1966 Charging issue

A

A. Hall

Click here to upgrade
Last seen
Joined
Aug 21, 2022
Thunderbird Year
1966
Got a 1966. New battery, new alternator, new starting solenoid, new voltage regulator. Start the car pull the battery cable engine dies immediately. Is there something I am missing, or had anyone else had this problem and figured it out? Please help.
 

This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

You don't polarize a regulator, the polarization is for the charging device (it sets up the residual magnetism) and only required for generators, not alternators. Measure the voltage across your battery termainsl with the car at a fast idle, if you get between 13.8V and 14.2V all is well. With the car NOT running the battery should be 12.4V or more...

Pulling the battery cable off a running car is an "old school" technique and not always good, the battery's internal resistance is actually "ballast" for the chraging system.
 
Last edited:
Frankie the Fink said:
You don't polarize a regulator, the polarization is for the charging device (it sets up the residual magnetism) and only required for generators, not alternators. Measure the voltage across your battery termainsl with the car at a fast idle, if you get between 13.8V and 14.2V all is well. With the car NOT running the battery should be 12.4V or more...

Pulling the battery cable off a running car is an "old school" technique and not always good, the battery's internal resistance is actually "ballast" for the chraging system.
Click to expand...
Pulling the cable on running car wouldn’t the alternator keep the car running?
 
Not always, and without the battery as ballast you "spike" the alternator and can damage it..
And, this isn't a "load" test anyway - any Autozone or Advance Auto will "load" test your system in the car and that is the best test. If you just want a "good morning" check then the voltmeter method I cite above is far better...

And NEVER disconnect the battery on a running, modern car - it can seriously damage solid state components.
 
Frankie the Fink said:
You don't polarize a regulator, the polarization is for the charging device (it sets up the residual magnetism) and only required for generators, not alternators. Measure the voltage across your battery termainsl with the car at a fast idle, if you get between 13.8V and 14.2V all is well. With the car NOT running the battery should be 12.4V or more...

Pulling the battery cable off a running car is an "old school" technique and not always good, the battery's internal resistance is actually "ballast" for the chraging system.
Click to expand...
So, I checked with a volt meter. At high idle it was reading 12.60-12.61. With the engine off it was reading 12.66.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
 
A. Hall said:
So, I checked with a volt meter. At high idle it was reading 12.60-12.61. With the engine off it was reading 12.66.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
I would take the alternator back where you got it. It's not working and all the regulation is internal. They should be able to test it or if you got it from a non-local source call their tech line.
 
A. Hall said:
So, I checked with a volt meter. At high idle it was reading 12.60-12.61. With the engine off it was reading 12.66.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
The alternator is NOT charging as stated
 
The internal regulator may have gone bad or the internal diodes. Pulling the battery cable off while running didn’t help as some of the restored alternators have solid state regulators
 
Yes. On most old cars you loosen a fan. Belt and a few bolts and unplug it. A 15 minute job
 
That is an EXTERNALLY regulated alternator if it is original.
 
Frankie the Fink said:
Yes. On most old cars you loosen a fan. Belt and a few bolts and unplug it. A 15 minute job
Click to expand...
So I took the new alternator back off had it tested. Tested good. Took car to autozone to have them load test it. Showed bad voltage regulator, but the voltage regulator is also brand new.
Only thing I haven’t changed is the capacitor that’s under the voltage regulator, but I’m not sure if that would have anything to do with showing the regulator being bad.
 
The capacitor on the volt regulator is only for noise suppression on the radio.
 
Yes, and after 70 years they ueusally fail (open up); they were to reduce alternator whine coming through the AM radio speaker... I don't know on T-Birds but on early Corvettes the repro voltage regulators are mechanical (like the original), also non-adjustable NOT like the original and very dicey - you may have gotten a bad one. Many buy a solid state regulator and hide it under the Delco original cover. I don't know the solid state equivalent for an early T-Bird.
 
Frankie the Fink said:
Yes, and after 70 years they ueusally fail (open up); they were to reduce alternator whine coming through the AM radio speaker... I don't know on T-Birds but on early Corvettes the repro voltage regulators are mechanical (like the original), also non-adjustable NOT like the original and very dicey - you may have gotten a bad one. Many buy a solid state regulator and hide it under the Delco original cover. I don't know the solid state equivalent for an early T-Bird.
Click to expand...
Is there any way to test the voltage regulator, before I purchase another new one?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top