[Amc-list] Re; volt meter needle jumping around

["John Elle" <johnelle@xxxxxxxxx>]

SNIP
have a '69 Scout that has a weird quirk: the volt meter needle
bounces all over the place.
I put a new alternator on a year ago, but the bouncing occured 
before the replacement.  I've never replaced the voltage regulator,
 which is original
Ideas on what to check? 
Snip
If this was mine, the first thing that I would do is to obtain a 
test volt meter. If you do not have one and live near a Harbor 
Freight out let, they carry a Digital Voltmeter for about $5.00,
and investment well worth making. A Radio Shack may carry
something cheap too!.
Your dash board voltmeter should be measuring across the 
battery terminals (via your wiring harness and assorted 
connectors or connections. I would  try to find out if the reading
you are getting on your dash board meter is really a problem 
with the electrical system or just a bad meter. I would do this
by reading the battery voltage across the battery terminals 
to see if it is doing the same thing as the dash board meter. 
If the voltage across the battery as measured with your test 
meter is stable you could assume a loose connection at a 
plug such as a fire wall connector or a ground connection some
where in the wiring to the dash board meter, or in fact any 
connection related to going to the dash board meter. 
I might also remove the wiring from the dash board meter
and plug the test meter in to that wiring, if the reading is 
stable at the wiring, than it would sound like the meter is 
bad. If the reading bounces at the wiring to the meter, then 
the wiring could be bad (loose connections at plugs etc.)
If the reading bounces around no mater where you measure 
it, then the voltage regulator could be defective right along. 
 
 
 
SNIP
 I could check with the Scout guys,  but they're not as nice as
 you guys!
SNIP
 
Wow! The Façade works, normally most of us are closet 
grouchies!
 
SNIP
Requisite AMC Content:
SNIP
 
If you would like to talk to us more often you could;
1. Pretend your 304 is really an AMC motor or 
2. I would be willing to take the Scout in trade for 
a Hornet that has a real AMC 304 in it. 
 
Good luck 
John
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