Lose voltage when in gear.

[stoweii]

Hello,
I have a 1974 Gulfstream with a 302 Ford Electric shift.
This spring when I took this boat out of storage I could not get it started to make a long story short I ended up putting A electroic point system into it.
timed it and it runs great until about 2500 RPM then it starts to miss.

I have put a volt meter to it and find it real strange that i have 13.2 volts until i put it into gear and then it drops to 2.3 volts but it stays in gear and does not slip or bang my question is is this an alterntor problem or something else.

 

[lonemust]

Re: Lose voltage when in gear.

Junk the ford and buy a chevy.LMAO No seriously pull the altenator and have it checked out. If it is good check the wireing.

 

[Glastron_V210]

Re: Lose voltage when in gear.

There is a quick check method for the alt.

With the leg full down, clip the voltmeter across the battery.

Note the voltage reading with the engine off, and no electrical load on. Start the engine and increase rpm to 2000-2500. There should be a corresponding increase in voltage. Mine usually moves from 12.5 up to a maximum of about 14 volts.

If the voltage increases, current is being sent to the battery...the only thing that can do this is the altenator. Any increase in voltage indicates the alt is ok.

If the alt checks out ok, start isolating loads one at a time if you can. Another way to do it is remove all the load, then add them back one at a time.

Chay

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lose voltage when in gear.

When you check the voltage, where are you checking it at? You need to check at the battery and at the coil. There will be some drop at the coil if there is a ballast resistor but not down to 2.3 volts...closer to 7 or 8. If there is a good battery voltage and you still see the drop at the coil, you have a resistive connection somewhere between the engine harness and the helm. Basically, you need to check for voltages along the path from the engine to the helm and back. Since the shift coils do take a bit of current, they are causing the voltage drop somewhere so you will have to measure all of this with the drive in gear.