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New voltage regulator, now won't start?

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I have already replaced the ground wire that goes onto the stud on the alternator and grounds on the head right next to the valve cover. This connection that goes onto the clip right next to the oil filter has been broken since I bought the car 1 1/2 years ago. I can slip it on but it tends to slip off because the connection is broken.

I'll do the drain test on DC, the person in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXX8TfzRAKk&t=136s said to put it in amps. lol
 
That's the oil pressure warning sensor. I think you can re-terminate with an appropriate bullet connector to fix it.

I still say the alternator itself is blown.
 
DavePolyakov said:
I have already replaced the ground wire that goes onto the stud on the alternator and grounds on the head right next to the valve cover.

I'll do the drain test on DC, the person in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXX8TfzRAKk&t=136s said to put it in amps. lol
Click to expand...


Parasitic drain test= meter on amps DC. Anything more than about 20 milliamps (0.020A) would be high.

Voltage drop test- meter on volts DC- anything over about 100 millivolts (0.100V) on a loaded circuit would be high.

So to check the ground cable for the alt- run the engine and put a meter lead on the case of the alt- and the other lead to a good clean spot on the head/block. If you have 200mv,300mv, 1.5V, 8v, 12V! = you have a bad ground wire.

Those reman generators are junk. They can be bad right outta the box.

Again, I still can't understand why you have an intermittent no-crank. I am still not convince you have a charging issue either. I would find that little blue/yellow pigtail by the firewall and get a long wire and a male spade and practice firing off the starter (in park/neutral, wheels blocked, parking brake set just to be safe). It may even save you a tow if you learn how to jump the starter with just a section of wire to a 12v source.
 
Since I tightened the battery connections I have not encountered a no crank condition. My only issue now is my headlights only work on the bright setting and my radio doesn't turn on. I pulled out the Kenwood and all the connections on the back look good.

Should I see if there's voltage at the Kenwood when the car is on?
ZVOLV said:
Parasitic drain test= meter on amps DC. Anything more than about 20 milliamps (0.020A) would be high.

Voltage drop test- meter on volts DC- anything over about 100 millivolts (0.100V) on a loaded circuit would be high.

So to check the ground cable for the alt- run the engine and put a meter lead on the case of the alt- and the other lead to a good clean spot on the head/block. If you have 200mv,300mv, 1.5V, 8v, 12V! = you have a bad ground wire.

Those reman generators are junk. They can be bad right outta the box.

Again, I still can't understand why you have an intermittent no-crank. I am still not convince you have a charging issue either. I would find that little blue/yellow pigtail by the firewall and get a long wire and a male spade and practice firing off the starter (in park/neutral, wheels blocked, parking brake set just to be safe). It may even save you a tow if you learn how to jump the starter with just a section of wire to a 12v source.
Click to expand...
 
Yes, measure the voltage at the radio connector. To check for a broken radio ground wire, measure both the voltage across +12v and Ground pins on the radio connector, and then measure the +12v pin to a grounded chassis bolt head. I don't know what the radio connector looks like, but don't jam the meter probes into the connector sockets or you may damage the connector. Instead, just touch the connector carefully, or use a pin/needle and backprobe the connector.
 
DavePolyakov said:
Since I tightened the battery connections I have not encountered a no crank condition. My only issue now is my headlights only work on the bright setting and my radio doesn't turn on. I pulled out the Kenwood and all the connections on the back look good.

Should I see if there's voltage at the Kenwood when the car is on?
Click to expand...

Check for 12V, with low beams on, at large metal headlight relay pins on fender:
56b - wht-blue
56 - yellow
Each low beam bulb should have a black ground to body.
 
56-yellow had 11.95V
56b- wht-blue did not.

Before this issue started the right headlight wasn't working on low beam anyways. The left functioned properly on low beams and high beams but the right headlight only turned on with high beams.
For the first time in around a week, the Kenwood turned on. I did nothing. It just turned on. Maybe a weak ground? I'm not exactly sure.
johfraser said:
Check for 12V, with low beams on, at large metal headlight relay pins on fender:
56b - wht-blue
56 - yellow
Each low beam bulb should have a black ground to body.
Click to expand...
 
Do the high beams flash when you pull back on the turn signal stalk?

In addition to the high/low step relay, there's a separate cube relay that provides power for the low beams. Find the TP31054 '87 wiring diagram greenbook here (the headlights should be close enough to your '86).

From the sketch, it looks like the relay is just above the driver's left toe on the firewall. Find the correct relay and see if it clicks on/off when you turn on the light switch. You can also probe and trace the power wire to the step relay.

Even easier, check the low-beam voltages at the headlights - maybe they're both burnt out now.
 
DavePolyakov said:
56-yellow had 11.95V
56b- wht-blue did not.

Before this issue started the right headlight wasn't working on low beam anyways. The left functioned properly on low beams and high beams but the right headlight only turned on with high beams.
For the first time in around a week, the Kenwood turned on. I did nothing. It just turned on. Maybe a weak ground? I'm not exactly sure.
Click to expand...

Power on 56 comes from head light switch, so that is working. Power on 56b comes through the relay's normally closed (n.c.) contacts meaning the relay does not need to be energized. Remove the relay connector and check the resistance between those pins on the relay. You could also try jumpering those two pins in the connector to see if the low beams come on.

There is one other device between that relay and the head lights. The bulb failure sensor. Its located at the bottom edge of the dash on the left side. Looks like a round relay. Verify that it is installed.
 
If you haven't done it already. It's time to service the fuse box. Clean all the contacts with some QD electrical cleaner and replace any fuse that had white corrosion on the contacts. You can buy brass and copper versions of the fuses from most Volvo or VW parts suppliers. Beware the fuses that use white metal for the fuse strip. The corrode much faster and cause intermittent issues like you found with the radio.

The headlight that wasn't working probably has a bad bulb or dirty contacts. The high/low beam switching relay fails a lot as all the current for the headlights goes through it and causes the contacts inside to burn.
 
BTW that round connector for the oil pressure contact is supposed to have two little locking tabs on it. That's how it locks in place. The round plastic barrel splits and unsnaps apart and you can buy a new plastic housing for the contact from Davebarton.com.
 
Ok, definitely should have checked this first but the problem was my cheap h13 Led adapters from Amazon. The connections were loose and I tightened them and it's all good now. Still doesn't explain why the Kenwood randomly turned on today after refusing to for several days. Even though my voltage when I'm driving is ok I'm still concerned why two different battery testers at Oreilly said failed voltage regulator after I replaced it with a brand new one.

With my wipers on, the 12-inch subwoofer booming, the heater on full blast, and headlights on, the voltage was below 12.6. Can't say I'm surprised the alternator can't keep up with the subwoofer but considering I live in Seattle and almost always drive with my wipers, heater, and headlights, would I see an increase in voltage if I bought a new alternator?
 
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