Is There An Electrician In The House?

[Tom Wesenberg]

I agree with Marco, as that's where I always find the problems also. If you don't do a voltage drop check as I described earlier, then feel each connection for heat as Marco mentioned. I always connect a volt meter across the terminal box posts to measure voltage drop there first. If I measure more than about .1 volt I remove the terminal box lid and check the connections. IF they are clean and tight I remove the instrument panel and check the ammeter nuts. If they are clean and tight the problem might be inside the ammeter.

If you use your continuity test light to check voltage, the 6 or 12 volts will blow the tester bulb.

[joeypoconos]

Keith - Just a clarification regarding using my test light with fuse removed from the fuse holder located on the starter. When I probe the various connections (i.e. generator, starter, junction box connectors etc) the test light does not light up which is exactly what I'd expect. When I touch the probe to any part of the car (i.e. engine, radiator shell, h/lite buckets etc.) the test light glows very dimly. That led me to believe there could be something amiss with the fuse holder. I probed both ends of the holder (no fuse) it did not light up (to be expected) nor did it have that dim glow. So what is causing the light to have that dim glow. Is there residual current from the starter and or generator that causes this or is it coming from the battery cables or??

Again, thanks to everyone for the input. Once again, I will be out in the garage tomorrow, and every day thereafter, until I get this thing worked out. In the interim, no cruise nights for me.

[Bob C]

I'm still trying to get a handle on your test light / continuity tester. When you are running your test what
is the alligator clip hooked to and if you hook the alligator clip to the probe does the light come on?

Bob

[joeypoconos]

Alligator clip hooked to a good ground. When I hook the clip to the probe I get the dim light. Hmmm, I think I'm beginning to see the light! Geez, am I glad I'm not messing with house current!

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by joeypoconos

Alligator clip hooked to a good ground. When I hook the clip to the probe I get the dim light. Hmmm, I think I'm beginning to see the light! Geez, am I glad I'm not messing with house current!

Ok, you are doing exactly what I surmised and suggested in my first post. Now, it's important to note that if you hook the clip to the probe (tester end to tester end) and get a dim light it's time to change the batteries!

[Keith True]

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You are getting that glow because you are using the car to complete the circuit.You are using a CONTINUITY

[Keith True]

For some reason just a part of my post showed up.Bottom line is that you are using a CONTINUITY tester instead of a TEST LIGHT.You are using the car to complete a circuit.You need to test the car using a test light,not a continuity tester with its own power.The test light uses the cars power,not an outside source.Before you do anything else though,clean ALL terminals.Start at the battery,fuse holder,terminal box,and the ammeter.There is a very good chance the problem will clear up.The continuity tester has a lot of uses,but right now you need to throw it in the bushes,it is confusing you.You need a simple test light.Right now you are using the wrong tool and it is throwing a monkey wrench in the works.If you are trying to use a light that glows when you touch the alligator clip to the probe you just have the wrong tool.

[joeypoconos]

Keith - thanks for the info. It's back to the garage in the morning to check connections and, if necessary, run the tests you and the other barners have suggested. Just in case, I'm going to pick up a test light, the kind with the positive and negative clips.
More to follow!

[Bob C]

NO NO not with positive and negative clips, just get the simple one with and alligator
clip on one end and a probe. Link to simple test light http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...069_0361168735

Bob

[Tom Wesenberg]

One more thing........how old is the battery? and what condition is it in?

A weak battery or one that's too small will also allow the generator to put out too many volts, even with good connections. When I first bought my 29 Tudor the battery was old and very week, and the powerhouse was putting out about 10 volts. That's when I decided to make an electronic voltage regulator for it. The EVR won't fix the bad battery, but it will keep the output at a safe level. Yes, I did replace the battery because it was too weak to crank the engine over.

[joeypoconos]

Tom - Battery was in the car when I purchased it several years ago, ergo, age unknown.

Battery cranks very strong.

[Popeye31]

sorry for the delay in replying if you did not get a light than you don't have a short. I would look at the cutout on the generator. Or a bad connection. check your connections

[Popeye31]

oops I left a few words I was trying to delete I corrected it now.

[Bruce Adams]

Now that we know its a CONTINUITY TESTER you have been using, a quick lesson on how a continuity tester WORKS, is for you to touch the alligator clip with the probe and the bulb should light. A BRIGHT light reflects a good 1.5v battery IN the continuity tester. A DIM lamp indicates a bad battery or problem IN YOUR CONTINUITY TESTER,
NOW, clip your continuity tester to a head bolt and touch most any good ground in the engine and you should get THAT SAME light as you got when you touched the probe to the alligator clip. (That's continuity)

A TEST LIGHT, on the other hand, has a 6 volt bulb and two wires coming off it, positive and negative leads, and THAT, is was what we thought you were referring to.

Good Luck !
Wow, with all the assistance on this forum, you should have a solution soon.

[joeypoconos]

Headed for the garage this morning for another round of trouble shooting.

I now realize that some of the stuff I’ve been trying is probably meaningless and confusing to most of you. Imagine what it’s doing to me. In any event, if some of the things (tests) I’ve documented below have no bearing on trouble shooting this problem just come out and say “Hey dummy, how many times must I tell………………”
No offence will be taken!

Oh well, here we go.

1 - Starting at the battery, disconnected pos/neg and cleaned the terminals, wire contacts, grounds etal. Moved on to the starter, fuse holder, generator, junction box, coil contacts, behind dash, brake switch – cleaned and tightened everything.
What did I find? Battery ground cable to cross member bolt was loose.

2 - Next, with fuse installed and car off, I probed everything with my continuity tester. All okay. Turned on cowl, dims, brights – all worked. B
Horn, brake and taillights work.
What did I find? When testing the generator for continuity I touched the probe end to the wire connector on the cutout. The probe slipped and touched the connector and cutout body at the same time resulting in a spark. Is this normal??

3- Next, checked voltage with fuse installed and car off. Readings at all points 6 1/2 volts. Started car and ran at idle. Voltage now just over 7. Cutout putting out just over 7 volts. Increased to fast idle and voltage increased a bit over 8.
What did I find? Generator now making a noticeable squealing sound.

4- Next, turned off car and left fuse in place. Tried lights – nothing. Horn – nothing. Tried starting car – it cranked over as normal but would not start. Checked continuity – ok from starter to fuse (both sides). Nothing from condenser connection (the one the wires attach to) to anywhere else in system.

5- Next, took a deep breadth, headed into the house for a cold one, counted to ten, several times.

6- Next, back to the garage. With car off and fuse inserted tried lights – they work, horn - works. Car starts, lights work, horn works. Ran car at normal idle, high idle, revved motor all had no affect on lights (did not get bright or burn out). Generator still making a squealing sound.

7. Next, went through several iterations of the above with the same results. Continuity, no continuity. Lights work, lights don't work. Car starts, car does not start etc. etc. etc.

8- Next, took a deep breadth, headed into the house. This time I turned to something a little bit stronger then a cold one, counted to one hundred, several times. I’ll tell you what; this Mayan calendar thing can’t come soon enough for me!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Please give the continuity tester to your dog, so he can bury it in the back yard.

You are only concerned with checking voltage by using your volt meter.

#2. you shorted the battery power to ground, so the spark was normal. It would usually blow the fuse.

Is the genertor belt loose enough to slip and squeal, or is it a dry bearing. A slipping belt will make the pulley get hot. Look for burned paint or check by feel.

[Bob C]

In #4 I don't understand what the condenser connection is. When the light and horn don't
work see if you have battery voltage at both of the studs on the terminal box, if only one side
has voltage probably bad ammeter.

Bob

[joeypoconos]

Bob C - that should be "cut out" not condenser. My mistake.

Tom - Belt is fine. Not loose or slipping.

[Keith True]

You still have a bad connection somewhere,you found the big one everybody suspected at the ground lug.Now run a cable from that lug to a transmission bolt.That will really clear things up.I really suspect the fuse holder or fuse at this point.A lot of them are poorly made,and they will lose contact after sitting around.Then contact will come and go.Get rid of the continuity tester,until you understand how the system works it is not your friend.

[joeypoconos]

Okay thanks, I ditched the continuity tester. I think all of the good advice I've been getting has put me on information overload. Well, back to the dumb questions.
What gauge cable should I use between lug and transmission bolt?
Once installed, what should I be looking or testing for (using the proper tool)?