hi guys my 1974 ford f100 factory in dash ammeter dont work , never has .im tired of ir i want to put a after market ammeter gauge, under the dash this truck has the origanal alternator ,regulator, whats the best and easiest way to do this, thanks guys

 

The factory ammeter is simply a shunt-style ammeter that is not designed to move under normal operating conditions and is essentially just for show. If you really want a useful tool to monitor your charging system, you should install a voltmeter instead. Because voltage is what the voltage regulator cares about, you should monitor voltage in the first place. An ammeter only gives relative charge information and is much more tricky to install properly. Aftermarket voltmeters are readily available at almost any parts store; they're often sold in a 3-gauge set (oil, temp, volts) or by themselves. They are very easy to install and instructions are usually included.

 

The gauge more than likely "works" you'd just never know it by the very minimal needle deflection...

Ford Ammeter Gauges: Do They Work? | MILEPOSTS Garage (Tech Tips)

 

Ditch the ammeter and have the factory gauge converted to a voltmeter

Rocketman's Classic Cougar Innovations

 

i reacently i bought a volt meter but there where no istructions would you no how to wire it thankyou

 

i reacently bought a yolt meter but no instrucions would you know how to wire it ?

 

The voltmeter itself has two wires, signal and ground. The signal wire goes to any switched and fused 12-volt source; the radio power wire (YELLOW with BLACK stripe) is the perfect location. Do not install it on a circuit that draws heavy current (like the heater controls) because it will affect the reading. Ground can be taken anywhere there is a good ground, such as bare metal behind the dash.

If the voltmeter has a lead for illumination, use the BLUE with RED stripe wire behind the dash as this is dash illumination. Both of these signals can be borrowed from the small GREEN female radio pigtail in the center of the dash.

 

boy thanks a bunch , you made it so simple . when i start it when cold it reads 17 volts is this about what it should be .wonder if my starter is drawing a lot of juice its -2 here is their anyway to check the draw on the starter myself. thanks again

 

17 volts is too high. You should never see more than about 14.5 volts, and that's under lightest loading conditions (no lights or accessories on, transmission out of gear, etc). Either your system is overcharging, or your voltmeter is off. The most common reason for overcharging is a bad voltage regulator. Another possibility would be a short in the wiring to the field input of the alternator, or an improperly grounded regulator. I would check what your voltmeter is telling you with a handheld meter to be sure.

Why do you think the starter is related? Issues with the starter would only decrease the voltage and only show up while the engine is cranking. There is no way to safely monitor the current drawn by the starter (it can be 200 amps). Sometimes it's useful to look at how much the battery voltage drops when the starter is engaged, but the starter draw is only one piece of that measurement. It's a moot point because it's not related to what you're seeing.

 

i guess the reason i thought the starterwas pullin hard was i replaced the engine awhile back i put a 410 mercury in it i bored it 60 , and balenced it and put in a 428 polce interceper cam well it always seemed like it cranked hard its the starter off the origanal 390 it cranked that all right but i noticed if the battery is full charge if you crank it a little and put the booster on it it will charge 35 amps , my battery is new , thank a bunch

 

hi i should have mentioned the other day i took that starter off my 74 , the feilds where bad ,the end bushing {drive end} was gone .fixed that spins way better now thankyou again for all your help