Electrical Issues...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 888
Likes: 50
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Electrical Issues...
The car is a 1969 L-46, small block, 4sp with no AC. With the headlights on the amp gauge reads about 1/4th discharged. Barely made it home one night as it died in the driveway. Gauge seems accurate, stays near the middle when driving during the day and charges a little when first started. I had the alternator bench tested. It was about 40 amps. I think the spec is 42. The battery seems good. I would like to drive the car at night and early mornings. Thinking about replacing the alternator with a higher amp version. Any other ideas...
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 28
From: Long Beach CA
Unless you've got some huge aftermarket amplifiers driving your stereo system, the alternator you have should be more than adequate to charge the battery even with the headlights on. You say they tested the alternator amperage output, but did they test the voltage output? Put a voltmeter across the battery. With the engine running, it should read at least 14 volts with the engine running just above idle. If it isn't, there is a problem with the alternator or voltage regulator.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,561
Likes: 484
From: Loud, Raw and Dangerous 1968 327 4S in Southern California
Redvette2
