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1969 Super Bee Starter Issue

69dodgesuperbee

Well-Known Member
Local time
11:35 AM
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
82
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Location
Granbury, TX
Hi Everyone,

I am at getting pretty frustrated with an issue on my 1969 Super Bee, 383, automatic, A/C car, rally dash. I am by no means a Mopar expert so don't be afraid to tell me everything. I'm just trying to have a car I can drive every day. I have had no issues while driving the car other than the radio.

Let me give you a little time line, not sure if it will help, but here it goes. I pulled the car out of a barn where it sat for 26 years on 11-29-12 with 22,465 miles on it. I completed the build on 11-22-13. I rebuilt the entire driveline, including suspension and brakes. It got about 99.5% rewired. The only original wiring is the switch harness for the heat, a/c, fan, etc. which is really just a pigtail. the light harness in the console was in great shape and the dome light harness was in great shape. Everything else was rewired with new reproduction wiring harnesses. All electrical components were replaced, (windshield wiper motor, windshield washer motor, alternator, starter, voltage regulator, distributor, all relays, all rally dash switches were rebuilt, etc. All new a/c components including heater core, condenser, evaporator, a/c compressor, etc. All hoses, both water and vacuum. Everything on this car was rebuilt to 100% stock with three exceptions. The car has Pertronix Electric Ignition in the standard stock points style distributor and a Pertronix Flame Thrower coil. The resister on the firewall is bypassed. The radio is a modern Alpine digital radio with two speakers in the dash and two in the rear package tray. There is no amp. It has a modern electronic voltage regulator. Basically, I tore this car down to the body shell and put it back together will new parts.

This brings me to the problem. I'm not sure that all of this is related, but I'll let the experts decide.
- On 8-1-14 (23,585 miles) - installed the Pertronix Electronic Ignition and Flame thrower coil.
- On 11-28-14 (23,997) miles I had the headlight switch rebuilt.
- About 6 months ago I started to notice that when I would turn on the headlights, turn signals, a/c, or basically anything that draws power, the radio would turn off and then turn right back on. It does not loose memory. It will not do it every time, but maybe once every 3-4 miles of in-town driving. I also notice that say when the headlights are on and you hit the brake, there is one momentary flicker of the headlights. It seems like a quick, instant high draw flicker. (This is most likely the radio turning off an on issue.) I have not had the radio turn off and on when just cruising or hitting a bump.
- On 10-1-15 (24,600) miles I had to have headlight switch rebuilt again.
- On 10-6-15 (24,624) miles the solenoid on the starter began to fail and would act like it had a dead battery. It would make that rapid ticking noise like when you have just enough battery to partially engage the solenoid. I replaced the starter.
- On 11-3-15 (24,683) miles I had to replace the starter again for the same issue.
- On 12-17-15 (24, 838) mile the starter began doing the same thing again.
- The radio still cuts out when you use another electrical item. It is driving me crazy and I don't know what to do.
What I have done to try to find the issue.
- I have tried to look at as many wires as I can get my hands on including the bulkhead and have wiggled everything I can. the radio will not cut out when I do this.
- Battery voltage with the car off - 12.45 volts
- I load tested the battery with an old school load tester and it shows good.
- When I test it with a new modern, digital tester that tests the charging system as well, it says the battery is a little low and wants me to fully charge the battery and run the test again.
- I get 12.50 volt on the battery with the car running and nothing else turned on.
- I got 12.03 volts at the battery when I initially started the car with the headlights on - idling.
- After a few minutes went by, the meter read 12.63 volts.
- I got 12.35 volts at the battery with the headlights on at 2,000 rpms.
- On the back of the alternator on the positive terminal I get 13.89 volts and 10.0 volts on the field, green wire terminal.
- On the voltage regulator I get 10.0 on the green wire side.
If you need anything else, just let me know. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Last edited:
Voltage at the battery while engine running is low should be 14 volts or so. Check that the voltage regulator has a good ground and check all your grounds for good clean connections. Also check the 4 point connector that has temp sending unit wire,coil +,alt field wire and alt output wire.
 
Thank you for the advise. I really appreciate it. I was thinking my battery voltage should be higher when the car was running. I wiggled all the ground connections, but I will take them all apart for a cleaning today. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I find.

Ken
 
I found a very interesting two part video on You Tube on this subject. I think they did a pretty good job of explaining things. They are Chrysler produced movies from back in the day. I did the tests they discuss and I may have figured out my issue. We will see if everything is still good tomorrow. You know how that goes!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c15ilOZzGY0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYfkGx2vIrY

There are quite a few of these videos on You Tube on several subjects. I plan to watch them all.

Ken
 
My car was still good today, 13.6 volts idling. My problem was two-fold. The field wire on my alternator was very loose and my voltage regulator was acting up. My radio issue cleared up along with a few dim lights issues. I'm sure my starter issue is gone as well. Time will tell on that.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

Ken
 
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