I have an '83 with the 318 in it that is having charging problems. Already replaced the alternator and it didnt help, swapped batteries, that didnt help either. I think it may be the voltage regulator or possible a bad re-man unit. Does anyone have some insight for me? The car will die once you pull the battery off while it is running. Thanks for the help!

 

Hey, did you ever find out what the promblem was because I have just recently bought a 1979 Cordoba and I'm having the same problems and have went through buying a new voltage regulator, alternator, battery, and have checked all the fuses, just for it to still drain the battery.

 

(This thread is 15 years old......)

"The car will die once you pull the battery off while it is running."

"I'm having the same problems..."

In order for the alternator to continue to charge, there must be current flowing through the field coils. This current comes from the battery. What you are describing is exactly what should happen when you disconnect the battery while the engine is running. Why would you want to do that, anyway?

 

Oh no, sorry for the confusion what I meant is that my car can sit overnight with a fully charged battery and by morning the battery has less than 7 volts and needs to be charged and can be jumped off just to die while running.

 

Assuming the battery is not shot, you have a short somewhere. Disconnect one of the battery cables and hook up an ammeter or a test light between the cable and the battery post. Then pull fuses one at a time until the light goes out or the current stops flowing. The short will be in the circuit controlled by that fuse. Check the components on that circuit and/or the wiring of that circuit to find the short. If you proceed with patience and logic, you can find the problem. In a car that old (over 40 years) there cold be a problem with a wire rubbing against metal somewhere causing a short or maybe somebody put in an aftermarket accessory and it's failing.