Recently purchased a '64 F100 with a later model 351 in it (not sure of year, but it was fuel injected in a former life from all appearances) and am in the process of re-wiring it using a "It's-A-Snap" wiring kit (not the best one out there, but it works and I'm on a budget).

Here's my dilemma: So far I've wired up the headlights, turn signal/parking lights, water temp, horn, etc...), but I am at a loss as to how to wire up the batt, alt, distributor. My battery is located on the passenger side of the engine bay against the firewall, I have the positive cable running to the remote starter solenoid (large post on left side) mounted on the firewall next to it, I have another wire running from the opposite large post running down to the starter. I have the ignition swith starter wire running to the small post marked with an "s". My alternator is a modern one wire, currently attached to nothing, likewise, there is nothing attached to my dist.
1. Am I on the right track so far?
2. How should I wire up my Distributor and alternator?
3. Should I run my wiring harness main pwr wire to the hot terminal on the solenoid or straight to the pos. post on the battery?

Thanks

By the way - great board! I'm on a few others for my other vehicle and they aren't nearly as informative as this one.

 

Run the hot wire from the solenoid terminal, not the battery - less acid corrosion.
The distributor (points type?) is switching a ground to the coil (-) side, the coil (+) side has to come from the ignition switch. The run position to the coil (+) may have a resistor, bypassed in the start position.
The alternator will be feeding back to the solenoid hot terminal, but needs to go through the ammeter if you have one (series circuit). If you have a voltmeter, this runs in parallel (the alternator feeds directly to the hot terminal on the solenoid).
This is the basic electrics, and probably dated info, if you have more modern computer controlled stuff you need the correct wiring diagram. I offer it in hopes of helping you out, but you really should get a book on basic automotive wiring (Peterson used to have one), then you can be an expert! -I am not, I just have to keep my stuff running!
Good luck!

 

1: Yes
2: No fan of one wire alts. Bat terminal goes to Battery (thru amp gauge)
http://www.alternatorparts.com/what_...alternator.htm
Dist= points& condensor to - side of coil
+ side of coil to resistor
other side of resistor to ignition
resistor bybass for starting to + side of coil
Resistor may be built into harness (pink wire marked
do not cut or splice)
3: I think it would be better to attach it to the alternator Less messing around with battery terminalsand will make the gauge read right

 

The alternator power wire and the main pwr wire should meet at a junction block along with the amp. gauge wire. From the other side of the amp. gauge the wire goes to the starter sol. post where the pos. bat wire hooks. Best to use LARGE wire to connect the amp. gauge, it carries all the alt. output thru it on the way to the battery. A proper size fusible link is best installed between the alt. wire and the junction block to protect the circuit, and between the junction block and the main pwr wire. Let us know if the dizzy is points or electronic.

 

All true, but read very carefully! The junction block Putt talks about can be the positive battery cable connection at the starter relay. I know this is a compromise and the wires will get "busy" if you do it this way but it works. I like the GM Delco 85 amp alternators. Check out a technical article I wrote on this subject here in the tech section. I think the 85 amp Delco alternator is a three wire type according to the link posted by dbc. I call it a one wire setup and that may not be technically correct. My alternator has worked great for years and the idiot light works and thats all I use. Keep us posted as you go along! Let us know if you have an electronic or points type distributor.

 

OK,

Between the advice all of you have been kind enough to provide, the tech articles, and the wiring schematic that came with the wiring kit, I think I'm on track.
I ran an 8 gauge wire from the "batt" terminal on my alternator to the hot side of my solenoid. So, the hot side of my starter solenoid currently has the battery positive cable, the wiring harness main power cable, and the alt "batt" cable. The opposite large post has a cable running to my starter, and the smaller "S" terminal has the starter wire from my ignition switch attached.
1. Anything wrong so far?
2. I purchased a new starter solenoid tonight (the one on the truck looks stock, if you know what I mean). According to the instructions that came with it, I am supposed to attached my coil wire to the "I" post, and then through the ballast resistor and then to the coil (sorry, the coil wire originates from my fuse block). Does this make sense? Can't I run the coil wire straight to the resistor and so on?
3. I have an aftermarket voltmeter (going in a custom gauge panel in place of original gauges). The manufacturer recommends wiring it into the fuse block (not really sure where to do that with this kit). Can I run the wire straight to the batt terminal on the alt, or will that drain the system?
4. There is a 2 pin connector in the engine block next to the oil filter (still unsure of the blocks year, any suggestions on how to determine that would be greatly appreciated). Could that be a connector for an electrical oil pressure gauge? If so, How can I go about wiring up a mechanical style oil pres gauge (also aftermarket).

I apologize for my ignorance, up 'til now, all I have dealt with is GTO's.

Thanks

 

Blaster999, I'll try a couple of these:
1. So far, so good.
2> Didn't follow- someone else take a shot at it?
3. You want your voltmeter reading when you have the key on, not off -so find a "hot when key on" line to tie it to, the other side goes to ground.
4. You are looking for the oil galley fitting- should be some kind of sensor or switch screwed in there now. Unscrew it (motor off, obviously), and screw in one of the following - a tee fitting so you can run a switch for an oil light plus the pressure tap to the mechanical gage, the oil light switch alone, or the tap fittings for the mechanical gage. The other option, a sensor to run an electric pressure gage, is probably what you removed in the first place. The best, IMHO, is the light plus gage -the light gets your attention quicker than the gage, and if you loose oil pressure, you don't have much time to think about it.

Don't worry about being ignorant - we all are, just on differing subjects!

 

Number 2# The starter solenoid has two small posts. One trips the solenoid and engages the starter motor when you turn the key to start. The other small post provides 12v to the coil for starting (hotter spark). Some ignition systems need 12v during the start process others don’t. Those that don't need 12v during the start process have a ballast in this circuit to reduce voltage. When the engine starts and you release the key the switch flips to the run circuit and to whatever voltage your system needs to run, in some cases it is 12v Pertronix Ignitor, and in others its 6-8v points use this. The coil also affects this situation by being either internally or externally resisted. Tell us what system you are using, Pertronix, points, duraspark, mallory? Look on your coil it will tell you is it is internal or externally resisted. Resisted may be the wrong word? Its early! By the way I like Pertronix because it is 12v and simple as heck! I also use Mallory coils with an external ballast.

 

Mike : Thans for the tip, going to pull that plug next to the oil filter and swap in a new fitting. I wasn't planning on running an oil light, but... Thanks on the voltmeter confusion as well.

William : It's the original points set-up. I purchased an Accell p/n:8140 "Super Stock" Universal 12V coil. It came with no literature, but since it does say 12 volt all over the packaging and the coil itself, is it a safe to say I should run the wire from the "I" post on my starter solenoid? If so, do I run the wire from my ignition switch (it's a pink wire marked "coil") to the "I" post and then to the coil, with no ballast resistor? Or do I run an un-reisited wire just from the "I" post to the coil as well as the wiring harness wire with a resistor inline?

Thanks , gotta run and get some work accomplished on it today (took 2 weeks of vacation just to get it running

 

I would run a wire from the I post on the solenoid to the + on the coil. I would put a ballast in the ignition switch hot (Pink) to reduce voltage to the coil in the run position. Reduce the run voltage to 6-8v. This should get you 12 for start and six for running. I would also call Accell and ask about this coil. Ford used a pink resistor wire for ignition run. Is it possible that you’re wiring kit has this resistor wire? You would need a volt meter to check this out. When you get this truck running feel the coil to see if it is getting hot! Now, lets talk about the Pertronix Ignitor and how it will solve all your problems. Pertronix eliminates the points forever. This system runs off 12v ignition and start, improves idle, fuel mileage, hot and cold start. With Pertronix and a hot coil (you already own that), you can open the plug gap to 50-60 and really improve overall performance of this old Ford. Set your initial timing at 10-12 advance and forget about it. I’ve used Pertronix for years and never had a problem with it. Taking a vacation to work on an old Ford! I can so relate to that!