14 replies to this topic

[Dan-AZ]

OK. My 1979 GL 1600 has electrical issues. I drove her the night before and no issues. I drove her the next day and she quit on me. No lights or anything on the dash - Just quit. Since she wasn't getting fuel to the carb, I figured a bad fuel pump, so I changed that. No luck - No power to the fuel pump. Checked the voltage switch/regulator on the right fender wall and that seemed to be the issue. Replaced that. Ran for about 20 miles and she quit again. All the red lights on the dash came on and she just died. I had to have her towed to the dealership. They said the alternator was taking out the switch/regulator.

Has anyone else experienced this? The dealership can't 100% identify the problem and my car has been there 3 weeks. Does the alternator sound right? I buzzed out the wiring between the alternator and the switch/regulator and it all seemed good.

Any help is appreciated.

-Dan

[naru]

3 weeks?
Your dealership mechanics are total IDIOTS or they just don`t care.
Probably both.
I`d get my car out of there.
What is the name of the dealership?

Buy a $10 multimeter and diagnose it yourself.
All the dash lights on is a classic sign of alternator diode failure.
The resulting AC voltage lights the lamps.

Your car was originaly equipped w/an electromechanical voltage reg.
Difficult to see how this would be damaged by AC from the alt.,but,I suppose it is possible.

Aftermarket reg. might be solid state.
AC may well damage this.

Check for AC voltage at the alternator output w/electrical system loaded,engine revved if you can start the car. Should be near zero.
(you will likely be able to start the car by hotwiring the fuel pump)

Have a look at the fusible links too.
They are wire like fuses near the battery.

[Dan-AZ]

The delay is getting parts for the 3 weeks. The wait for regulators is 7 days and I have gone thru 2 of them before isolating the alternator. The V/R part is from NAPA - VR553. Not to mention it's over the holiday season. I replaced one and they replaced one. We are waiting on the third. They stated the windings on the alternator were going and the output voltage was kinda weird so they are replacing the alternator. We found some factory originals so we are going with that. My mechanic has over 30 years experience on Subarus so I am confident he can fix it. I am just checking to see if the alternator and the V/R would do that.

The fusible links are fine - Checked those. I have the full schematic so I know it's something to do with the alternator now.

I replaced the alternator 10 years ago so I hope that the new alternator and new V/R will fix this. The system is so simple, but finding parts that are original now is very difficult.

Thanks.

[nipper]

Are you saying when it dies you have no radio, lights, blower? Does it cranK?

If it is the engine just quits I bet it is the ignitor in the disty. These can work one minute and be dead the next. The car is old enough for it.

[Dan-AZ]

Everything works except the car doesn't run. It cranks, lights work, etc... Red lights on the dash and engine doesn't run. It kills the fuel pump but it will actually run for a few seconds if you let it sit a bit. Then it quits again. I was driving home when it quit the 3rd time. All the red lights came on and you lose engine power. When it quit the first time I got no red lights at all. Just quit and I thought fuel pump. But no power to fuel pump. The fuel pump runs thru that V/R switch. After I changed it, it ran great for about 20 miles. This time the charge light came on and it ran for a short time before all red lights came on and it quit. Then the 3rd time. Only 2 things go into the V/R switch - the battery and alternator. I checked all the wiring and its good. So the alternator was my next guess. I was headed on vacation so I gave it to the dealership to fix. If parts didn't take forever to get, my car would be fixed [maybe].

[nipper]

Sounds like the ignitor to me. A dead alt the car would slowly loose power and stumble and miss and die. Lights would be dim, and it woudlnt crank.

[moosens]

Replace alternator and voltage regulator at the same time.

[Dan-AZ]

They are doing that now.

[ivans imports]

i changed all mine to internal voltage regulator alts from a 86 dodge caravan with a 2.6 mitsubishi is a 100 amp and only needs one wire to run i used the choke wire to excite it had to modify my alt bracket. Works well have had it on my 81 brat for 12 years no problems. Also check that your points did not get burned from exsesive voltage and the fuseabble link conector from + side of batt. I have a 77 wagon here if need me to look at wireing for you

[ivans imports]

oh and i have 6 regulators and 4 alts if you cant find one as i dont use them anymore

[Caboobaroo]

When the alternator goes bad it will start and run until the bowl in the carb goes empty. While cranking, the fuel pump is run directly and fills the bowl but once running, it gets power from the alternator.

[Dan-AZ]

Yeah, my dealership isn't that educated at this point. I have them replacing both the V/R and the alternator. We'll see how that flies. The holidays are killing me with shipping and getting parts.

[moosens]

Usually run a jumper wire from the battery to the fuel pump and the pump will kick back as needed still.

[O.C.D.]

Check battery cables too.

Mine was running fine then nothing. No ignition or lights. Freaked me out but others mentioned the battery cables and sure enlighten they were so corroded they gave up conducting. Re-terminated the grounds and hot and she ran even better.

[Dan-AZ]

Thanks to all for information, advice, and parts. I hope to have my baby back up and running soon.