Keep burning Voltage Regulators

[danf_fl]

Somewhere in this car's life time, an electric choke was added.
The power wire for the choke is connect to the VR.
When cold, the choke keeps pulling power making VR work to supply.
Suggestions on where to move choke power supply wire that works with ignition?

 

[dadsbee]

Electric choke is generally hooked up to the feed at the ballast resistor. Definitely shouldn't be hooked to the VR !

 

[Don Frelier]

The feed side of the voltage regulator is the same as the feed for the ballast resistor.
Just depends if it was connected to feed or output side.

 

[danf_fl]

By "Feed" do you mean J3-14BR?

 

[blue69runner]

Replaced my distributor with a kit from Summit racing. Got wiring and the voltage regulator with it also. Have no problems with it wanting to burn up. Also have electric choke on my carburetor with no issues. One wire alternator or two wire. Nonpoint distributor it is electronic also. Know this is driving you crazy hope you get it worked out.

 

[Don Frelier]

By "Feed" do you mean J3-14BR?

View attachment 1552529

The feed is J2 Dark Blue.
Brown is both start position from the ignition switch or at the run position it's reduced voltage through the ballast resistor. (output side)

 

[440 PHIXX]

I bought an ebay electronic Chinese special that replaces the ‘61-‘69 mechanical points original, and it’s been working great for almost a year on my daily “everyday” ‘68 Satellite. I think it was $17. I tried a USA Standard OG type, and it burned out in a day.

Chrysler Plymouth Voltage Regulator Electronic Solid State Dodge Mopar Body A B | eBay

For Mopar, Dodge, Chrysler & Plymouth Applications. 1960-1969 Plymouth, Dodge & Chrysler. correct restoration look and fits most Dodge, Plymouth, & Chrysler Applications ranging from 1960 - 1969. This regulator has the.

www.ebay.com

As a bonus, it cured the flickering lights at idle, and the jumpy amp gauge.

 

[440 PHIXX]

throwing this out there to consider all possibilities - doesn't the VR make ground contact at the firewall? It needs to be metal to metal, so unpainted at that bolt location. I just scuff mine up with steel wool around the bolt hole and it's hidden by the VR.

Yes. And the FSM doesn’t show that. My Brother had a ‘70 Challenger that would drain the battery over night. A local auto shop that specializes in electrical could not figure it out, and just attributed it to “Mopar electronics”. It was a bad VR to firewall ground.

 

[Don Frelier]

Yes. And the FSM doesn’t show that. My Brother had a ‘70 Challenger that would drain the battery over night. A local auto shop that specializes in electrical could not figure it out, and just attributed it to “Mopar electronics”. It was a bad VR to firewall ground.

A bad ground at the voltage regulator wouldn't drain the battery?

 

[440 PHIXX]

A bad ground at the voltage regulator wouldn't drain the battery?

I fixed that and it ran fine and charged good. Maybe it wasn’t charging right before that. Idk. It’s been a while,1986. But that fixed it.

 

[451Mopar]

Hi can you help me with what this plug maybe for.its hanging behind the left kick panel on a 66 coronet cheersView attachment 1552799

This should be a different thread, but that connector goes to the rear body harness - Left/Right Brake lights, reverse light, fuel sending unit, marker lights?

 

[Cojohnso1]

Poor body ground. Especially if you have an upgraded mod like stereo?

This was common with the big sound era of those putting high amp systems into their rides. If can't ground effectively. It will try to ground back at the source.

Lots of alternator fires where regulator is located in the alternator. Was common in 90s tuner and big sound crowd.

 

[kiwigtx]

Make sure the multimeter is good.

Fixed it for you.

 

[kiwigtx]

Battery just removed from charger, 1 year old. Ammeter shows charging (with a little fluctuation) until VR burns up.
Ballast resistor has 0.3, but service manual says it should have 0.5-0.6. Could that be part of my problem?

In this particular instance, resistance is inversely proportional to the current flow.

Yes, this is likely the cause of your regulators burning out. Too much current flow in the circuit due to lower than expected resistance.

......standing by for the tar & feathers from the experts here.

 

[danf_fl]

Well, I disconnected the choke from where it was tied into the VR.
Double checked connectors and wiring.
Got the car started.
Alternator still showed discharge
Dash lights were never this bright, but worked good.

But the stock VR (p/n: VR101) still smoked.

With old wiring and such in the car, I may have to bite the bullet and rewire. If I do complete car, then I may avoid other problems.

 

[Don Frelier]

You replaced the alternator.
Was there anything wrong with the old one?

 

[SlingLow]

I don't have the expertise of many here, and maybe this has been covered, but I did have this issue when I replaced the alternator on my 65 Coronet. The original had a single field connection, and even though the manuals at the parts stores showed this type of alternator, I got one with 2 field connections. This happened 3 times with 3 different parts stores. When I connected to one field connection and the other was open, the regulator would start to smoke. I figured out that the 2nd field connection needs to be grounded.

 

[danf_fl]

You replaced the alternator.
Was there anything wrong with the old one?

I did not test it. I presumed it was bad.

 

[danf_fl]

I don't have the expertise of many here, and maybe this has been covered, but I did have this issue when I replaced the alternator on my 65 Coronet. The original had a single field connection, and even though the manuals at the parts stores showed this type of alternator, I got one with 2 field connections. This happened 3 times with 3 different parts stores. When I connected to one field connection and the other was open, the regulator would start to smoke. I figured out that the 2nd field connection needs to be grounded.

Interesting. But is smokes with 2nd FLD grounded or not. I thought that one FLD went to ballast resistor and the other FLD went to VR.

 

[Some Car Guy]

I bought an ebay electronic Chinese special that replaces the ‘61-‘69 mechanical points original, and it’s been working great for almost a year on my daily “everyday” ‘68 Satellite. I think it was $17. I tried a USA Standard OG type, and it burned out in a day.

http://[URL]https://www.ebay.com/it...c_SrYA5TA6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[/URL]

As a bonus, it cured the flickering lights at idle, and the jumpy amp gauge.

A side note on this one is I just got mine in yesterday and I don’t care for how it still jumps around. For some reason the manufacturer doesn’t want it grounded to the battery, the seller told me. They want it only to the body ground via the screws.

I always run a ground right to the VR and ECU and I have to say it doesn’t make sense as to why the ground would be different from different runs back to ground. Some weird electrical noise coming back to the battery and then transmitted out via the dedicated ground? Seller doesnt know why, only that the maker says. No paper was in the box so who knows.

just thought I’d toss that out there for anybody running one.