Help Battery/Alternator/voltage regulator ??

[ilovesilver97]

The other day i stopped by the store and when i came back out to crank the truck nothing.

I had to jump it off. I drove the ten min back home and shut it off and tried to crank it right back up and click click click click nothing again.

The next day i drove to the shop and my mechanic said its either the battery or the alternator. Ok no problem what ever it needs put one in.

went back to pick it up and they said both battery and alternator were good and it was the Voltage regulator. changed that and it seemed to be working fine now.

My question is if the voltage regulator malfunctions again and allows to many volts to be distributed what happens?

Could it burn the wiring up or worse?

Also they put a china made voltage reg on it. Is there a better option or should that work.

"I hope this makes sense i am far from a mechanic. I am just trying to learn as i go.


Thanks in advance

[Daman]

Read this!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=119379

[68 P.O.S.]

If it is in your budget right now, you can buy one of these front lighting harnesses that takes care of the wiring part. http://www.classicheartbeat.com/Elec...w-internal.htm

[davepl]

Voltage regulators on these trucks are like belts and hoses, part of the normal maintenance almost, and something I'd carry a spare of on a long trip.

Next time you change alternators I'd suggesting going to an internal regulator (the link where someone said Read This). But I wouldn't change now, if its working correctly.

Sounds like yours wasn't charging enough. If they charge too much, it's much less common, but they can boil out the battery is usually the first thing to go. Your alternator can't put out unlimited current, so it shouldn't be melting wires or anything wild like that!

I had one fail once and the headlights got obviously too bright, and the volt gauge I was lucky to have read 17V, so I turned on every other load until the volt gage was back down around 13V and made it home like that without harm.

[firedemon]

I have seen a battery boil over and split the case spraying acid all over the engine bay due to overcharging, but it is rare most times it fails the other way just dropping voltage . it can happen in an internal or external regulated alternator just the same , but probably less of a chance in an internal due to solid state electronics being better than the old points style external