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  #1  
Old 05-03-2001, 04:54 PM
DesertDuster DesertDuster is offline
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: ABQ, NM
Age: 43
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Question

Hey everyone, heres the story.
I got my Duster runnin real good, except the problem is, its running off the battery...The alternator will not keep a charge. I know I have the wiring correct, and Ive been through 6 alternators within the last 2 weeks... I made a little test light and its gettin no juice???

I thought it was the external regulator so I replaced it with one off my 68 barracuda...still no go. what else could be goin on??? This is the only thing keepin my baby off the streets!!! Please help!


Thanks Alot guys/gals.

Mike
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  #2  
Old 05-03-2001, 05:39 PM
Dartasaurus Dartasaurus is offline
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When you say that youve been through 6 alternators, do you mean your changing them in an attemp to solve the problem? Or are you burning them up? What kind are they? Single or double field? Is your voltage reg a 3 wire?
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  #3  
Old 05-03-2001, 06:18 PM
DesertDuster DesertDuster is offline
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: ABQ, NM
Age: 43
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Unhappy

Ive been through 6 alternators trying to solve the problem...the first 3 were autozone cheapys, (which worked on it before I replaced the head gaskets) the next 2 were from checker, they sucked, and this one that is on it now is as duralast lifetime. They are double field alternators. im new at this so...when you say 3 wire regulator, No idea??? I know it has a field lead on it, and another one on the otherside, thats it...=o)

Thanks alot!!

Mike
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  #4  
Old 05-04-2001, 08:50 PM
Thunderstruck Thunderstruck is offline
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Location: San Angelo, TX, USA
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Ok, a 68 Cuda doesn't use the same type of regulator as a Duster. Unless someone did some rewiring.

On your Duster, you will have a regulator that has a triangular electrical connector with 2 (TWO) wires going to it. One green and one blue. With the key in the run position you had best have 12 volts (battery voltage) on the BLUE wire. This BLUE wire also goes to the alternator which will be covered. The GREEN wire goes from the regulator to the alternator, this is the field control line so to speak. The regulator will cycle this wire to ground to maintain system volatge levels.

The alternator will have two spade terminals, fields, and one big stug terminal, output. One field terminal should have a blue wire and 12 volts with the key in RUN. The other terminal should have the GREEN wire connected to it. Which terminal gets which wire is unimportant. The output stud should have 12 volts (battery voltage) on it. All of these measurements are with the engine NOT running but the key in RUN. If the blue wire on the alternator or the output stud do NOT have voltage then you have a wiring issue. If the blue wire AT THE REGULATOR has voltage but there is NO voltagge on the blue wire at the ALTERNATOR, then the blue wire has a break in it.

If they have voltage and you still have no charge you can temporarily test the alternator by disconnecting the green wire, starting the engine and then ground the terminal the green wire WAS hooked to ground. If your system starts charging then either the green wire is broken or the regulator is kaput. Again, the stock 68 regulator will not work on your Duster without a rewire so I doubt that "test" is valid.

Good luck,

Steve
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  #5  
Old 05-04-2001, 11:42 PM
Karl43 Karl43 is offline
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Detroit, MI
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I had a similiar problem with a 69 Valiant burning out regulators. Turned out to be a hack job of wiring under the dash. A backyard mechanic wired the heater wire to the UNFUSED side of the fuse block. The bad wiring overloaded the main alternator wire from the battery + terminal of the alternator to the ammeter gage (completely melted the insulation off of the 12 gage wire). After replacing the wire with a 10 gage wire (safety) I never blew another regulator.
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