Build 76 Fj40 Face Lift

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Had some time to kill today, so after a hardy breakfast at the "Hometown Dinner" (<<Gratuitous plug) I knocked the dust off of the tool bag. My parking brake has instilled less and less confidence over the past few months. Rather than toting a cinder block around in the back I figured it was time to give it some attention. Fred lost his mother awhile back and is living in self imposed exile for the foreseeable future so, it was just me today. I've yet to master the "wrench and selfie shuffle" so no pics. Pretty straight forward installation of the kit from Cruiser Outfitters. No heartburn until the adjustment phase. I could only get about an 1/8 turn with the box end wrench and with little room to spare up next to the firewall, it was tedious at best. I did invent a new explicative in the course of adjusting the cable. Goes something
like this %$%#^)* mule. I plan on copywriting that little gem so, if you think you might use it in the future give me credit in your references.


My license plate bracket lights needed some attention as well. Ten minute job with no complications. I did manage a photo of the finished product.

I do have one issue that has manifested over the past few weeks. When I turn on the head lights my indicator jumps down below the center of gauge. At idle it's dead on. As soon as I use the fog lights, blinkers, parking lights or head lights it drops down below center mast and the -30 on the gauge.

Wiring is like a second language to me, I know just enough to order beer. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.:beer:

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Chungas Revenge said:
I do have one issue that has manifested over the past few weeks. When I turn on the head lights my indicator jumps down below the center of gauge. At idle it's dead on. As soon as I use the fog lights, blinkers, parking lights or head lights it drops down below center mast and the -30 on the gauge.
Click to expand...

Give me some more info on this, does that needle move around a lot while is is in the negative? Should bounce when the blinkers are blinking.

Increase some RPM, does it smooth out and get closer to 0?

When you pull a load from the battery (lights) it will result in the ammeter showing a negative draw, ramp up the RPM and you should see the ammeter start to go back up when the alternator is sending some amperage back.
 
rkymtnflyfisher said:
Give me some more info on this
Click to expand...

It always had a "dip" in the gauge before, but would smooth out upon acceleration. Now ramping up the RPM has no effect. Needle doesn't move from the -Neg position (1/2). Changed out the alternator thinking I had bought a lemon, checked belt tension etc, same result.

Eh, me and electricity go way back. Has to do with a barnyard fence and one too many glasses of Kool-Aid.
 
Internal or external voltage regulator on that alternator?

Stick a multimeter on the battery, voltage with the engine off should be 12v ish, jab the spurs in the ole mule and start the engine, voltage should rise to around 14v.
 
External regulator..New, as in "rebuilt". Put it on the same time as the new alternator.


rkymtnflyfisher said:
jab the spurs in the ole mule and start the engine, voltage should rise to around 14v.
Click to expand...

Good copy. I'll hit it in the AM...Thanks for the "CAS"..:clap:
 
"New" regulator may need to be adjusted... Here's the help Rudi (@bj40green ) offered, when I had a problem after installing a "new" VR. VR adjustment procedures are in the thread Rudi included.

"The VR. 13.7V is on the low side. It should be in the range 13.8 to 14.8V so you need to adjust the VR. I feel comfortable with 14 to 14.2V. See my tread: Voltage Regulator (ext.) / How it works post# 14.
RPM's is more important than speed. At idle the alternator will put out only a few Amps, enough to keep your ignition going but not charging the battery. The alternator starts really charging from 1000 rpm, so if you're off road at low rpm's your alternator is not really charging. Remember.... this is 70's technology and not the "loaded with electronics and sensors" technology from today.

You have to measure the voltage on the battery.
When the battery is almost full, the VR goes from "full" to "trickle" charge.
When the battery is full the VR shuts the alternator off. Your Cruiser is now running on the battery. Slowly the voltage goes down to the point that the VR kicks in again.
This is what you see at the Voltmeter.
Adjust your VR so that you read around 14 Volts on the battery."

And this follow-up

"I was re-reading your post and realized that you made the adjustment after starting the engine while the alternator still was charging the battery. You didn't wait till the battery was full and the VR turned off. That's why the "set point" is now at 15.7V.
Please readjust the VR so that the max value is 14.8V.
I sleep better with that and you prevent the battery from being overcharged."
 
Chungas Revenge said:
Eh, me and electricity go way back. Has to do with a barnyard fence and one too many glasses of Kool-Aid.
Click to expand...

Hope you didn't drop your program on an electric fence;). Some-beach that would be painful.

I didn't know the voltage regulator could be adjusted. Good to know. I'll have to re-read some of your posts. Hope you git'er dialed in.
 
Solace in Solitude said:
"New" regulator may need to be adjusted... Here's the help Rudi (@bj40green ) offered, when I had a problem after installing a "new" VR. VR adjustment procedures are in the thread Rudi included.

"The VR. 13.7V is on the low side. It should be in the range 13.8 to 14.8V so you need to adjust the VR. I feel comfortable with 14 to 14.2V. See my tread: Voltage Regulator (ext.) / How it works post# 14.
RPM's is more important than speed. At idle the alternator will put out only a few Amps, enough to keep your ignition going but not charging the battery. The alternator starts really charging from 1000 rpm, so if you're off road at low rpm's your alternator is not really charging. Remember.... this is 70's technology and not the "loaded with electronics and sensors" technology from today.

You have to measure the voltage on the battery.
When the battery is almost full, the VR goes from "full" to "trickle" charge.
When the battery is full the VR shuts the alternator off. Your Cruiser is now running on the battery. Slowly the voltage goes down to the point that the VR kicks in again.
This is what you see at the Voltmeter.
Adjust your VR so that you read around 14 Volts on the battery."

And this follow-up

"I was re-reading your post and realized that you made the adjustment after starting the engine while the alternator still was charging the battery. You didn't wait till the battery was full and the VR turned off. That's why the "set point" is now at 15.7V.
Please readjust the VR so that the max value is 14.8V.
I sleep better with that and you prevent the battery from being overcharged."
Click to expand...

Reading the whole VR thread by Rudi is great advice. If your knowledge of wiring is enough to order beer Rudi's knowledge is enough to grill the perfect ribeye and distill moonshine... with his eyes closed.
 
Solace in Solitude said:
New" regulator may need to be adjusted... Here's the help Rudi
Click to expand...

Birds chirp, clouds part and the sun shines. I sacrificed a chicken for nothing!

Thanks for the link Danny. Great write-up @bj40green ! I'll put this newly acquired info to work a little later today.

Anyone up for BBQ Chicken? :chicken::chicken::chicken::chicken::chicken:
 
Weather was unusually warm today so I was able to take care of an eyesore. Toe nails on the mule if you recall were coated in a bitumen stratum of unrecognizable goo. "Coated for an ocean going voyage" or something like that as memory serves me. After a good soak and a little steam I found several trilobites and a recently formed seam of coal. The "sheen" is from a newly applied coat of Fluid Film.

More to follow on the charging system. Ran a diagnostic per "your" expert advice. I'll post up the results later.

For now, it's going to be a big night in Kingwood. Seems that a bus load of SJW's on their way to a protest over in DC broke down just off the interstate. They caught wind that a buddy of mine was going to fell a couple of dead trees off of his lawn. Now it seems he has an infestation of tree huggers, freeloaders and college professors clinging to the bark. Once they get their little hands locked it's hard as h$ll to get them off. You have to turn the cattle prod way up high to get their attention. One thing we have learned over the years is if you sneak up real quiet like and yell "Any body here looking for work" they get all disoriented and drop off without much effort. Then it's just a matter soaking them down with the garden hose before they can find the public transportation. Should be good fun..

IMG_2706.webp


IMG_2705.webp
 
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@pngunme, @rkymtnflyfisher

All - Results from the diagnostic on the charging system. 1st pic battery only (not under load), 2nd pic testing battery under load (vehicle not running/off), 3rd pic Vehicle running. Looks like, IMHO, the VR might need a tweak. I'll adjust fire on the VR, per the excellent review from @bj40green, and post up results later in the week. Thanks again to all for the "CAS"..!

IMG_2710.webp


IMG_2711.webp


IMG_2712.webp
 
tlc762 said:
Missing the rubber brake hoses to the fittings on the backing plates
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Brakes? They don't use brakes in West Virginia.

Looks like there is a brake line in the background, maybe. They are probably plugged with golf tees.
 
Chungas Revenge said:
@pngunme, @rkymtnflyfisher

All - Results from the diagnostic on the charging system. 1st pic battery only (not under load), 2nd pic testing battery under load (vehicle not running/off), 3rd pic Vehicle running. Looks like, IMHO, the VR might need a tweak. I'll adjust fire on the VR, per the excellent review from @bj40green, and post up results later in the week. Thanks again to all for the "CAS"..!

View attachment 1397052

View attachment 1397053

View attachment 1397054
Click to expand...


Jeff,

I don't understand the difference between pic 1 and pic 2...

Is pic 1 with battery disconnected?

Is pic 2 with battery connected and key off? What constitutes "under load" here?

For pic 3, what rpm were you... well your engine, at when it showed 12.03 or so?

I would follow Rudi's instruction and calibrate your VR accordingly and see where that takes you.

But, from what I read, above, you may consider hooking up your brake lines before you climb outta da holler.
 
Solace in Solitude said:
Jeff,

I don't understand the difference between pic 1 and pic 2...

Is pic 1 with battery disconnected?

Is pic 2 with battery connected and key off? What constitutes "under load" here?

For pic 3, what rpm were you... well your engine, at when it showed 12.03 or so?

I would follow Rudi's instruction and calibrate your VR accordingly and see where that takes you.

But, from what I read, above, you may consider hooking up your brake lines before you climb outta da holler.
Click to expand...

What you see there is a special tester for batteries. Looks like this:
419838217_671.webp


battery-testing-0907-de.webp


1st pic is just voltage on the battery.
2nd pic is the tester with a build in "test load" to see how the battery behaves (capacity) over 20 seconds or so.
In the 2nd picture the guy is pushing a button. The load is a big resistor behind that screen.
3rd pic is voltage (charging) on the battery with running engine at minimum 1000 rpm.

Rudi
 
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bj40green said:
What you there is a special tester for batteries. Looks like this:
View attachment 1397353

View attachment 1397354

1st pic is just voltage on the battery.
2nd pic is the tester with a build in "test load" to see how the battery behaves (capacity) over 20 seconds or so.
In the 2nd picture the guy is pushing a button. The load is a big resistor behind that screen.
3rd pic is voltage (charging) on the battery with running engine at minimum 1000 rpm.

Rudi
Click to expand...


Thanks Rudi! I get it now.

So, what's your take on Jeff's issues?
 
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