017 9:09 PM
 Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation
   
As far as helpful suggestions, the guys are giving good theoretical and
technical ideas but anyone who knows that age old legend, knows his main
issue was who he selected for the drive home.

  Laurie
  (me thinks he was Drewastered)

[DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation.

  Mike Drew [1]MikeLDrew at aol.com
  Tue Feb 14 22:19:28 EST 2017
    __________________________________________________________________

Guys,

Yesterday I accompanied the new owner of a '74 Pantera from Sacramento to his ho
me 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 free
way into a gas station and then enjoyed a two-hour tow truck ride (gotta love AA
A premium!)

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

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

With the rebuilt ammeter installed, the needle swing was even more pronounced, w
ider 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 regul
ator to see what would happen.

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

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

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

[2]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q

So what do you think the next course of action should be? I have at least one ex
tra stock ammeter and several regulators, so I am thinking of loaning them to hi
m 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 voltmete
r 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
-------------- next part --------------
  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][3]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?

References

  1. mailto:detomaso%40server.detomasolist.com?Subject=Re:%20Re%3A%20%5BDeTomaso%5D%20Interesting%20ammeter%20situation.&In-Reply-To=%3CD9FA7B04-D27C-40C9-AE38-0D207CB31D3B%40aol.com%3E
  2. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
  3. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q

_______________________________________________


Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
DeTomaso mailing list
DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
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.

   
-------------- next part --------------
   That brought an audible laugh here.

   Bud #3400 ( Drive it like there is no tomorrow -- for there may not be
   ! )
     __________________________________________________________________

   From: Laurie Ferrari via DeTomaso <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   To: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2017 9:09 PM
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation
   As far as helpful suggestions, the guys are giving good theoretical and
   technical ideas but anyone who knows that age old legend, knows his
   main
   issue was who he selected for the drive home.
     Laurie
     (me thinks he was Drewastered)
   [DeTomaso] Interesting ammeter situation.
     Mike Drew [1]MikeLDrew at aol.com
     Tue Feb 14 22:19:28 EST 2017
       __________________________________________________________________
   Guys,
   Yesterday I accompanied the new owner of a '74 Pantera from Sacramento
   to his ho
   me 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 free
   way into a gas station and then enjoyed a two-hour tow truck ride
   (gotta love AA
   A premium!)
   Today we started troubleshooting. The new owner is almost devoid of
   tools, but w
   e started by changing the regulator since its cheap. The result was an
   ammeter t
   hat now danced violently either side of center.
   Next suspect was the alternator. Although it was new, it was a standard
   Ford rem
   ain and thus probably only 50A. We took it to a nearby
   alternator/starter shop w
   here they rebuilt it and converted to 90A in just over an hour. They
   said it tes
   ted good beforehand, but since we were there, why not improve it?
   With the rebuilt ammeter installed, the needle swing was even more
   pronounced, w
   ider 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 regul
   ator to see what would happen.
   Ammeter jumping stopped, replaced with a constant discharge. Voltmeter
   testing a
   t the battery revealed 12.5 volts--the battery was powering the car and
   the alte
   rnator was doing nothing.
   We reinstalled the new, electronic (as opposed to stock-style
   mechanical) regula
   tor, and once again had proper charging indications at the battery, but
   the amme
   ter continued its wild ways.
   I shot a video and stupidly oriented my phone vertically. Only idiots
   shoot vide
   os like this, so my profound apologies:
   [2][1]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   So what do you think the next course of action should be? I have at
   least one ex
   tra stock ammeter and several regulators, so I am thinking of loaning
   them to hi
   m 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
   voltmete
   r 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
   -------------- next part --------------
     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][3][2]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?
   References
     1.
   mailto:detomaso%40server.detomasolist.com?Subject=Re:%20Re%3A%20%5BDeTo
   maso%5D%20Interesting%20ammeter%20situation.&In-Reply-To=%3CD9FA7B04-D2
   7C-40C9-AE38-0D207CB31D3B%40aol.com%3E
     2. [3]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
     3. [4]http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   _______________________________________________
   Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
   Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
   DeTomaso mailing list
   [5]DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   [6]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. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   4. http://youtu.be/lLKf2Z23P_Q
   5. mailto:DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   6. http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso


More information about the DeTomaso mailing list