I changed to a chrome 1-wire setup week or two ago (per instructions given here). Everything was peachy. I removed the external voltage regulator, looped the wires per the diagram provided. I added the pigtail to the alternator plug such that the F wire (large red one) connected to the rear post of the alternator and the other (white wire) connected to the old wire that went to the idiot light. Everything ws fine, until a few days ago.

I noticed on the way home that my headlights we on, but the switch was not. Also, they were on high beams, but I couldn't alter that with the high beam switch. However, the lights do go off with the key.

I went out to crank it over yesterday and had no juice. Charged it and drove it to work this morning fine. Alt putting out a bit over 12V on the gauge while driving. For good measure, I removed the + battery cable when i got here to make sure I had juice tonight.

Somewhere there is a voltage leak. I hooked my little voltmeter up the to things I've added (gauges, alternator, etc). Everything at the fuse panel seems ok (where I tapped in for the radio and gauges). I put the tester into the plug on the alternator. one side reads 12V (as it should since it is essentially connected right to the battery). The other side, with the key off, was reading about 2.5V. Is that right? Should there be any voltage making it across that plug without the alternator generating juice? I thought that only flowed when the voltage was being generated. If that is the culprit, can I siply remove the white wire to the idiot light or will the 2.5V drain continue even though that wire will just be bare ended?

Is there a best practice for tracking down a voltage leak? What do you think about the lights situation? Would that draw on the battery even though they go off with the key?

Thanks all!

I'm a little confused. The headlights don't turn off with the key. Are you saying your car does?

Sorry. The headlights stay on with the key on. I can't turn them off at the headlight switch. When the key is turned off, they go off as does the car.

Sounds like wires got mixed up. The key should not affect the headlights. Have they always done this or just after you changed out the alternator?

They key to headlight relationship started well after the alternator install. Everything was fine for a week or so, so I think the alternator install is ok.

To my amateur best guess, it sounds like either the headlight switch or the highbeam switch has a short somewhere essentially nullifying the switch(es) purpose and jumping live hot right by the switch.

But I'm here asking the question because that's only my guess!

The headlights will work even if you didn't have an ignition switch. If the carpet is easy enough to lift, try unplugging the high beam switch. The headlights should not work if you do that.

I will give that a try. Thanks

I changed to a chrome 1-wire setup week or two ago (per instructions given here). Everything was peachy. I removed the external voltage regulator, looped the wires per the diagram provided. I added the pigtail to the alternator plug such that the F wire (large red one) connected to the rear post of the alternator and the other (white wire) connected to the old wire that went to the idiot light. Everything ws fine, until a few days ago.

:confused: :confused: :confused: Are you sure you did the conversion correctly. The white wire is not used. Posted from http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref14.html

When you convert from the external regulator alternator, you no longer need the regulator that is mounted on the radiator support. You also don't need some of the wiring that is present in the loom.

The diagram below shows the original connection at the old regulator. (I'm sorry, but the wire that is colored yellow, is really white)

http://www.chevelles.com/techref/tr14aa.gif
The next diagram shows how you modify the loom at this location.
http://www.chevelles.com/techref/tr14ab.gif
Notice that the blue wire is jumpered to the brown wire. The white wire and the orange wire are just capped off so that they will not short out to anything.

This next diagram shows what you have to do at the new alternator.
http://www.chevelles.com/techref/tr14b.gif
The wire that goes from the "BATT" terminal to the #2 terminal is a new wire that you will have to add. You can use a 14 gauge wire.

The white wire (shown yellow) just gets capped off.

Sounds like you have something wired wrong. The blue wire (which is from the GEN lamp goes to terminal 1. It is hot with the key on and dead with the key off. Some chrome alternators are not marked for terminal positions. Terminal 1 is usually closest to the BAT terminal, heres a pic
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Alternator1.jpg

Terminal 2 is the sense wire and goes to the BAT terminal. If you have terminal 1 to the BAT terminal, then the alternator drawing power with the key off, draining your battery. Sounds like the headlights are a seperate problem.
Is there a best practice for tracking down a voltage leak?
To test for the drain, disconnect any clocks and radio with memory, with the car off and everything turned off. disconnect a battery cable and connect a test light inline between the cable and the battery, with a drain the light will be lit. You need to make the light go out to find the drain. Disconnect things one at a time till the light goes out. First disconnect the alternator and voltage regulator plug, then fuses at the fuse box.

yes start at bat. every thing off remove - ground touch to post if u c a spark or here u have drain start at fuse block take out one fuse check at bat again to see if spark it will be slight most times u can here it go back to fuse block put back use u toke out take out next one until u here no spark then u have narrow down witch system it is in when u get no spk with 1 fuse out u will know witch system to look in also u can put volt meter on bat. to see if u have drain

Thanks guys. I keep missing the replies here as I'm not getting the email notices of replies...I'll check why.

Anyway, I have not yet had a chance to dig into the tracking down methods offered up, but there is a new development:

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102341

As for the wiring at the alternator, I did have the #2 terminal connected to the battery post. I used the GM plug and added a ring fitting on the end and just attached it there. The WHITE wire coming out of the GM plug at terminal 1 was my main concern. On the original alternator, the #1 terminal was connected to the blue (I think) wire. I just made that connection with the new GM plug (white wire).

Question: should the #1 terminal on the new alternator be always HOT or only with the key on or only with the alternator charging...because it is always 12V hot key off or on. Does that #1 terminal (white wire in the GM plug as pictured above/blue wire in the harness) do anything but control the idiot light? Can I just cap the blue wire and the GM plug #1 terminal white wire? I have a voltage gauge in the car so I don't need or want the idiot light anyway.

I really appreciate the help folks