1971 Javelin AMX rally gages

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Hope this is the right place for this question.

I have had my 1971 Javelin AMX on the road for 4 years now and I have not had any trouble with the charging system.  I disconnect the battery when it's sitting between drives and starts great even after 2 weeks.

Lately I've noticed that when I'm at a traffic light and the RPM's are around the 600 RPM range the amp gage swings to the minus side around 30 35 on the gage.  I drop the automatic into natural at around 1000rpm the gage goes right in the middle.  Kind of where I understand it's suppose to be.  When I take off and the rpm's climb the gage swings over to +35.  Like the extra rpm's are putting a charge out.  So this must be good?  

I was hoping someone with a 1971 Javelin AMX with the rally gages and has been driving theirs with no charging issues could confirm if their car has the same gage readings.  Or should I be looking for some issues with the voltage regulator?  When I took it for a night run the lights and headlights were strong and don't dim with a rpm change, as I understand that is a sign of a charging problem.

Maybe I'm just a worry wart?

Thanks
Steve

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71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 1971 Javelin AMX rally gages Posted: Sep/30/2015 at 7:25pm
	Hope this is the right place for this question. I have had my 1971 Javelin AMX on the road for 4 years now and I have not had any trouble with the charging system. I disconnect the battery when it's sitting between drives and starts great even after 2 weeks. Lately I've noticed that when I'm at a traffic light and the RPM's are around the 600 RPM range the amp gage swings to the minus side around 30 35 on the gage. I drop the automatic into natural at around 1000rpm the gage goes right in the middle. Kind of where I understand it's suppose to be. When I take off and the rpm's climb the gage swings over to +35. Like the extra rpm's are putting a charge out. So this must be good? I was hoping someone with a 1971 Javelin AMX with the rally gages and has been driving theirs with no charging issues could confirm if their car has the same gage readings. Or should I be looking for some issues with the voltage regulator? When I took it for a night run the lights and headlights were strong and don't dim with a rpm change, as I understand that is a sign of a charging problem. Maybe I'm just a worry wart? Thanks Steve

FuzzFace2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356	Post Options Post Reply Quote FuzzFace2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/06/2015 at 8:22pm
	Why are you unhooking the batt when not using the car? If the batt was hooked up would the batt be dead when you went to start it say after 2 weeks? I never liked amp gauges. Last time I seen one was in a 68 Dodge van I used in high school and the gauge may have gone to the - side only a few amps not 30 to 35 amps at idle and that was with everything (heater & head lights) turned on. What do you get for volts at idle with nothing on, at 2500 rpm with nothing on then the same test with everything turned on. Dave ----
	TSM = Technical Service Manual 75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car

Fluffy73 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Nov/21/2007 Location: Castlegar, BC Status: Offline Points: 3059	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fluffy73 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/06/2015 at 8:59pm
	Well, that is sort of normal operation for an ammeter. But you shouldn't be seeing a full discharge of 35 amps at a low idle. That's excessive. My humpster, at a low idle with the heater, lights, defroster and radio on might show a discharge of about 5 amps. But, that springs right back to +5 the instant she's off idle and settles down to the neutral mark after a few seconds. If it's a nice day and I'm not using anything, at a low idle I might show a slight discharge.
	I am genetically incapable of being Politically Correct.

FuzzFace2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356	Post Options Post Reply Quote FuzzFace2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/07/2015 at 8:15am
	Fluffy, I would say that is normal as that is about what I remember the van doing. That 30-35 on the - side is not good but than again with no other testing, seeing what draw there is on the batt. when off it could just be (hope) it is a bad gauge. As for checking for power draw remove the neg. batt cable and place a test light between cable & batt post. With everything off doors closed does the test light light up and if so how bright is it? You my have a dim/glowing light because of clock or if new radio installed the radio pulling power. To see what is pulling power pull 1 fuse at a time till the test light goes out. If the light is real bright pull the fuses 1 at a time to see if that makes it dim. If not you will have to do more digging to find the cause. Dave ----
	TSM = Technical Service Manual 75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car

71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/07/2015 at 11:44am
	Guys: Thanks for the tips to find a possible electrical leak. Orignal radio and the clock has been converted to the crystal conversion. I guess I have always reremoved the neg cable during the time that I'm not driving the car as a safety and longevity issue. I said I've had this batter for 4 years and during the winter I disconnect both cable and hook up a battery tender. At first the light is red, but it doesn't take long (overnight) and it's green. I leave it on for the rest of winter usallyl November to May. We have long winters here in Minnesota. So the gage could be failing or I have a draw that would make the reading in the minus 35 range? Just to clearify the pointer is where the blue line is on the attached picture. If the headlights and dash guages don't dim, would that indicate that the gage is problably bad? I'll run the test that Dave outlined and check it out. Thanks for getting back to me in this. Steve

71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/08/2015 at 9:26pm
	Dave: Did as you said. Hooked up the test light on the removed neg. battery cable and touched the other end to the neg battery terminal. Doors closed no other draw that I could see. The clock sweep second hand was moving. The tester light did not come on. I opened the drivers door and the overhead light did not come on and the clock stopped running. However the tester light was very bright. I closed the door, the tester light went out and the clock second hand started up. Looks like current was going to the system, but just enough to make the clock run? The overhead light did not come on when the door was open. What's your thoughts? Like I've said everything runs great. Steve

FuzzFace2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356	Post Options Post Reply Quote FuzzFace2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/09/2015 at 8:12am
	I would say that is normal. The more draw on the batt. the brighter the test light will be as you found out. Just the clock is a low draw and no test light. Door open more draw and bright light. With everything off and no draw I would keep the batt. hooked up but that is me. I would now do a voltage test Batt. hooked up: motor off voltage @ batt. motor on @ idle nothing turned on voltage @ batt motor on @ 2500 rpm nothing turned on voltage @ batt motor on @ idle everything turned on (headlights/heater/radio) voltage @ batt motor on @ 2500 rpm everything turned on (headlights/heater/radio) voltage @ batt What do you get? Dave ----
	TSM = Technical Service Manual 75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car

71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/09/2015 at 8:24am
	I'll do it this weekend. How should I connect the volt meter, or in my case I have a RAC home engine anilizer that I brought brand new back in the 70's. Just a small hand held unit that has a knob to read either low rpm, high rpm checks, dwell, and volts. Steve

71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/13/2015 at 9:51am
	Dave: 12.6 with motor off and battery hooked up. Weather has been crappy. Hope to take it out tomorrow and will get back on the other numbers. Steve

71 Javelin AMX O.O. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/29/2008 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 655	Post Options Post Reply Quote 71 Javelin AMX O.O. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/14/2015 at 4:20pm
	Dave: Did the test this afternoon and got some good numbers. This is with the battery hooked up and after a 20 mile run: volts 12.6 motor off voltage at battery 14.0 motor on @idel nothing turned on 12.6 motor on idel everything turned on 14.0 motor on @ 2500 rpm nothing turned on 14.0 motor on @ 2500 rpm everthing turned on I did check the amp gage during my ride and it swung more to -18 and +18 than what I thought before around -35 to +35. It stayes in the middle when in park and ideling. I still get a very strong starter after 7-10 days of just sitting with the neg cable removed. I did have the alternator rebuilt and the guy said it was a putting out more than the stock amps. It's the black lable Motorola alternator. 50 amp? Not sure? Can't remember. Let me know what you think? Steve