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#1 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
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amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Hey guys,
My 72 has the amp gauge flickering really hard to the charge side intermittently. I thought it was the gauge till I drove it and the headlights flicker dim to bright. Meter on battery says 12.17 at idle (seems low), hits 13.30 if I rev it. If I meter the output stud on the alt it says 12.82. Oh and it doesn't seem to act up at idle, just while driving, somewhere around 1500-2000 it seems to start. It has an internally regulated alt swap and previously worked fine. My first guess was the alt was going out but I changed the engine this winter and I think this has been going on since then.
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1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd |
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#2 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Cedar Park, Texas
Posts: 7,500
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Check to be sure all of your ground connections are 1. intact 2.clean and 3. tight. I had a recent situation recently.
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#3 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
I did take off the ground from the battery to the block and it seemed fine. The only other grounds I think that are there would be the battery to body and the ground strap off the old voltage regulator on the drivers side. I'll check those I guess. Any more ideas? Or are there any more grounds that are missing. I'm really not an electrical guy
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1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd Last edited by 71/454; 05-08-2009 at 10:43 AM. |
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#4 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Orem, Ut
Posts: 132
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Other ground locations are, (others could correct me on this) Firewall to engine, bottom of cab (passenger side) to frame, Bed to frame (drivers side in the back), and passenger inner fender to frame. Good clean connections can make a big difference.
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#5 |
Project Junkie! Fishing Poor!!
![]() Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Olympia,Wa. 98512
Posts: 10,770
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
How many amps is your alternator? 45 amp alternators will do that at idle when they get old. I would use at least a 75 amp alternator. WES
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On-line catolog Classic Heartbeat Pickup Parts WEHEPP@comcast.net Call us Toll Free (888) 338-2502 Like Us on Facebook No appointment necessary. 72 BB Chevy Custom Deluxe / Custom Camper 67 I-6 (Soon to be 5.7 LS1) Panel 68 BB Chevy Short Bed 72 6.0 LQ9 Short Bed Chevy 4X4 Olympia's fastest growing truck parts supplier. Olympia's home for Wayward Chevys |
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#6 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Thanks guys. I'll try some of those locations. The more I think of it I had to move the horn for some of my turbo stuff and I bolted it back down using the ground bolt for the regulator, I am thinking beacause it is new this year that must be it. although I don't think I have a firewall to engine ground maybe I'll make one.
Wes I'm not sure the amps on the alt. It is a newer looking one and it has been converted to internal regulator so I'm guessing it's at least 60
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1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd |
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#7 | |
Active Member
![]() Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Quote:
Here's what I grounded with "new" cables and haven't had any problems since: 1.New ground cable from battery to the engine and one from there to the frame. (I didn't trust the cab ground or radiator support ground since the bolts are old.) 2. Ground cable from cab to the frame. 3. Bed to the frame. 4. Battery to the radiator support. Overkill is better than not enough. |
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#8 |
Champagne Taste on Beer Budget
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: High Ridge, Missouri
Posts: 2,190
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
If it's not too much problems I would take the Alternator to a local parts store and have them check it out. If thats not the problem then the battery might be going bad.
Just a thought.
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Coming Soon: Project 1970 Country Truck |
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#9 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
And the rookie of the year goes to.... me for missing the basics
I took the remounted horn off where the other grounds are screwed too and it had a nice layer of black paint on both sides I had to use a grinder to get off. You would have think I would have noticed that when I put it together. I also checked the tension on the belt, not loose but not tight either, so I tightened it too. Now the voltage is over 14 at idle. It still has the odd flicker and I haven't tried it at night yet with headlights but I think it's fixed. I am going to make some new ground cables and do it right though just to be sure, thanks for the help and suggestions guys
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1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd Last edited by 71/454; 05-09-2009 at 07:39 PM. |
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#10 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
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Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Ok digging this up again. I thought I fixed this and when I checked it was fine just after warming up. What I see now is that it only starts to flicker after the truck has been warmed up and run down the road a bit. This to me is telling me the voltage regulator is failing after getting warm. What do you guys think?
__________________
1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd |
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#11 |
Turbo Guy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 353
|
Re: amp gauge flickering, lights too!
Update. I changed the alt and sure enough it fixed it. Sometimes it's wise to not overlook the obvious
__________________
1972 Gmc Custom swb intercooled twin turbo 327 10.5-1 and 12 lbs of boost, Nodular iron case super t-10 4 speed with a blowproof bellhousing, 12 bolt eaton posi soon to have moser axles. 1998 Honda CR250 fully ported, case matched, milled head, vortexed carb and revalved suspension but don't forget the woody woodpecker decal kit! Things I've broken so far: 12 bolt diff saginaw 4 spd many, many pieces Aluminum case Super t-10 4 spd |
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