Working on 49’ dodge wayfarer with inline flat 6. I converted it to 12v, when I went to test alternator out put while running my digital voltmeter went crazy I step back from car 6’ it settles on zero get near the car and starts going crazy again. Check battery after running, battery shows 13+ volts. Anyone have any ideas for me thank you in advance. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You running a generator? Solid core wires? Just thinking outloud. Vintage machines need vintage test equipment sometimes. I use my Triplett DVOM for some stuff but anything to do with generators and mechanical regulators and old school electrons I use ****og, less possibility of jiggery-pokery. Plenty accurate enough. The original manual specs are based on that kind of test gear too.
Crazy how? Are you sure you had it on the correct setting? How did you wire in the alt? What kind of alt? Maybe holy water?
I had that happen recently as well. As stated above the digital equipment can't handle the electrical noise that old school machines put out. Glad that I seldom throw away any working tools. Got out the old meters and got the job done.
I was going over my 55 sunliner before heading to Florida and had a digital meter hooked to the battery while checking the alternator output and it went to over 100 volts DC,scared the **** out of me thinking the battery was going to blow so I quit for the night. I discussed it on here and someone suggested a ****og meter so the next night I put my load tester on the battery and 14.25 volts,I put the digital back on and as I moved it further from the motor the more normal reading I got.
You said it has an "ONLINE FLAT 6", it should have an "INLINE FLAT 6" That may be the problem. If it's on line, it can't be paying attention to what's going on, thus giving false readings.
That's nothing and has an explanation . I never figured out why my buddies El Camino back in the late 70's would just decide to actuate the starter in the middle of the night with no one in it for no reason. Engine would just crank and crank but never started even for a brief moment via the resistor by p***. Only way to stop it was to disconnect the battery cable. Even changing starters and solenoids wouldn't stop this phenomenon from happening. But again I didn't know auto electric like I do today. I wish I could go back in time and test the ignition switch because sometimes when stopping to park then turn the Elco off the engine would stop running but the starter would start turning engine as mentioned above even with the key just being turned off.
There was a "short" between the steering wheel and seat? Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk... Gary from Virginia
It has a gm single wire alternator 100 amp, stranded wire 4 awg to solenoid and ground 10awg to ammeter and changed from positive ground. The multimeter doesn’t even touch anything. About three feet from the car and it starts jumping around with the leads in my hand. It is a digital multimeter. Thank you for all the reply’s. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Can I tell my haunted/Christine story? About a year ago I took my 1958 Nash to a mechanic friend, it had been sitting in garage 30 years so brakes, fuel tank, of course battery, regulator, etc. Last day I spent the day helping him. I filled carb with gas...it's ready to go. "Shall we try it?" I ask. He pauses, lights his pipe, then says why not. Now I swear this is true... The headlights slowly came up to fill bright, then slowly back...just like a dimmer switch in your house AND then the windshield wipers made one sweep. Just one! The key was off. My friends eyes popped..."did you see THAT?"...yes I did he replied. It never happened before or since. And the car runs beautify. Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk... Gary from Virginia
Back when I was 19 I was living in an apt with a GF, I had to park my car on the street that was down hill, the street crossed a busy highway and then had a very steep hill that ended at the next cross street. One of the neighbors came banging on the door early one morning and says your car is at the bottom of the hill. The car was a 71 nova, 350-4 speed it was against the curb at the bottom of the hill with the starter still trying to make it go and the keys were in my pocket. How it made it across the highway without getting hit I don't know. The thing would crank the starter whenever it felt like it, so I ended up parking it with the wheels turned against the curb. We tried all of the fixes that a typical 19 year old that knew everything could try. But nothing I did changed the problem. I ended up trading it to a neighbor kid straight across for a 72 El camino because he wanted a stick and the camino had a th400. I don't know if he ever solved the crank issue but he parked on the opposite side of the street so the car was pointed up hill.
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