C2 66 SBC Charging question

[Rich G.]

My 66 has no charging problem. I'm on the same battery for 4 years. Everything is great ....EXCEPT the amp meter hardly moves. It stays within 1/2 needle width of the center all the time, either - or + for discharge or charge. It has done this since I have had the car (4 years). Is it just a bad meter, or can something else cause this? I have the correct regulator, but the alternator is a 63 amp instead of 37 which is supposed to be on this car. And, no, I have not checked it with an external meter because I have always assumed it to be a gauge error since everything works fine. Just curious if there is something else in the circuit like a shunt resistor that can cause it.

Rich

[Dennis B.]

Re: C2 66 SBC Charging question

My 66 guage operates in the same way. Recently my original voltage regulator stuck in the closed position and my guage immediately pegged to +40. A little tap on the regulator and it returned to 0. So I guess it works. Replaced the original regulator with a solid state unit and everything returned to normal. I have owned this car for 35 years and that was the only time I saw the amp guage move.

[Rich G.]

Re: C2 66 SBC Charging question

Dennis

Thanks. That's interesting. I also got a PM from another member saying he thought it was normal. I have a 68 BB that acts more like I'd expect it to, in other words after cranking it shows a big charge for a minute or so, declining back to near zero. That's really what got me to thinking.

Rich

[Kent D.]

Re: C2 66 SBC Charging question

Pull the main wire harness at the firewall and clean the contacts.

[Randy S.]

Re: C2 66 SBC Charging question

Rich,

Mine has done the same thing too for 4 years. 63 amp alt (AC car). I've had the cluster rebuilt and rebuilder says nothing wrong with ammeter, I have checked all terminations, cleaned firewall connectors with dremel tool, all the recommendations in archives and finally decided to live with it. Seems like it should discharge on starting or when running ac blower motor on high speed ( 30 amp fuse) yet it just fluctuates ever so slightly.

If you figure it out let me know

Randy