Hey Folks,

well, it's finally happened, after doing some test driving It's finally decided to smoke the wires on me.

This truck's been "converted" from 6 to 12v by a previous hack job.

Everything pretty much was working till now. In doing some testing, I
Noticed I had 12v to ground, I traced a few wires back to the voltage regulator and the left terminal is melted off, it smells burnt and seems to be the source of my short prob where the smoke screen came from.

I will try a replacement voltage regulator before I start ripping wires.

Anyways, did some searching around found a link to a site with some wire diagrams that may help me "fix" my current wires (I hope).
http://www.clubfte.com/users/earl/Re..._Material.html

What I'd like to know your suggestions on is these items:

1: any other good books/sources of wiring diagrams for a 51/52 ford v8?

2: if replacing the wiring, should I go Stock wire (like from LMC or Mac's)
or go with a other brand like (ex: Painless wiring)?

3: Should I add a fuse block to this vehicle?

4: wire it myself? I've read others have done this, as this truck is VERY similar to my 66 Mustang, which I suppose I could use as a reference for testing. Seems easy enough to trace wires and remove and replace with new as long as I know they are going back in the right places.

5: any good resources on how to convert from 6 to 12volt? Maybe I can redo this thing and fix it correctly.

With the fact this trucks' been altered to 12 v with an Alternator, the stock wiring would steer it back to a generator configuration, I'd have to fix that again and it would not include a fuse block.

The (painless) idea would give me new everything, with a new fuse block for safety, but I've never used their products or any others, only wiring I've ever replaced on the 66 Stang was reproduction "stock" wiring.

Ive decided to stay with 12 volts on this truck, 6volts, although I know it works fine I would rather go 12volt and do it right. (undo the hack job).

Would anyone have some suggestions/comments on what they did on their trucks 6 to 12 convert/wireing replacement??

This will be a bit of a project, I'd really like to do it right and once, this ol' Trucks trying to get back on the road again from sitting for 20yrs, I'd hate to disapoint it by parking it again...

Thank you all for your time & suggestions.

T

 

ya I'm looking to do the same thing. id like to rewire my truck w 12 volt set up. a harness from mid fifty looks pretty good and is cheaper than most and they say it comes with everything but light plugs. also I was thinking about a one wire alternation to get rid of the volt reg and clean things up. speedway motors has a nice ford crome one wire for cheaper. anyone have any thoughts?

 

Another harness option is EZwiring: Wiring Harness

I've done the 6-12 positive ground to negative ground conversion. It's not that hard. The one-wire alternator is the easiest mod you'll ever do, and works great.
If you want to make the conversion using original wiring, see this article: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/a...4&d=1307471855

I've also helped someone using the EZwiring kit. It's pretty straight forward.

 

Hey EffieTrucker,
Thanks for your reply, I'll look in to Ez wiring, hadn't heard of them but good to know it's a decent product.

I've heard of the 1 wire alternators, never installed one but like the idea of just 1 wire.

Any good sources of doing that 1wire alternator install?

Thanks again for the info,

T.

 

EZWiring harnesses are an excellent product, I use and recommend them. IMHO Painless harnesses are also good but 2-3 X as expensive to pay for all their advertising. Forget about using a stock wiring replacement harness or using an original wiring diagram if you want to continue to use the 12V conversion, since those would be for 6V positive ground and your truck is now 12V negative ground. If you want to just replace the wiring to accommodate 12V with the least amount of changes you could use a 56 wiring diagram since Ford began using 12V Neg ground in 56. But like the earlier trucks it still used a few circuit breakers rather than a fuse block and so doesn't readily accommodate expansion room for modern electrical accessories and electronics.
Single wire alternators use a built in internal voltage regulator so a separate one and it's associated wiring is not required. If buying one, be sure the output size is suitable for your needs.

 

Can't help you with the 12v conversion, but the laminated 11x17 wiring diagram from ClassicCarWiring.com has been a great help to me. Of course, as you say, it is the stock wiring.

Full Color Laminated Wiring Diagrams for Classic FORD Trucks

 

I am currently doing this myself. I am using the harness from Speedway motors. Its seems like a real good kit, even included a new highlight switch, dimmer switch and horn relay.

 

Included here:
http://www.clubfte.com/users/earl/Re...%20Information
is both the 12V and 6V stock wiring diagrams as well as a few detail diagrams. The 12V isn't printed in color, but a pack of colored pencils can fix that for a lot less money than 30.00 each, the wire colors are printed on the diagram.

 

hey Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions, I've done some business with Speedway already, got a nice door mirror last week.

I've come to the conclusion from where AXracer pointed me that the prev owner did not do the 12v conversion correct, it was probably done (guess) back in the 70's. they left the 6v start-solonoid and the 6v volt regulator in place, I think this may have been the culprit to my short all along.

Read up on powermaster 1wire alternators, their site was good about explaining "how" to hook it all up and understand it.
FAQ-Alternators

SO with all this up to now, I think I'm going to try to remedy the current harness with a 12v start sol, and a 12v volt reg and see what happens.
If it fixes my issues, at least I've got a working/running truck.

Plan b: the 1wire alternator REALLY sounds like the way to go, i'll remove the old volt reg and its wires from the picture hopefully eliminating the possibilities of more problems.

That is, as long as the pullys all line up!

Thanks again and stay tuned, I'm going to attack this on Saturday and see how far I get. My new belts are in from Napa so if I can fix the current stuff I may can do a test drive this weekend!

One KEY thing out of all of this is I'm actually learning what each component does and how it's wired, Ive never got this deep into the "how too" before.
I will be nice to remove the MF from all of this.

Yall be good and thanks again!
T

PS: HEY AX: I work with a guy that drives a bright yellow Honda s2000 named the Bruised Bannana! too crazy!
T

 

Speedway is a class operation. They host a competitors welcome dinner at their factory for our autocross national championships. I got to meet and talk with Bill Smith there. He also gave us free rein to his private museum, outstanding automobile and racing memorabilia collection packed into large 3 story building. Every piece has been restored to as new condition in his own restoration shop.

 

hey Ax, Sounds cool! I bet the musem was really neat too, i've never been to a autocross before. Sounds fun.

Good news, I have an update, my buddy Kenny (many thanks bro!) came by and helped me go over this wiring nightmare, well, we got it working, used the web links you pointed me to, along with my 66 Ford Mustang shop manual (for wiring charts for Starting and charging circuits) used a spare Mustang 'guage vibrator' for the 6volts to the guages, and found a diagram on the web for a Ac/Delco ford alt charging circuit.
It seems that the Prev Owner(s) 6 to 12v conversion wasnt even close to right, I replaced the Starter solonoid, Volt reg, and had to run a few 'missing' wires to complete the charging circuit. it's ugly but it works, I need to clean up some of the connections. (with better wire terminals).

the heater, WWipers dont work that's where the large resistor was "supposedly" to drop voltage (or amps) well, it was putting out 12V so I'm not sure what the heck the were trying there; it was a 100 watt , 1ohm resistor about as big as a cigar, V/R=I means 12/1= 1amp if I rem correctly but still12 Volts! Still need to remedy that part.

Also, the cloth/rubberized wires, look fine untill you touch some of them and they go "poof" and turn to dust, we had to use a lot of heat shrink tubing and replace the wiring harness for the guage lights with a self made one.
but not all of them are that brittle, good majority are regular plastic no cloth.

I found somthing I've never seen, the cigar lighter has a red light attached to it. Not sure if the bulbs 6v or 12v right now it's wiring broke off when we 'thought' about looking at it. the lighter is 12v, I've fixed it so the light socket would work (the wire to the bulb 'touchpad" broke off) now but I think this is an orig 6v bulb (not labled) soI didnt try it yet. It's bulb painted RED, I guess it's there so you can find the socket at night? new to me!

Well, we accomplished somthing, We figured out the 6 to 12 conversion, we have NO SHORTS, NO Amp Draws, Zilch, when the key is off, this trucks OFF.
First time ever (that I've seen) since 86!

But I think this fix will be short lived, I think a new wiring harness would be the best, safest path to go.
Brand's aside,

What do you do as far as the terminal ends? Kenny works on personell lifts and had a special crimper tool that actually "folds" the 2 ends of the terminal into a "double barrel" configuration and bites into the wire, like a factory crimp, very tight, he suggested i go for one of those tools and the correct crimps, because if we use the old common terminals and pinch point crimpers I'll have a issues from weather & corrosion/vibration.

Any suggestions (brands or where to get)on the terminal ends and crimp tools?

What have the rest used? (if nothing special, any problems?)

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, it was a big help!
Glad I got one major issue done for now, I can at least test this truck and figure out a restoration path.

T

 

Those "aircraft" crimp pliers are the best, but you'll need the split terminals to go with them. The more common staking type crimpers work OK if you take the time to be sure you stake the metal sleeve not the plastic insulator. I don't like the type that just smash the terminal. Unless you live in an area with corrosion problems crimping should be sufficient. If you are concerned you can solder the connectors or there are terminals with hot melt glue in the sleeves you can heat and seal water tight. finally you can use heat shrink tubing or liquid electrical tape to seal the connectors.
If you buy in quantity I like Waytek, their prices are so low that you can often buy 100 of an item for the price of a small pack in the big box DIY stores and share them with your friends. They are friendly and helpful on the phone as well.

 

I'm still plugging away at rewirng my truck using the Speedway harness. I had hoped to get it done this weekend. I came home from Texas this Friday night and picked up the bug so no work has been done. I'm only home for week and then its back to Round Rock again. Any way for all the connections I've made, I cut the wire to length, leaving a loop then tin the end with my soldering iron, crimp the connector then hit the connector with the soldering iron. I think this makes a pretty good connection.

I used an alternator that for a late 70's Camaro, it lined up real well with my exsisting location, where the generator was and I was able to use the same fanbelt.

 

Hey Ax,

Thanks; that's what they called? Aircraft crimps? I've heard of them before, wasnt sure i'd ever seen em in person. They do crimp real good.

I'll check around and see what I can find, if no luck, solder and crimps, and heat shrink (or liquid tape) would probably be fine.

My buddy that reccomended them to me obvioulsy does these type crimps so much he can do them asleep and upside down! From his experience he says they are the best, and closest to factory style crimp quality.

In any case, we'll see how it goes. If I cant find them, gotta use what I can and do a good job with em.

Hey Dennis, sorry you're feeling ill, it sucks to be sick and have nice weather, dont worry the o'l truck will wait for you to feel better.

Take care yall

T.

 

HELLO ALL-I installed a pair of the ford trumpet style horns under the hood of my 1951 f1.The horns are 6v,the truck is 12v. I did the horn adj @ bench--LOUD.I tried the wiring trick, thru one horn to the other,reduction of 80-90% sound [NG]. When I hit the horns with 12v after mounting them under the hood they sounded louder than they did @ bench test. Any suggestions please as to reducing volts?/amps? to tone them down so I can use them & not burn them up??