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A couple of days ago I post how cleaning some ground wires in the center console of my 1986 240 had solved a number of problems with the car.
First of all the car was starting hard and was idling really roughly and after cleaning the grounds in the center console this problem was solved, (and still is).
The other problem had to do with my charging circuit.
Sometimes the alternator would charge, (all lights at key on and showing 14+ volts at the battery with the car running), and other times it would not charge, (only the oil light at key on and 12.16 volts at the battery with the car running).
Well after cleaning the grounds in the center console I have started the car probably 20 times with all dash lights coming on and getting good charge out of the battery. Art Benstein made the statement that cleaning the grounds couldn't have affected the charge circuit and it turns out that he was exactly right.
Tonight I went out and started the car and once again got only the oil light.
I then proceeded to pull the exciter wire to make sure that it was clean and tight on the alternator.
I also loosened the blue ground wire from the alternator, (I did not actually clean it...just made sure it was not loose), and re-tightened it.
I then cleaned both the positive and negative battery posts and clamps and made sure they were good and tight but none of these things solved the "oil light only" problem.
Well after doing all of that I decided that I was going to have to raise the car so that I could have better access to the blue ground wire. I'm pretty sure that it's either a bad ground at the alternator, (that needs cleaned), or where it mounts to the engine block.
But here's the thing....
After putting my tools away I then got in the car so that I could back it out of the garage.
When I turned the key I right away got all of the warning lights, (including battery), and of course the car was reading 14+ volts at the battery posts.
I shut the car off and turned it on several times and each and every time I got all of the warning lights and the battery was being charged by the alternator.
So, it's obvious that I have an intermittent problem.
Sometimes the alternator works and sometimes it doesn't.
If I'm understanding this right my no charge condition will be found in one of the following places:
1. the blue ground wire that goes from alternator to the engine block.
or
2. the red exciter wire that goes from the gray plug at the firewall to the alternator.
Are these the only two places that I need to check?
Could my ignition switch also be causing this intermittent problem?
I don't want to crawl under the car tonight since it's not exactly nice weather in southern Illinois, but I do want to get this problem fixed. I'm hoping to get under the car sometime this weekend but want to make sure I know what all to check before I begin.
Any of you who have knowledge of the charge circuit I would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Dave
--
I dream of a world where a chicken can cross the road without having its motives questioned.
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