138milkmen

Alright, lot of knowledge on here. Here it goes. My 72 cutlass's gen light came on. So, i took the alternator out and had it tested. Fine. Took battery out had it tested. Fine, however the battery is 6 years old. Checked around at all visible grounds and are tight. The only clue i have is i listened to the radio for 10min in acc mode. Then when i started it the gen light came on but went out a couple mins later. Now it is just on all the time and my alt is charging a little over 15 volts while running. About 13 volts when car sitting. This all started a couple days ago. Now, one more thing but i dont think it really matters, my power steering pump bracket snapped. Would that create an odd short to ground issue?
Hope i dont have to chase this all over that car. Lol
Thanks guys

MDchanic

Internally or externally regulated?

15 volts is too high - you'll boil your battery.

You need to determine whether the problem is a bad internal regulator, bad external regulator, or misplaced or poorly connected regulator sensor wire.

- Eric

138milkmen

The external regulator is new. But guess i better you tube how to test them to be sure nothing is wrong with it then trace back all the wires and look for problems.
Thanks

MDchanic

Bad new regulator is the most likely problem, with poorly connected or incorrectly located regulator sensor wire as #2.

If you haven't changed any connections, I'd clean the main connections, then replace the regulator.
Why did you change the old regulator for this new one?

- Eric

138milkmen

I actually just got the car about 4 months ago. Its been sitting for 2 weeks while i was changing the drivers side door hinges (most pain in the *** thing ive EVER done to a car.). Then drove it about 10miles one day. Then 10 miles the next day and thats when i used my acc to listen to the radio, and then thats when the gen light started coming on. I did replace a loose wire connector (the yellow wire) on my alt when i took it off to take it to napa to test it. Havnt started it since cause i have the ps brackets off now (except one). But ima start it and use a new electrial tester and see whats going on. But please feel free to tell me anything you may be thinking. Knowledge is just as, if not more important than tools.

oldcutlass

I see a lot of solderless terminals on the wiring. There is also a something above the horn relay that looks to be added by the PO.

138milkmen

Lol...ya, i cant solder. And whats a po?

oldcutlass

Previous owner... You put all the terminals in there?

138milkmen

I havent done anything to the wiring what so ever. This issue just started. Although now that you mention it, the horn never worked since ive had it but i havent really cared about that. I was concertrating on door hinges.

138milkmen

Could this be as simple as a 6 year old autocraft battery tricking napas load tester and i just need a new battery?

oldcutlass

Measure the voltage of the battery, both with the engine on and off. It could be as simple as dirty battery cable connections.

138milkmen

Ok. Ill do that after a shower. Anything else i should do while its running? I dont want to run it much with the ps pump vibrating so rough due to the lack brackets.

138milkmen

Odd...so i tested the batt...under 13v. Test it with car running...barely changed. Then did a voltage drop test... .02. Then i did it again the right way (forgot to turn everything on) still under 1. Then did every thing one more ime and ...well... Now the battery is at 14+ with car on and about 13 with car off amd the gen light went out lol. How did i fix it by doing nothing?

MDchanic

You do not have an externally regulated alternator.

That's an internally regulated 12SI.

Whatever that regulator is doing, it shouldn't be doing it.

Time to check your wiring to see whether that regulator has been properly bypassed, or whether it is somehow inexplicably still connected.

Also, time to learn how to solder, and to solder every one of those crimped connections.
... Unless you want to be chasing problems like this for the entire time you own this car.

- Eric

MDchanic

Now that you've had your car stop dead for no clear reason, what was the outcome of this?

- Eric

138milkmen

Drove the car more. Found that it only happens when the car sits for long periods. Gen light didn't come on anymore if I drove it 3 times a week. And I actually did pratice soldering but didn't do those crimped connections. All the other stuff you mentioned...I don't even know what to do about it. I'm just trying to get this thing started so I can drive it to the shop. If it's a fuseable link that fryed then i need to have the short found. I have a suspicious feeling it's an issue with the blower motor. I've only tested the heater before I bought it last summer. The other night was actually the first time I ran it for more than 3 min . I'll of course look at everything I can and do a few tests but. I'm not a mechanic. I can do brakes and simple stuff but if it turns out to be a hidden short in some odd ball place I'll need an expert. But first thing first. Getting it into my garage.

MDchanic

You need to look at my first post on your other thread (#5 if I recall).

Check the ground strap from the right head to the firewall.

- Eric