CJ-7 Overcharging issues!!! Help!!

Stephen Sr

New Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Location
Siler City, NC
Please, someone help me out here. My CJ (81 w/ str8 6) keeps overcharging. I think that I have everything wired correctly. I first thought that maybe it was the voltage regulator, so I went to put a new one in. Then I ended up putting another alternator on that came with a newer motor I was putting in. Still had the charging problems. Okay, I was back to the voltage regulator. I went to get one, and found that I was almost just as cheap to put a new alternator on. I put the new one in, and still have the same problems. I've looked over all of my wiring, and even added an extra ground wire. STILL HAVE THE CHARGING PROBLEM!! Ideas??
 
Not trying to be a smarta$$ but there is a reason why it`s called a v-o-l-t-a-g-e r-e-g-u-l-a-t-o-r.
Alternators are doing what they are supposed to do.....you tried 3.
 
In simple terms
An alternator creates voltage, thats what it does.
The voltage regulator tells it how much to produce, and when to.
If the voltage regulator is hung wide ass open, the alternator will ramp up until it will eventually burn itself up.

"Doing the same actions repeatedly and expecting different results is the definition of insanity"
 
If its still stock he has a Delco alt with an internal regulator so when he replaced the alt he also replaced the reg. Where are you getting your reading? If its a hand held meter where are you putting your leads? How many volts are you showing? Where did you put your extra ground wire? An over charging alt is usaly a bad reg or ground but you say you think you have every thing wired corectly. What have you done to the wireing? Is thet when the problem started?
 
Whose the dumba$$???

Fellas!!!??? I guess that I figured a Jeep guy was going to be the one responding and would realize that I did probably have the stock alternator with an internal voltage regulator? Okay, does anyone have a decent idea?
 
Problem start??

I haven't had the Jeep that long. The problem has been present since I bought the Jeep. I thought that the gauge was just bad, but after checking with a voltmeter, the gauge is reading correctly. The only thing that I have changed on the wiring is having added an extra ground wire because I thought that maybe one had been taken off over the years. It appeared that there was a spot on the alternator that was meant to be a grounding point. Alas, even with a ground hooked there is no change in the output.
 
What year CJ7?

Alot of the CJ's had a "ford" type external regulator that would be mounted on the the fender. if this is the cas then that might be your problem.

What is the voltage you have when the jeep is running?
and what is the Max voltage when you rev it up?



The voltage should not be more than around 14.5 max.

Why do you think it is over Charging? is the battery hot? or smelling like acid?
this could be a bad battery that is shorted and is drawing too much current. I had one go bad on my dodge and that was what happening.
 
there was a similar thread on another board a while back, here's one thing they had to say:

1 The regulator is bad.

2 The sense wire is disconnected or has high resistance - more likely in my opinion.

In a stock installation the sense wire is usually a short red jumper from the output terminal to one of the two spade connectors on the alternator housing. It's supposed to tell the regulator what the system voltage is. If it's disconnected the regulator will tell the alternator to run wide open.

A common modification is to run the sense wire to a spot as close electrically as possible to the battery. That tells the regulator what battery voltage is, which will be a little lower than the voltage at the output terminal.

The other wire on a spade next to it provides voltage to bootstrap the alternator when it starts running. It will run to the warning light, if so equipped, and then to the ignition switch.
Click to expand...

but in the end the guy found that his battery in his multi meter was low and giving a false reading. so how is it that you're reading your voltage again?

Check your batteries in your multi meter then check the sense wire and it's connections.
 
Give us some more info to work with.
 
Nope, not a bad cell in the battery, unless it went bad from the charging problem. It was a new battery (within two months old) that was performing well in a Cherokee that I decided to park. Battery still holds a charge well.
 
Okay, I didn't read all the way through the link, but a quick scan brings me up with a quick question. I do have an extremely long ground and hot wire on this Jeep. I don't know why the fellow before me put this on there, but could that be part of my problem? When I say extremely long, I'd say maybe 5 to 6 feet and I'd say 3 feet is plenty long on each one.
 
How many volts are you showing? Yes a cable with to much resistance could cause you problem.
 
I work in Tech support all day long and this is a common Question that for some reason people do not want to answer.

WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE?
 
Stephen Sr said:
Okay, I didn't read all the way through the link, but a quick scan brings me up with a quick question. I do have an extremely long ground and hot wire on this Jeep. I don't know why the fellow before me put this on there, but could that be part of my problem? When I say extremely long, I'd say maybe 5 to 6 feet and I'd say 3 feet is plenty long on each one.
Click to expand...

No

Just because your battery is new does not mean it is good.
 
Voltage is showing 16.4 on meter and just slightly over 15 constantly on gauge. Several different location checks with the meter show slight fluctuations of 16.4, but none lower than 15 and none higher than 16.4.
 
Drive the Jeep down the road, Turn on headlights (highbeam),
heater (high), Radio, an windsheild wipers. If its staying around
12 to 14 volts, I'd say there isn't nothing wrong. If an alt. is
overcharging going down the road you will know it immediatlly.
I've smoked a few. You wanted a jeep guys opinion I just give
you one. I've owned about 25 of them and off framed several
of the pre 86's. The first thing I do to every one i've owned
is convert them to 1 wire GM alt. and do away with all that
wiring.
 
+1on the GM, but not the 1 wire....
 
Are you taking your vvoltage readings at idle? Where did you hook up the extra ground wire? What gauge is it?I have 2 CJs in the yard with the Delco alt and they dont have a ground wire hooked to the alt.
 
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