65 slick with 352

So after adding AC, power windows, Electric Fan, new stereo, my old alternator just isn't cutting it.

drained the battery the other day on the way home from work...

I think I've figured out the whole AMP/Volts thing and how it all works. been spending a lot of time on wiring the past few months.

ALMOST THERE!

I could really use a little help with figuring out how to bypass the new voltage regulator I just installed. haha. (because I'm installing 1 wire)

I just purchased a 1 wire alternator from summit racing and plan on installing this afternoon.

Tuff Stuff Performance 7068RDP - Tuff Stuff One-Wire Alternators - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Sounds pretty simple. Just connect the wire from the Pos battery to the one wire post on the new alternator... BUT, bypassing the existing voltage regulator has me a little confused.

Mine has 4 wires going into it. If I remember correctly.

Can someone give me clear instructions on how to bypass the voltage regulator? what wire goes where? connects to what? etc.

I read what was already on here and did some searching online, but still a little hazy.

would be great if anyone has photos of the before/after..

much appreciated.

 

you may be better off posting this in the Electrical forum, but i'll give it a whirl.

i'm not 100% certain, but i think you can just unhook it- it won't be needed any more, since your new alt has an internal regulator. the wires between the alt and the external regulator can be removed. tape off the green wire coming from the ignition switch.

IMO, you're losing some functionality by going to a true 1-wire.
Catalog

 

All you to is run the wire from the alternators + post to the battery side of your starter relay.
Remove the regulator and tape of ALL THE WIRES SEPERATELY.

I have been using 65 amp GM one wires for years and love them. As do many others I know.

You may have to tap the gas after starting to energize the internal regulator so I hope you have a voltmeter for reference.

 

That sounds way too easy. haha.

It just seems to me that the original regulator would accept power from the alternator, regulate it (reduce) then spit it out the other end... now that the regulator is internal to the alternator, seems like that "spitting out regulated power" would have to connect to whatever came out of the original regulator... unless that was heading straight back to the battery pos...

Is that how the original regulator works? it regulates before sending to battery?

This baby is 100 amps! excited about that.

haha, the things that make me happy...

thanks for the info guys. I'll post photos just for sh_ts and giggles..



Yeah, I don't get the dash warning light, but I'm running a voltmeter so should be good to go.

 

Good read Rusty! Thanks for posting that.

 

Yeah, THANKS for posting that Rusty. sometimes ignorance is bliss..

 

Since the alternator has an internal regulator, take the external regulator off the truck and proceed to run over the voltage regulator; you do not need it.

Thats the whole ideer behind having an internal regulator. Because you took the old regulator off, you can now add one pound to your total towing capacity

 

Run a 8 gauge wire or larger from the New alternator to the positive Post of the Battery, remove all of the other wiring from the Voltage regulator to the generator. There is a yellow wire or in some cases green. coming from the ALT light on the dash you can hook it into the New Alternator if it has the hook up which is usually hidden under a black rubber seal on the back of the Alternator it will then operate your ALT light.. I just installed a voltmeter in the dash instead! Don't over think this it is very easy! ONE wire to Positive, and it will run great. Note: the one wire Alternators usually need you to bump the throttle when you first start the engine to engage the field, ie to make it send out a charge. so if you start your engine and it is not charging.. just rev it up a bit.. most kick in at about 1500 -2000 RPM I just did mine about 2 months ago... what a huge difference now with 140 amps, everything runs great! brighter lights, no low battery issues, cooling fans kick ****


Ps. there is a tech link on FTE on how to do the conversion!

 

Oh by the by!!! running the old regulator with the new internally regulated Alternator, will not work... you will be regulating it twice, in other words poor power output! and the Tuff stuff Alternator that you show is the 100 amp version of mine! I used a double belt pulley though, which was an easy swap!

 

Thanks Jet. I installed her last night and can definately see the difference. I just read your post, so I'll check to see if there is a warning light connection under that black cover. I was tempted to get that higher amp one you got, but decided 100 should be more than enough. I hope I don't regret that later!
Did yours bump up against the block a little too much? I had to wrangle mine in a bit as that little hump dead center in the back was larger than the orginal. it's in there TIGHT!

I'm tempted to redo my entire pully system this summer with one of those bad *** pully sets.. I mean when I pull the drive train to swap tranny... have a few little pesty oil leaks to address also.... anyhoo. rambling.

THANKS!

 

The Pulley sets can be a nightmare for the 352 Mine took a few weeks to get right, as I had to change out the Damper to a custom aftermarket Damper to make it work. Then I had to have some redrilling and Machining done ..... AAargh it was a major pain! As far as bumping the block, I found a longer bracket, that kept the Alternator away from the block. it is a Chevy bracket, and it did the trick.

 

My bracket is long enough... just needed a longer belt! I guess I should take my lazy butt to autozone and find a longer belt... I can't imagine the heat from the block is good on the alternator like that..

 

I'm also putting on a 1 wire alternator on my 78 Rat\chero. I just want to verify that I'm reading this correct. After hooking up the 1 wire alt. Should I run a 8 guage wire from my alt. to a fuse, to the selinoid then to the battery? Do I just tape up all the extra wires from the old alt. and same with the existing wires that went to the reulator???
Thanks