Electrical issues - voltage regulator

[guidoverduci]

Was driving yesterday and decided to punch it up a hill. The radio shut off and my ammeter was jumping up and down and my lights flickered. When I got home, I shut it off, and the ammeter still made noise and jumped. It stopped after a few minutes, I turned the key on, and everything seemed normal.

Drove it today, and 10 minutes later, radio quit, ammeter showed positive but would drop to bottom every few seconds. Parked, came back 6 hours later and this time, no radio and ammeter was mostly negative, sometimes when i got on it, it would go positive. Alternator? Voltage regulator?

 

[ransil]

ignore the ammeter and put a volt meter on the battery terminal and see what it reads, with and without the motor running.

Most auto parts stores test electrical systems for free, drive down to one and get it checked.

 

[ObscureMachine]

What alternator do you have?

 

[70 Steed]

Do you have an amp for your radio. I had the same issue. At idle the radio worked fine. When I accelerated the amp cut out. Turns out the alternator was putting out 15.5 volts to the battery and the amp was going into protection mode and shutting down.

 

[guidoverduci]

No amp, and stock alternator. I'm gonna head to napa to see if they'll test it

 

[guidoverduci]

everything checks out ok. replaced the voltage regulator, no more bouncy ammeter. However, my radio still doesn't work, everything else works fine... any ideas?

 

[broncobilly72]

Hook up your radio with a direct line to the switched side of the starter solinoid with an inline fuse especially if you have an non stock radio or amp.

 

[RIbronco]

Have you checked the radio fuse?

 

[guidoverduci]

Got in it tonight and radio went on... Turned the lights on and it quit....any ideas?

 

[ransil]

Check the battery and the charging system

 

[guidoverduci]

Went to napa and they checked it looked good. ?:?

 

[Viperwolf1]

Radio ground may not be good.

 

[Steve83]

Pull all the fuses & clean the rust off them. If it continues, test the ignition switch - the contacts may be burned.