tailpipe

worst case you can install a diode at the ce to make it work i have to do this with one of my cars due to a circuit board break on the back of the pod i'm also going to wire in a momentary switch so i can bump the alternator manually just in case

checkmate1996

...even if the resistor has 150Ohms marked on it??

I'll try this one tonight when I get home...thanks!

Landseer

I wonder why it says 150 ohms. Mine says 68, and I thought it would be the same for yours, based also on some reading.

Ducman82

do a delco conversion and be done.

checkmate1996

This IS a delco conversion!!

Landseer

Regardless, should still work. Sharkskin experimented with different ones IIRC.

I'm more wary of there being a wire break somewhere in the circuit, or a set of fused wires on the back of the CE. But you know as well as anybody that just about anything can happen on these cars, sometimes layers of problems affecting the same system.

WallyP

"With the ignition in the ON position, it showed ~.9v. I believe based on the other thread Alan posted this is the anticipated voltage in this state."

NO, I don't think so...

The following procedure, if followed exactly and in order, will locate the fault in just a few minutes.

With the ignition switch on and all pod connections made, the disconnected exciter wire at the alternator should read close to battery voltage.

With the exciter wire disconnected and the ignition switch on, there should be close to battery voltage at O8. If there is, the problem is in the 14-terminal connector.

If there is not battery voltage at O8, test at Z6. If there is not battery voltage at Z6, check at H8.

If there is not battery voltage at H8, check at H7. If there is battery voltage at H7 and not H8, the problem is probably in the pod.

With the pod connector in place, the exciter wire disconnected, and the ignition switch on, check for voltage on both ends of the resistor. If there is no voltage here, the problem is between the black wire at Terminal 1R and the resistor - check the connector, follow the traces and find the break.

If there is voltage at the resistor, check for voltage on the blue wire at Terminal 2R. If there is no voltage here, the problem is between the resistor and the blue wire on Terminal 2R.

checkmate1996

Landseer - Yes, the delco conversion had been working just fine (two years) - but like you said, after putting things back to gether and something random like this happens (especially when it WAS working for two days and then quit!!

Wallyp- Thanks a bunch for the that troubleshooting path. (That should be a sticky!! i will try tonight and post results.
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Side note: After I pulled my dash pod, I must have broken the 'white tab' on the original insertion because it just fell out as I unplugged the RIGHT POD 12 pin connector. I put some heavy duty epoxy on it to fix, but I'm holding out that it was possibly a connection that worked loose...
=-=-=-

checkmate1996

Ok after following Wally's diagnostic tree here's what I did:

Voltage at H7 (Black) - Terminal 1 on Right Pod Connector
No Voltage at H8 (Blue) - Terminal 2 on Right Pod Connector

next step -

Ran continuity tests on:
Term 1 and h7 - Check
Term 2 and h8 - Check
Resitor - Check (resistance also measured as expected)
Tracked the term 1/2 circuit on the circuite board - check

So it was clearly not getting power from term 1 back over to term 2 from the back of the pod. Why!! Well after all said and done, it was a loose connection on the term 2 after the tab broke.

I used some plastic weld to fix the white tab on the back of the gauge pod. Reconnected everything to make sure it was a tight fit and VOILA, juices flowed and EVERYTHING NOW WORKED!

And YES, the Exciter (disconnected from the alternator) at the wire should read 11+ volts with the ignition ON. Thanks for the correction!!

Me Happy Again!!

Thanks everyone for your help, suggestion and replies!!!