I know this isn't a car site, but I've been trying to register on a "Maverick.com" site, and can't make it work...Maybe there's some old guru's out there that can lend a hand on my son's first car, a 1974 Ford Maverick. Everything on the car is stock, including the old Voltage Regulator, and contact point ignition equipped 6 cylinder. She runs just fine, except when I put my digital VOM across the battery when the engine is idling, Im showing 12.13 vdc, with no increase in voltage with RPM. Switch the engine off, voltage across the battery shows 12.45 vdc. If you load her up, (headlights, heater, etc) with her running, she really drops, down to 11.5 or so, but I have no "ALT" light on (only in "acc" position), and the headlights are bright....Had alternator tested, it passed 3 separate times. Replaced VR, no help, all wiring good, and alternator receiving 12 vdc from battery...Now this is a simple machine that's kicking my butt, but we keep driving it, and she never fails to start. If you pull the negative cable off the battery with her running at idle, she will continue to run normal, but I get a healthy blue spark upon separation, a little too much I think. Seems something is pulling too much amperage, perhaps the coil? Any ideas appreciated...and no, I don't have a book for it yet...
