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This just doesn't look big enough to be the the regulator. Is it located somewhere else? Right below it is a small plastic box I'm guessing is the horn relay.
Ok I'll look some more tomorrow. I've played with and replaced regulators many times over the years so I know I'll recognize it when I see it. The amp meter has been in my instrument sweep for a while. Sometimes it shows a charge, like right after starting the engine and sometimes a discharge during the time the electric radiator fan comes on. Ran over to Salem today for lunch and Costco and just before I stopped the engine in the parking lot it was showing a discharge at idle. When I came out I wasn't sure the battery was going to have enough to start the engine. My experience tells me there's a problem with the regulator or the battery is getting weak.
The voltage regulator should be a black, slightly rectangular box about 3 times the size of the horn relay with a flat wire connector attached to it. Typically it is mounted about 1/2 way down the radiator support on one side or the other. There is probably nothing wrong with your voltage regulator. If you hooked up your electric fan to any power take off besides the horn relay power buss, your alternator and dash gauge will act wonky. The voltage regulator senses the car's current needs at the horn buss and that is what drives alternator output and subsequently the dash gauge reading. You can read more about the topic on the Mad Electric website technical section under "Remote Sensing".
Thanks guys I looked around for it again this morning but no luck. I'm familiar with what a voltage regulator looks like but I'll be darned if I see one. Curious, wasn't there a time when the voltage regulator was integral with the alternator. Considering the car is from 65, the engine is from 57, I have no idea when this was all put together. There's only 40,000 miles on the odometer. When I get back from golf today I thing I'll pull the battery (which was relocated behind the driver seat) and have it load checked. I don't know how old it is.
With no choke it takes a few times to pump enough fuel in her to start and that pulls down the battery. That's when I see a normal charge rate after she starts.
Remember this is the car that has a Hemi (392) engine conversion. My guess is that the alternator / regulator conversion was likely done at that time, and there is probably an integral alt/vr unit with no external separate vr..
Remember this is the car that has a Hemi (392) engine conversion. My guess is that the alternator / regulator conversion was likely done at that time, and there is probably an integral alt/vr unit with no external separate vr..
Well that explains it. The reason there is no Voltage regulator is that there is no room!
Well that's true as the alternator is backed right up against the valve cover. Takin the battery out today for a load test. If that's not the problem then I'll find a part number off the alternator and check with Napa on a test or replacement.
Looks to be a Delco alternator. Give us a picture of the back of the alternator and the plug. If it is a square plug it requires an external regulator. If it is flat and rectangular it has the regulator built into the alternator.
Had the battery load checked. Surprise I must have replaced it myself date code 3/18, boy I don't remember that. Anyway it was good. Checked with Napa it is an alternator with built in regulator. So after starting it takes couple of minutes for the charge rate to come back to near zero. Then putting the headlights, turn signal and heater fan pulls it back to a discharge indication of about 1/4" to the left, discharge, from zero. Reving up the engine makes little or no change.
So I pulled it and will take it down to Napa tomorrow to check and rebuild the regulator.
I just love old cars you can work on. When I look under the hood of my pickup the only thing I recognize is the radiator and it's a 2004 !!!
Nice, I think to work on a car you don't need to go to work tomorrow.
So, Napa said the alternator was ok. The electrician had a little trick, not sure if it's his or not. It's a diode between the two regulator connections and one side goes to the battery connection. After squeezing it into position in front of those big Hemi valve covers that nearly touch the battery connection on the alternator with some rubber insolation all looked good.
Connected up the battery and when I sat down to start the car, oops !!! What's this the ammeter is pointing down !!! Well I started it up and the ammeter indicated a charge and when I turned on the headlights it went to about zero which it didn't do before, of course it's upside down.
So my next question from all you experts is, what do I do to get the ammeter needle pointing UP???
Nice, I think to work on a car you don't need to go to work tomorrow.
So, Napa said the alternator was ok. The electrician had a little trick, not sure if it's his or not. It's a diode between the two regulator connections and one side goes to the battery connection. After squeezing it into position in front of those big Hemi valve covers that nearly touch the battery connection on the alternator with some rubber insolation all looked good.
Connected up the battery and when I sat down to start the car, oops !!! What's this the ammeter is pointing down !!! Well I started it up and the ammeter indicated a charge and when I turned on the headlights it went to about zero which it didn't do before, of course it's upside down.
So my next question from all you experts is, what do I do to get the ammeter needle pointing UP???
I am terrible with auto electrical diagnosis and had found that many auto techs back in the day (maybe it has changed) were not either. I always took these types of problems to a auto-electric shop and they find the problem quickly rather then just throwing parts at it until you locate the problem.
Identify voltage regulator
