My alternator gage started flickering with lights, radio, blinkers, brakes, etc... I drove it the other day and after a quick stop the battery died. I got a jump and it ran fine until I shut it off again... Went to start it up again and the battery was dead. I changed the alternator but the gage is still flickering. Any suggestions or good troubleshooting tips. Its a 69 coronet super bee clone.

 

If the battery and the alternator are both proven good then try the voltage regulator.

 

Gauge fluctuating, I'd say voltage regulator or a loose wire in the system. When the car was jump started, did the gauge go all the way up into the charging side?

 

Also check for a loose wire on the back of the gauge

 

Alternator is solid, battery is also strong, I just changed the volt reg and the problem continues... after a few seconds of running I noticed the new volt reg was smoking. The alt gage will go from dead center to all the way dead when i put the headlights on. Thanks for the help.

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I'd start looking at grounding problems, is there a ground strap from the rear of one of the heads to the body, usually the firewall near the blower. Check the headlight switch harness and see if it or the switch is burnt also. I've had those plugs melt away from water getting thru the wiper pivots and shorting out the switch.

 

Yup, sounds like a short. I have a problem in my taillight assemblycausing alt. gauge fluctuations when I hit the brakes.

 

Yea the wiring is real poor on this car... I need to find something that ties everything together thats making the gage fluctuate. It seems like everything electrical is making the gage jump. Any clues on what might cause all these things to make the gage jump.

 

First things first, check all the major grounds starting with the battery. If your battery ground doesn't have a second wire that goes to the radiator core support or another solid metal part you may want to add one for better grounding than just the main one that goes to the engine, my RR has one. Since your headlights seem to have such a profound effect on it, you should then go to the headlight switch and the headlight wiring harness.