• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Electrical mishap? Bad VR? Help!

Viewsonic

Active Member
Local time
5:03 AM
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
29
Reaction score
25
Location
Wyoming
Hello, so long story short. I installed a 383/727 from a 68 fury into a 69 satellite wagon. I hooked everything up the best i could following wiring diagrams from mymopar. According to the diagram, i am 95% sure i got it hooked up right, aside from the diagram showing two DBL wires going from the ignition ballast to the IGN on the VR (my car only has 1 wires instead of two) However, when the car starts and idles for about a minute, the voltage regulator starts smoking and battery is reading 15.2 volts. No lights on, no radio, no heater, nothing powered up. I also fixed the wire going to the bulkhead from the alternator. (Spot P on the connector) because it was burnt up and had a poor connection. Cant tell you if that was before or after i hooked everything up. The VR is brand new, same with the ignition ballast. I dont know what i did wrong. Is there to be a ground at the VR?

I can supply any information as needed.

9B9624D0-9F47-41B3-BEE2-31B20B76294D.jpeg


71D4380E-F876-42EC-B57A-2150444370B0.jpeg
 
do you have a good ground on the VR? firewall grounds the VR
 
do you have a good ground on the VR? firewall grounds the VR
Yes sir, brand new negative cable to battery and new cable to the firewall. Should i combine the negative from the firewall to the mount of the VR?
 
What I was saying is the VR is grounded by the firewall make sure it is clean , you could add one but that would not be factory correct.
 
That double wire on the VR should go to the ballast. I think.
 
Last edited:
is it a point/contact style regulator or a circuit board modern one
 
What I was saying is the VR is grounded by the firewall make sure it is clean , you could add one but that would not be factory correct.
Yeah, its a good clean ground. Not worried about factory correct, just want it to run.
That double wire on the VR should go to the ballast. I think.
ok, i will see about doing that, thank you
is it a point/contact style regulator or a circuit board modern one
i am not sure. The distributor is a points distributor. The alternator, I believe is original. I purchased a regulator for a 69 plymouth. Much shouldn’t have changed, if anything, because the part number was the same for a 68 plymouth fury and a 69 satellite.
 
For reference. My 69 GTX. Ignore the pink wire.
View attachment 1474648View attachment 1474649
Thank you, I will make sure mine matches that.

To let everyone know, after i fixed the wire in the dash, i started it again and the father in law helped me tune the carburetor, and during the whole process, the regulator did not smoke. Hopefully fixing that (which is possible it was grounding out and causing the VR to go berserk) bad wire fixed my issue. I will comment tomorrow and see how everything goes.
 
Unplug the blue wire at the alternator & try running the vehicle... There should be no smoke & the voltage should stay around 12v... If so look at the regulator... If not look at the alternator...
 
If you let the smoke out it will not heal itself. I would get a new one to be on the safe side.
 
You only need one wire from the voltage regulator to the ballast. I think the diagram is an either or situation. Some cars had a bigger wire in that spot than others. The single blue wire on the ballast in post #7 is the wire that connects to the VR plug.
 
Unplug the blue wire at the alternator & try running the vehicle... There should be no smoke & the voltage should stay around 12v... If so look at the regulator... If not look at the alternator...
Ok, i will give that a whirl. I will also purchase a new battery. The one i have isnt that great.
If you let the smoke out it will not heal itself. I would get a new one to be on the safe side.
i will get a new one as well.
You only need one wire from the voltage regulator to the ballast. I think the diagram is an either or situation. Some cars had a bigger wire in that spot than others. The single blue wire on the ballast in post #7 is the wire that connects to the VR plug.
i get that, i was confused as to why there would be 2 wires, since the manual gave a separate diagram for hemi motors.

I will tinker with it some more. I appreciate everyone’s help.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top