any tips for checking charging sys.

[webhendrix]

I have a 1968. Is not charging.
-new battery, new battery cables, new regulator, alternator is fine (according to the test done at autozone), no lose wires that I can tell of

Any tips on what I should do next.

? when I check with volt meter right on the alternator I only get 6 volts?
? electric diagram shows "fusible links", what are they, where are they?

Thank you for any suggestions!
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8-25-03
I bought a new alternator. It's charging the battery. Overcharging maybe? When at idle voltage at battery reads 13.5 but when I give it some gas it goes up to 17.5. Also if there is suppose to be a light that comes on ("charging") in the dash when the truck is first started it doesn't come on.
Does the regulator also suppose to limit the amount of the high end voltage?
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8-29-03
Bought another regulator. Now voltage readings are where they should be for the high and low limits.

[Blue4x4]

The fuseable links are a " fuse" thats not the glass type. It is usally mounted on a plastic base of some sort. Or even could be in line( in the middle on a wire). As far as the voltage. You need more than 12 volts to charge the battery. Should be somewhere around13-15 volts DC. Check your ground connections. Does the engine shut-off when you disconnect the battery?

[Alex Hayley]

Perhaps clean all your connections. Make sure the wires are all in good shape. The alternator could still be bad. I had Advance Auto test my alternator...said it was good. Turned out it was not.

[JHickson6]

Originally posted by webhendrix

? when I check with volt meter right on the alternator I only get 6 volts?

with the engine running you should easily have 13-14 volts right there on the alternator... well practically everywhere

and when not running it should read 12-12.5 volts. how old is that alternator?, id start there again.

If you don't want to remove the alternator, take it to a Walmart auto center, when i worked there they had a portable diagnostic computer which just hooked up to you battery and tested the battery, alternator, diodes and charging circuits, that is if you'll let soemone else drive your truck, lol

Jared

[tom hand]

If you were checking voltage at the alternator with the wire hooked up you should get battery voltage even if the alternator was not working...so if you were just getting 6 volts it seems the wire from the alternator to the battery is the problem.

[Class of 69]

With the truck running, pull the positive bat cable off. If it quits replace the alt. If it stays running, turn on the lights, if it quits, replace the alt!

[Locutus]

With the engine running: Check the voltage at the back of the Alternator. If it is less than 13 your alt is probably bad. Then follow the wire checking voltages along the way till you find where it drops. That is your dead spot. If your battery only has 6 volts with the truck running you probably need to fully charge the battery over night on a 2amp trickle charge. A fully charged battery should be about 12.5 volts. Anything less than 10 volts shouldn't even crank the truck. By the sound of it I would be you have a battery that is to far down for the truck to keep up.


Mike