Dancin' amp gauge...

[justaZcarguy]

Hello All....

On my '73 the amp gauge has always jad a slight flicker to it. It has been there ever since I have owned this Z which is about a year now. The car wasn't driven for about three months but now that I'm have been on the job search I drive it a bunch. It kinda comes and goes...not talking about days here, it will stop for a few minutes at most then return.

Has anyone ever tackled this problem? I just put a new alternator in it, the '74 needed one and I put the new one in the '73 and the operational one in the '74. Which by the way is a whole new post that will follow this one...

Anyway, I need advice on this bouncy amp needle...

Thanks!

~Brian

[24OZ]

You could have a bad voltage regulator, if you have some powder stuff on the battery it would suggest its overcharging and needs to be changed if a sealed unit or adjusted if its a mecahnical one.

[Daniel]

I'm not sure you have a problem at all.The amp gauge should bounce a little but,just because it isn't bouncing doesn't mean trouble.Putting a load on the battery by turning on lights,heater fan or turnsignals should make it dance toward positive.Does yours ever go neg?The new alt. could just be giving new readings.Why do you think you have a problem?

[justaZcarguy]

Well I've owned several Z's and have never seen this. It's not just shifting to the right or left upon power demand, but flickering most of the time. About a quarter inch total.

In my '74 it's as solid as a rock and it has the alternator from the '73. The new alternator in the '73 didn't change a thing.

Thanks for all help...

~B

[Ed]

My 73 did the same thing. It slowly got worse. I also had some white powder developing on the battery terminals indicating an overcharge. A new voltage regulator took care of the amp guage.

[justaZcarguy]

Thanks sir, I'll give it a shot!!

~Brian

[zoom240]

I have a 260Z that was plagued with electrical problems. The amp indicator danced around. After replacing both the voltage regulator and the alternator, it was rock steady. I've been told by a local Z mechanic that the meter's not that accurate, but that the charging light was a sure-fire indicator of a problem. If you have the red charging light flickering, then you have an intermittent short (which I also had to chase down). In any event, it never moves now...

[Daniel]

In the connector that attaches the voltage reg. to the wiring harness there is a white wire.When that connection fails or become poor/intermit it causes your system to overcharge.Make sure you have continuity thru that connector.Also I would suggest replacement of the volt reg rather than the adjustment route.I say this because I have never been successful at that.You can do alot of damage if not correct. Havefun!! Daniel

[24OZ]

If you have a mech. Volt reg then adjustment can be performed fairly easily with the Haynes Manual.. Give it a go but as Daniel says replacement will always be easier!

If it is a sealed unit you can only replace it.