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Alternator or regulator trouble? #1267737 07/14/12 11:47 AM 07/14/12 11:47 AM
Joined: May 2010 Posts: 9 Moparland C CopCarMark OP member
CopCarMark OP member C Joined: May 2010 Posts: 9 Moparland	Good Day members..My question regards a problem with either my regulator or alternator. Car is a 72 Polara ex-CHP 440 with the large case alternator (presumeably the 100 amp). The car will be running fine and Ammeter shows above half (charging)..then randomly the lights all grow dim and the Ammeter shows below half (not charging)...at random again everything goes back to normal? Once the guage when below half I pulled the positive cable..the car quit..I was always under assumtion that it would continue to run from the alternator power?? Is this correct and the alternator is bad? Is this a symptom of a bad voltage regulator or an alternator diode getting ready to quit?? Any help would be great! Last edited by CopCarMark; 07/14/12 11:57 AM.

Re: Alternator or regulator trouble? [Re: CopCarMark] #1267738 07/14/12 12:11 PM 07/14/12 12:11 PM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,537 PORT ALBERNI , BC., CANADA superwrench master
superwrench master Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,537 PORT ALBERNI , BC., CANADA	Could be something simple such as a brush worn out. Also, check the connector at the regulator. They were known to get loose and not make connection.

Re: Alternator or regulator trouble? [Re: CopCarMark] #1267739 07/14/12 03:12 PM 07/14/12 03:12 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: Is this a symptom of a bad voltage regulator or an alternator diode getting ready to quit?? not the reg & I wouldn't think a diode could act like that. Loose connection in the field circuit or loose connection inside the alt. I'd clean the bulkhead and all field terminals & if still acting up I'd take the alt in & have them spin it up & see if it will stop charging while on the tester live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: Alternator or regulator trouble? [Re: CopCarMark] #1267740 07/14/12 03:57 PM 07/14/12 03:57 PM
Joined: May 2010 Posts: 9 Moparland C CopCarMark OP member
CopCarMark OP member C Joined: May 2010 Posts: 9 Moparland	This is interesting...I went over this morning and everything was fine? good charging...bright lights..Ammeter looks good. I wonder if its a heat soak issue? After all that alternator is right in front of the exhaust manifold. I took your advice anyway and pulled all the connectors..checked and cleaned them all...I will run it tonight and see what happens..keep the ideas coming!!

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