Keep cooking volt regulators
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2006
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Keep cooking volt regulators
I have an 83 351W that was recently rebuilt with a little more than stock in mind. I keep cooking the external voltage regulator.
The motor is as follows:
83 F 250 4x4
600cfm holley, elec. choke
edelbrock dual plane intake
M-Select 2 cam kit (torque)
K/B pistons @ 9.0-1
Hedman full lenth headers
Still use the durapark box and dizzy with a MSD 2 coil
Stock alternator, which the dash gauge says is working.
I am electrically challenged, so please bear with me. Could this regulator problem be caused by a bad or incorrectly attatched wire? Is the problem with that MSD 2 coil? To much heat from the headers?
This is the second "Heavy Duty" regulator in 6 weeks. The only way I can tell its going south is that the truck is wearing down the battery and leaving me pop-starting her.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
The motor is as follows:
83 F 250 4x4
600cfm holley, elec. choke
edelbrock dual plane intake
M-Select 2 cam kit (torque)
K/B pistons @ 9.0-1
Hedman full lenth headers
Still use the durapark box and dizzy with a MSD 2 coil
Stock alternator, which the dash gauge says is working.
I am electrically challenged, so please bear with me. Could this regulator problem be caused by a bad or incorrectly attatched wire? Is the problem with that MSD 2 coil? To much heat from the headers?
This is the second "Heavy Duty" regulator in 6 weeks. The only way I can tell its going south is that the truck is wearing down the battery and leaving me pop-starting her.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,656
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pull the (-) cable off the battery and put a test light between the cable and battery. with everything off doors closed the light sshould not come on, if it does you have a draw on the battery. Could be a trunk light, glove box light, bad alt. I start pulling fuses until the light goes out. go from there....
just an idea.......
just an idea.......
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Freshman User
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I pulled all fuses and no difference is made. Light still pulses intermittently(spl.) .
When I pull a fuse , close door , then check between the neg. cable and post, the light is bright for a split second then reverts to the intermittent , dim light as described before. So i kept going. I disconected the small lone wire that goes to the starter switch/relay on the fender. No change. Then I unplugged the coupling that is right under the switch/relay and it stopped!
Does this indicate a bad alternator or something in the duraspark box gone bad?
I have digital pics of the plug but can't seem to upload them.
When I pull a fuse , close door , then check between the neg. cable and post, the light is bright for a split second then reverts to the intermittent , dim light as described before. So i kept going. I disconected the small lone wire that goes to the starter switch/relay on the fender. No change. Then I unplugged the coupling that is right under the switch/relay and it stopped!
Does this indicate a bad alternator or something in the duraspark box gone bad?
I have digital pics of the plug but can't seem to upload them.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 688
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From: right here in michigan
i have done this with a digital volt meter before.i think there will always be a "little" draw some where.just have to start unplugging stuff .could take the hot off the starter and alternator too .they can short out and still work.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2005
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that sound normal almost..........try and find what it is exactly that is lighting up the light. like I said it sounds normal.....could be a memory thing some where.....
So if we say that is normal now we need to check the alt output. start it and hook a volt meter to the battery you should have somewhere near 14.2 volts all the time...
go from there..................
So if we say that is normal now we need to check the alt output. start it and hook a volt meter to the battery you should have somewhere near 14.2 volts all the time...
go from there..................
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Bat. has 14.3 in it. Showed 10.5 under start load. But only showed 12.3 charging. Should be 13.5 or so , right? How do I test the alternator and regulator? Does that 12.3 when running indicate a bad alt.? Didn't change if at idle or I brought rpm to 3000.
Last edited by catskillgutpile; Jan 1, 2007 at 02:29 PM.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
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Bat. is new . Broke down on me at a true value last time so I got an interstate 850 amp. It load tested fine. Would a bad alt cook or appear to cook the reg. ?
Thank you very much for your help. I appreciate it.
Mike
Thank you very much for your help. I appreciate it.
Mike
