overcharging

[Kevin Kisseberth]

I have an 85 I changed the alternator and the voltage gauge reads 17. It actually moves a little higher when I give it gas. The battery got fried and this all started after I washed the engine compartment. I let the car dry for 1 month due to replacing the cam housing gaskets. What can it be? Thanks

[Racefiend]

Sounds like your voltage regulator took a dump. Replace your alternator.

Christian

[Kevin Kisseberth]

I did this is my second one could it be the relays I am not sure where they are but someone mentioned that Thanks for the reply

[SupraFiend]

I rebuilt an alternator that had died once and it started doing that. I had actually replaced the regulator in my old alternator. I think I fried it when soldering it on. Ended up getting a refurinshed one and it worked. It did exactly what your is doing too, voltage goes up with the revs. Its possible your new alternator is bad. Is it a refurnished unit too? You have to be careful with those, some companies just change what they think has stopped working on them then resell it. For instance that one I got the bearings went within a year. Luckily it was still under warrentee.

[Dave A.]

Is the rebuilt alternator still under warranty? If so, take it back and get another one. What did you do that fried the battery???

Dave

[Kevin Kisseberth]

Yah thats the only thing I could think of is two bogus alternators. When I fried the battery took that back to walmart after having the battery for 1 year and got my money back then I recharged the battery I got from my parts car I just bought and its working. No the alt was giving to me a while back no warrenty but it was rebuilt and your exactly right they only fix whats wrong with the refurbished ones THANKS

[SupraFiend]

your parts car have one that works by chance? Maybe try a good one before you shell out for a new one.

[Square]

I agree with the previous posts. Your regulator is fried. You may be able to just replace that, but when it happened to me, I was not that knowledgable, so I just replaced the alternator entirely.

Also, do't drive the car much in it's current state. High voltages aren't good for the electronics.

[SupraFiend]

you can replace the regulators on the early mk2 alternators, but I don't think you can on the later ones, I don't remember why exactly. Napa was the only company around that sold a regulator for my old 82.

[Dave A.]

The 82 and 83 have the early style alternator that requires some desoldering/soldering skills to replace the voltage regulator. You can replace the regulator on the 84 and up just by removing a few small phillips head screws. The big problem is that a lot of parts stores charge near the same price for a new regulator as they do for a rebuilt alternator. :? See if you can find a place that sells Beck/Arnley parts. Beck/Arnley used to make replacement regulators that looked practically identical to the OE part and the price was considerably less.

[Kevin Kisseberth]

Yeah it must be two fried regulators in both alternators I ll try the one from the parts car but that whole entire setup in the parts car is going in another p type 86 the motor that is

[Speed Racer]

That's what I was going to suggest - try one out of your other car. But whatever you do, don't get one from Kragan/Schucks - I made that mistake a few years ago. Never again will I purchase a starter or alternator from them.

I ended up having to return the alternator 4 times because they kept going bad on me within 30 days of installation. Finally I got frustrated enough, took the last one out (after it died) and got my $$$ back.

Went over to Napa and bought one, and it's still in the car. Hopefully I won't have any problems with it (knock on wood).