No power

[whitehawk759]

I have a GM style one pole alternator. It is also interesting that my Tachometer will not go past 2500 RPM. I fear I may have several gremlins running around under there. I only have two wires on the ammeter. One red main hot wire, where the short was, and one black wire. Should there be more wires?

[Jeffry Cassel]

The wire being hot indicates a lot of resistance and one would have to suspect that it is corroded and will soon go the way of Ceci's 62. Or catch fire! Just run another wire--it'll be safer.

[Mrs K Corbin]

If you have access to a Thermal Camera it will show you a lot. (fire depts use them)
What they are saying about a High Resistance connection at the point of connection sounds about right. A good cleaning will help, but make sure to pay attention to it for a while to make sure that it doesn't continue getting hot, as this may be a harbinger of more to come. Electrical gremlins can ruin your day, and burn down your car, etc. I nearly lost my 2R5 some years back due to a stuck regulator.

[tsenecal]

I just saw a thermal camera, on the snap on truck the other day. Probably too spendy, for an occasional use, but shops must be using them to diagnose problems, as noted above.

[TWChamp]

I bought my temp gun from Harbor Freight, and it works fine. I used it to shoot my Model A engine block and radiator in several places, and also to shoot my brakes and differential. On a day in the high 80's, after a 17 mile drive, the differential was only 97*.