1966 cutlass
September 7th, 2008, 06:38 PM
#1
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1966 cutlass
I have a question im hoping someone can help me out with. I cannot get my car to start up. Now here is the problem, I know I have some type of draw,If i disconnect my negative cable ,then hook a test light to any part of the car then touch the negative post the light comes on. I have removed the fuses hoping it will go out,nothing happened. i removed the wires from the voltage regulator,nothing!.The wire harness is in sad shape since the second owner hacked it up.I have had this car for 3yrs and this never happened..at wits end!!!
September 7th, 2008, 11:03 PM
#2
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with the car not running, disconnect the thick red wire(s) from the output terminal of the alternator. connect the test light between the output terminal stud and the positive(+) terminal of the battery. does the light come on?
if yes, you have an alternator problem. if no, you're going to be tracing and testing wiring.
since the wiring has been hacked, check the glovebox and trunk lights to make sure they aren't staying on. does your car have a clock?
bill
if yes, you have an alternator problem. if no, you're going to be tracing and testing wiring.
since the wiring has been hacked, check the glovebox and trunk lights to make sure they aren't staying on. does your car have a clock?
bill
September 8th, 2008, 07:44 AM
#4
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Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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Hey Tom- Funny you should post this as I have been having the exact same trouble with my 66 cutlass conv. I have not found it yet, but have installed a battery quick disconnect to use until I find the problem. I have had lots of good advice from people so far, just nothing has turned up yet. (Look at the post "66 cutlass battery dead again." If I happen to find the problem before you do, I will let you know as we may have the same issue. I too have pulled all the fuses and disconnected the alternator altogether and the test light was still lit. I am going to check the clock next, but since you do not have a clock, I wonder if it may be something else. If you happen to find your problem first, I would greatly appreciate a message. We have got to figure this out. 
Best of luck and keep us informed and I will do the same.
Jim
Best of luck and keep us informed and I will do the same.Jim
September 8th, 2008, 04:43 PM
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well I think mine is somewhere under the dash, I have been working at this for days now,but I will not give up. NO matter what I turn on or even opening a door I get a draw. If I test the draw ,by putting a test light first on the positve post with nothing on everything is fine. As soon as I open a door or any power funtion the light goes out. then I move the test light to the negative post and it comes on.I also clipped the test light to the negative post, then turned the ignition on. through the miracle of god I can touch anywhere on the frame ,engine bay, that light comes on.As soon as I find the gremlin I will be happy to let you know
September 8th, 2008, 06:42 PM
#6
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heh I have been watching this post a couple of days. My 66 Delta 88 is doing the same thing. Mine is acting like the main pos is grounded somewhere. perhaps down near the starter. also I have an aftermarket alternator. was wondering if the wiring for the old regulator could have been bypassed incorrectly. open wire = draw?? anyways I am watching hopefully and grasping at straws. If I find my gremlin I will post it. Gypsy
September 10th, 2008, 08:00 PM
#7
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well today I took apart my dash to get an easier access to wiring harness. Wow talk about a mess, someone bypassed at least 5 wires, after throwing up I have decided to replace the harness. I will try to get replacement for it,anyone have one or know where to get a good used one.
September 11th, 2008, 10:52 PM
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Bill,
That was the point brother. I haven't been able to find a straight answer about which wires should be "jumped" on a external voltage reg conversion to an internal. My car has a "rigged" wire jumping the 2 middle wires together. I saw a thread on another board where they said to jump the 2 middle together and then the 2 outer together. I also see that in older posts they keep asking if the auto has a clock.... mine does, though I don't know what that means. I thought it would be a hot wire grounding out somewhere and I would know where when I removed the fuses one at a time.... no such luck. I did order a shop manual on CD..... I think that will help.
That was the point brother. I haven't been able to find a straight answer about which wires should be "jumped" on a external voltage reg conversion to an internal. My car has a "rigged" wire jumping the 2 middle wires together. I saw a thread on another board where they said to jump the 2 middle together and then the 2 outer together. I also see that in older posts they keep asking if the auto has a clock.... mine does, though I don't know what that means. I thought it would be a hot wire grounding out somewhere and I would know where when I removed the fuses one at a time.... no such luck. I did order a shop manual on CD..... I think that will help.
September 12th, 2008, 09:41 AM
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from the other thread:
the clock is a current draw, it s/b a very small draw though. it was mentioned in regards to the "lamp draw test", as it would light the bulb being used.
there were 2 different styles of the 10dn alternator(externally regulated). one had the II connection on the rear of the alternator(earlier type 100). in about '71 or '72 delco remy switched to the 10dn type 200 which had the -- connector on the side, identical to the later 10si style. this was done to save costs. also the type 200 had the same physical case appearance as the 10si and shared some of the same guts.
for conversion to 10si/12si, you could use any of the methods mentioned above, or you could cut and splice the two wires from a 10si/12si equipped car. all you care about are the red(sense) and brown(field) wires from the existing vr wiring. if you upgrade to a higher output alternator-you will want to upgrade the output terminal wiring too.
also, i want to reiterate what olds64 said about the flammability of hydrogen sulfide-it is highly explosive.
bill
there were 2 different styles of the 10dn alternator(externally regulated). one had the II connection on the rear of the alternator(earlier type 100). in about '71 or '72 delco remy switched to the 10dn type 200 which had the -- connector on the side, identical to the later 10si style. this was done to save costs. also the type 200 had the same physical case appearance as the 10si and shared some of the same guts.
for conversion to 10si/12si, you could use any of the methods mentioned above, or you could cut and splice the two wires from a 10si/12si equipped car. all you care about are the red(sense) and brown(field) wires from the existing vr wiring. if you upgrade to a higher output alternator-you will want to upgrade the output terminal wiring too.
also, i want to reiterate what olds64 said about the flammability of hydrogen sulfide-it is highly explosive.
bill
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