The diary of Oddie... bigger..better..stronger (1 Viewer)

[djinn]

Nice so I guess I just need to figure out why I'm not getting heat.

Alternator charging question.. For those that are running the dodge alt (I know at least GLTHFJ60 is) when regulated what voltage are you getting at the battery?

@Trent: Time for shocks So I can

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Nice so I guess I just need to figure out why I'm not getting heat.

Alternator charging question.. For those that are running the dodge alt (I know at least GLTHFJ60 is) when regulated what voltage are you getting at the battery?

@Trent: Time for shocks So I can

You guys are in TX, you don't need that rear heater!!

I don't remember exactly what voltage I'm getting, but I want to say ~14v. Why? I can walk outside and measure it for you if you'd like.

 

[djinn]

You guys are in TX, you don't need that rear heater!!

I don't remember exactly what voltage I'm getting, but I want to say ~14v. Why? I can walk outside and measure it for you if you'd like.

If you could, you would rock! I replaced the regulator and the alternator. If I use the 12v source directly to the battery I get 14.75vdc but if I use a switched ign source I get right at 15vdc. 15 is really the absolute max it should be, and could boil a flooded battery. Even Optimas have a 13-15vdc charge zone. Just curious if you're getting high 14.x or at 15vdc. I've grounded everything to everything like twice and back to the battery.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

If you could, you would rock! I replaced the regulator and the alternator. If I use the 12v source directly to the battery I get 14.75vdc but if I use a switched ign source I get right at 15vdc. 15 is really the absolute max it should be, and could boil a flooded battery. Even Optimas have a 13-15vdc charge zone. Just curious if you're getting high 14.x or at 15vdc. I've grounded everything to everything like twice and back to the battery.

Sorry it took so long, but I measured 14.88v at idle. My meter would bounce up to ~15v but I'm not sure if that was actual voltage or my leads bouncing around on the terminals.

 

[djinn]

Sweet! Thanks for checking man. And I assume you are running the same dodge 2 plug regulator? I swapped mine at the parts house last night. Didn't fix. What I think I'm going to do is run a relay and have it go off the battery so I can be at 14.75 instead of 15+.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Sweet! Thanks for checking man. And I assume you are running the same dodge 2 plug regulator? I swapped mine at the parts house last night. Didn't fix. What I think I'm going to do is run a relay and have it go off the battery so I can be at 14.75 instead of 15+.

Yes sir, two prong regulator with the triangular-shaped plug. I have the factory harness connected right to the back of the alternator. I've got a weird issue though that my lights flicker when at idle. The factory voltmeter doesn't waver, but the truck's lights dim, then come back at high frequency. The flicker is directly related to engine RPM, with the flicker becoming unnoticeable when the RPMs are above 1500 or so.

It's probable that this is a problem due to my switched ign source, which is the coil signal wire. I haven't gone in to rewire that yet.

 

[djinn]

You're in luck. I did manage to figure that flicker issue out during my troubleshooting. If you're running the white charge wire that runs through the factory harness, if you skip that and run a dedicated charge wire from the alt to the battery (inline fuse would be good) that will rid you of your flickering lights. The pulsing of the alternator at idle is picked up through the factory wiring. Flickering lights drive me batty.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

You're in luck. I did manage to figure that flicker issue out during my troubleshooting. If you're running the white charge wire that runs through the factory harness, if you skip that and run a dedicated charge wire from the alt to the battery (inline fuse would be good) that will rid you of your flickering lights. The pulsing of the alternator at idle is picked up through the factory wiring. Flickering lights drive me batty.

That's what I speculated, that the varying amperage output of the alternator was causing the flicker. The battery suppresses that? Good to know!

Did you disconnect the white charge wire and tie it up or have a alt-battery wire and the factory charge wire as well?

 

[djinn]

The white charge wire is tied up and ran a dedicated wire from alt to the batt outside of the factory wiring. 4awg.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

The white charge wire is tied up and ran a dedicated wire from alt to the batt outside of the factory wiring. 4awg.

Thank you for clarifying! Looking forward to you getting this beast back on the road

 

[djinn]

Heck yea. So I have lots of relays. I just ordered a Blue Sea 5026 fuse block. Going to make one side ACC'd with the relay but still direct from the battery and the other side always on. Figured I needed one for all the other stuff I'll add on later so I went with the 12 circuit one. Only 4" tall so it will fit perfectly on the side above the inner fender well.

I need to remove the fan pully today. I have a leak that is getting worse and worse. I think a few bolts got loose on the timing cover when I replaced the gasket. I guess that will teach me to use locktite, even I don't have any.

Next are the shocks. Also was looking at some hood liner on eBay.

GLTHFJ60: What electric fan setup did you use? Looks like it fits perfectly.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Heck yea. So I have lots of relays. I just ordered a Blue Sea 5026 fuse block. Going to make one side ACC'd with the relay but still direct from the battery and the other side always on. Figured I needed one for all the other stuff I'll add on later so I went with the 12 circuit one. Only 4" tall so it will fit perfectly on the side above the inner fender well.

I need to remove the fan pully today. I have a leak that is getting worse and worse. I think a few bolts got loose on the timing cover when I replaced the gasket. I guess that will teach me to use locktite, even I don't have any.

Next are the shocks. Also was looking at some hood liner on eBay.

GLTHFJ60: What electric fan setup did you use? Looks like it fits perfectly.

Good idea on making a whole fuse block ACC'd and constant. I've got a constant under my dash which is nice, but it's filling up quick.

I used dual contour fans out of a '96 Ford Contour V6. Bought them from Rock Auto, made the brackets out of 1" square steel tube and used a flex-a-lite fan controller. Have had 0 problems with this setup.

In fact, the 4BT runs so cool that the fans haven't switched on once since I put the 4BT in.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

In fact, the 4BT runs so cool that the fans haven't switched on once since I put the 4BT in.

Temp gauge reading wrong, and engine overheating.


Lol jk

 

[djinn]

wire cleanup

With the external voltage regulator giving me issues unless it was connected directly to the battery and directly connected to the battery it pulls 3A and will deplete the battery. So I decided to add a relay and use the ign source for the relay with normally closed to the regulator. And since I was on the wiring kick I ordered up marine grade wire, lugs, and a blue sea 12 circuit fuse box. Ran 4ga dedicated from the alternator to the battery and a 4ga to the fuse block. All lugs were soldered on and not crimped. I hate crimped lugs. And ample heat shrink.
Regulator is hooked into one circuit so it is actually in use. I also used 8-32 pop nuts so I have a riser off the inner fender and can screw in and out. Needed to clean the nest of wires everywhere. Not a huge fan of loom but I didn't have enough spaghetti wrap

Goodies came Friday and I got to work.

After the relay for the voltage regulator.. success:

 

[davegonz]

That's great news. Your rig is looking good.

 

[djinn]

Thanks Dave! I am starting to look for air filters and see what I can match up in that space. I've heard the duramax ones work pretty well. Hoping to get the hood on this thing soon.

 

[djinn]

GLTHFJ60: Do you think the crank dampener that you used helps a lot?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

GLTHFJ60: Do you think the crank dampener that you used helps a lot?

It's got a smooth idle at 700-750 rpm and feels good up through 3500 rpm. I've never had this in my truck without the dampener so it's difficult to know for sure, but this motor feels smooth to me.

 

[davegonz]

I was also wondering if the stock 6BT damper would do anything. Those Fluidampr ones are pricey.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

4 cylinders by design are not gonna be harmonicly as smooth as an I6 or even a V8.

Dunno that I think the fluidamper does much but mask vibration tho. An unbalanced or not perfectly balanced rotating assembly is still an unbalanced rotating assembly.