Hello all, and happy Friday! My son and I are getting close to getting his truck on the road:



Where it had been siting for about a decade




After some polishing

It has the 223 in it with just over 30k documented original miles. The generator was shot and we're swapping to a GM alt (3 wire I believe) and I need some assistance getting the wiring right. Here what I have so far:


Mocked up and ready to wire


The red/black wire on what I have labeled as #1 will go to the starter solenoid. The red wire #4 goes to the same terminal as the red/black. The white #3 goes to the gen light on the dash??? See next picture


Yellow/black wire coming from gen gauge on dash


Going through firewall


Terminating at regulator. So, can I take this end and tie it into the white wire from the alt clip #3?


Also, what connects to the #2 post?


Would it be the large yellow wire that seems to be powering my fuse box?


It goes through the firewall here (top left)


And terminates here on the starter solenoid. Can I take it off the solenoid and run it to post #2?


Any help you guys can give would be much appreciated.

 

I'm no alternator conversion guru, but I thought the GM 3 wire was internally regulated.

So it doesn't get hooked up to an external regulator anyway. Plus, that is the mechanical type voltage regulator, designed for use with a generator.

If you do need an external regulator, probably want one designed for an alternator and definitely not a mechanical (points) voltage regulator. Ford went solid state by the 1970s. Like I said though, I don't believe you guys need an external regulator in the first place. But I dunno.

Be careful with the electrical draw, big honking stereos, spotlights whatever, while that alternator would provide at least twice the current capacity a generator will provide, the stock wiring harness will not. It's rated for 30 amperes. In theory too much current draw will start a fire. Generators are rebuildable and work fine within their limitations. Plus they don't look so out of place. To each his own. Though Jus' sayin'.

While we're on the subject of fire - make sure the heater box has been cleaned out, they will collect leaves, pine needles, nests and debris etc, great way to total truck. Always carry a fire extinguisher in the truck.

Finally sort of OT, but while I'm thinking of it also make sure both the hood latch, hook, and safety catch mechanism, are clean and straight and properly aligned and working smoothly and smartly, so as to prevent the hood from flying up at highway speed. Trust me, you do not want this. Oftentimes ruins hood, breaks windshield etc etc. VERY common problem with that era truck. I run a padlock through the catch, both to keep the hood locked when required but also to provide an extra margin of safety. Once you've had a hood fly up you'll never trust it fully completely ever again.

 

Thanks for the reply/observations. However, we're not planning on using the regulator for the reasons you listed. I would be bypassing it altogether, but need to know what wires go where on the alternator.

 

OK, in case anyone else is looking at this down the road, I way overcomplicated things. The bolt that was labeled as #2 is just a ground/bracket stud. So, I just took my 10 gauge wire from the positive on the alt and ran it to the battery side of the starter solenoid as indicated previously, but here's the final picture on that:



Removed the large yellow power wire that was going the regulator and added the 10 gauge red wire to the alt. (note, the cable to the battery is not connected at this time)



Also, as indicated before, I ran the white wire from the alt clip to the yellow/black wire that runs to the generator light on the dash. The red wire from the clip then runs to the positive stud on the alt along with the 10 gauge red wire.

Everything appears to be working as it should. I get just over 12v from the battery with the truck off, and over 14 with it on. Also, the generator light comes on when the key is turned to the on position, but then turns off once the truck starts, as it should. We were super happy to get it running for the first time with everything hooked up. It had sat for around 10 years, and we had only started it once about 8 months ago with just a little gas we poured in the carb. At that time the tank/fuel system needed cleaned. Now it's running on it's own power, and my boy and I couldn't be happier! I wish I could figure out how to upload the video of the first start and maiden voyage.