Battery guage
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,413
Likes: 1,552
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
That's good the way the gauge shows.
Look at the gauge immediately after you start the car, the indicator will be pointing to the + side for a few minutes while the alternator recharges the battery.
Once the battery is recharged, the indicator will be almost centered or slightly to the + side.
Once the battery is recharged, the indicator will be almost centered or slightly to the + side.
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,557
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Are you having problems with the starter cranking slowly? The Ammeter should ppoint to the Negative side(example -40)
Does the headlights flare/get bright and dim while driving?
These would be clues that the Ammeter is faulty...I could be wrong, though.
Is there a fusible link in your 1970 wiring diagram? If so, it could be faulty
Does the headlights flare/get bright and dim while driving?
These would be clues that the Ammeter is faulty...I could be wrong, though.
Is there a fusible link in your 1970 wiring diagram? If so, it could be faulty
Pro
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 564
Likes: 185
My ‘68 sits at “0” and doesn’t budge either. Definitely an issue. If the engine is off and you turn the lights on it should swing towards discharge, fired up towards +charge. If the battery is in good shape it won’t swing far. If it doesn’t move it’s likely one of the two fuseable link wires has burned out .
The ampmeter has a wire that runs from the horn relay (orange wire) thru a 6” length of fuseable link wire then a wire to one post of the ampmeter.
The other post has a wire that runs down to the starter with another 6” length of fusable link wire (brown). It’s very likely that one or both of these fusable link wires has burned out as is the case with mine. I’ve replaced the orange wire but found the brown wire is also bad. That ones wrapped in the harness and a pain to get to so I haven’t gotten to it yet. It’s on the to do list when the garage warms up a little more.
The ampmeter has a wire that runs from the horn relay (orange wire) thru a 6” length of fuseable link wire then a wire to one post of the ampmeter.
The other post has a wire that runs down to the starter with another 6” length of fusable link wire (brown). It’s very likely that one or both of these fusable link wires has burned out as is the case with mine. I’ve replaced the orange wire but found the brown wire is also bad. That ones wrapped in the harness and a pain to get to so I haven’t gotten to it yet. It’s on the to do list when the garage warms up a little more.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 505
Likes: 300
From: Western N.C.
My 76 ammeter never moved either. Foud the fusible link at the start solenoid fried. Replaced it, ammeter still didn’t work. Removed the gage cluster to access the ammeter, opened it up and found a winding broken. Soldered it together and now it works.
