Voltage Regulator?

[lambohaha]

Its been awhile since I`ve been on here. Good to see some familiar names still around. Been tinkering with the old girl some here and there. I ran into an issue here a little while back with my battery not getting a charge or full charge from the alternator. The battery "looked" fairly new so I figured maybe the alternator was going south. I would also here hear an occasional "clicking" coming from under the passenger side of the dash, in the glove box area. Can`t get it to do it when I`m under there looking lol. But I seen a relay or 2 there, maybe its one of those. Anyways, got a new alternator, didn`t fix the problem. I was thinking the regulator was built into the alternator, it was if I can remember on my `84 so I assumed my `85 was as well. But, I went to thinking again, ahem *sic*, that maybe the battery wasn`t accepting a charge so I got a new battery. Same thing. Okay, the alternator must not be any good so I got a replacement, same same yet again. So I`m thinking external regulator, if that be the case, where is it?
For those that don`t know and/or can`t remember lol my truck is an `85 2.4 5 spd 720 base model. Thanks in advance guys

[lambohaha]

Been looking around and apparently the regulator is in the alternator and crap, it costs as much as the alternator itself lol. Well, my focus now is on which relay is doing all the clicking and making my battery light flicker along with it. There`s a relay behind the kick panel on the passenger side that may be the culprit but I have no clue of its purpose.

[lambohaha]

Simple fix. The tab that the neg Battery cable is clamped to was broken. It never registered in my head to check the ground straps.

[Tpanda]

Simple fix. The tab that the neg Battery cable is clamped to was broken. It never registered in my head to check the ground straps.

good job fixing it.

my 720 is giving a no start issue. New starter and battery and i have to keep turning the key before it finally fires off. Its annoying as all get out. lol

[lambohaha]

Maybe the solenoid is heading south?

[lambohaha]

Not fixed yet, dammit

[PEZi]

Mine did this on more than one occasion... ended up being just a bad alternator.

[lambohaha]

3 times in a row? There`s a relay in the passenger side kick panel that goes to clicking every time this happens. Any relation?

[lambohaha]

Does no one know?

[jimrs]

Hello Lam, feel your pain. I too am having a similar problem. My battery light comes on dim and with more RPMs or loading (lights etc.) it gets brighter. Some times it goes up and down. Anyway I took it to NAPA and they put an electric system analyzer on it and it all checked out OK? But I don't like that light on at all, so I'm trying to run it down.
Somewhere I saw a diagram that indicated that the relay your talking about behind the PS kick plate is a safety relay designed to protect the electrical system in case the battery terminals are hooked up wrong. If the coil on that relay is bad that could be your problem. I have a .pdf of the 1989 D21 FSM and it has a troubleshooting guide for the charging system. In that guide the very first thing they say is to check the fusable-link. That would be the one with the big white wire going to the B terminal of the alternator. I'm not sure how to check that myself. I put a meter from the pos battery terminal to the B pole on the alternator and got 0 ohms, good continuity but that is not under current load. BTW, I have the '86 720 4x4 w/Z24i engine but the electrical should be very close. I also have the Owners Manual for my truck and under the Charge Light section it says this. "If the alternator and electrical system are functioning normally, but the electrical load is too heavy, the charge warning light may glow slightly. When this occurs, there is no need to check the alternator and electrical system." Well my battery electrolyte checks out in the fair/good range, the battery voltage cold, engine off is 12.48V, running at idle 14.4V, running at 2500 RPMs 15.1V so maybe I just don't need to worry about it.. but I do. Something is drawing too much current somewhere or my battery can't deliver enough amperage and I don't want to find out 150 miles from nowhere in the middle of the Mojave Desert. I don't know if any of this helps but I'll try and post that Charging System Guide if I can. Jim

Found the link:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Hardbody/

[lambohaha]

Great info and thanks. Yeah, I`m not a fan of the light being on either. The other morning on my way to work, all was fine been running great up until I hit these little strips in the road to let you know of an upcoming intersection. Just as soon as I hit those that relay went to clicking and it shut off. Just about at wits end.

[jimrs]

Have you replaced that relay yet? It is easy to get to and just unplugs from the connector. Take it to the auto parts store and I bet they have one.

[lambohaha]

Have you replaced that relay yet? It is easy to get to and just unplugs from the connector. Take it to the auto parts store and I bet they have one.

No, not yet. Been rather short on $ here of late but maybe I can get to it Monday. I have the replay in plain sight now. I hated to do it but the KP broke a little when I pulled it back lol, oops lol

[jimrs]

Really hope that does it for you. There is nothing worst than an intermittent problem. Makes you start thinking about Karma or something. I ordered a alternator today. Can't find anything else wrong so here's hoping too.

[lambohaha]

I`ve done 3 alts and a battery and ground straps. Everything BUT the relay.

[jimrs]

Just an update. I put in the new reman alternator and it did the trick. No more pesky Battery light. Voltage regulator must have been bad. It was a fight cause the new alt. brackets needed to be ground down to fit the support, but it's done. Now on to the next fix.

[lambohaha]

Thats what I thought too with 2 remans back to back. Gonna order a relay from RockAuto, too much at Orielley and everywhere else. But yeah, I`m on my 2nd reman alternator and 1st new batt, all within a 2 month period, and so far no change. Wish you luck.