There is a full field test for alternator that takes the regulator out of the test. It's in the shop manual, it puts the alternator at full output to eliminate it as suspect. I can't remember the wire you hook a jumper to so no guidance but it's in the book.

 

Good call.
The full field test is jumping the yellow wire to the orange wire. It puts full 12 V to the FLD terminal on the back of the alternator and causes it to put out the full output that it’s capable of.

that would at least confirm that the wiring to the alternator is correct and the alternator itself is functioning properly.

 

First thing, can't change title to thread..

Second, the white wire looking thing is actually a zip tie, only 1 wire going to the Black STA terminal. Just to clarify..an ammeter is the gauge that has D and C in it right?

I did disconnect the plug to Voltage regulator and we did have 12 volts to the I and the A and nothing to S and F.

Where do i go from here?

 

Yes, D and C for discharge and charge. That’s an amp meter, or ammeter.
If it’s still not working try full-fielding it as previously described.
mid it starts charging then it sounds like time for a new regulator.

If it doesn’t change anything then why don’t we try connecting the wires like they were originally.
That would be:
1. F to FLD as it is now.
2. S to “alternator exciter”
3. A to battery power.
4. I is not used.

See if that gets things going.

 

So...
I did the full field test and the alternator started charging. Figured the "new " (from China) regulator was bad. Found the old regulator that came with the truck when I received it. Installed it hooked it up and wallah it worked. Old regulator was charging at 13.29-13.89. Shut it off and then I was putting my tools away when I got a whiff of something smoking.. I looked down and the regulator was smoking. It was hot to the touch even with engine off( found out son left key in ACC). So question now is..

1. Should regulator get that hot that it starts smoking
2. Should (kwikwire harness #14 ) white wire be reading 12 volts with the key in ACC
3. Should I go buy "NEW" Regulator and from where? Who make a good reliable regulator?
4. Should I wire the way you recommended without using the "I" on the regulator?

Ok. Let me know. Thank you again. We are getting closer.
​​Nick

 

Ok. Here's how I have it wired currently
1. F To the FLD (WHITE TERMINAL ALTERNATOR)
2. S to the STA (Black Terminal ALTERNATOR)
3. A to battery
4. I to ALTERNATOR exciter (kwikwire #14 white to fusebox)

Question..
1. when I eliminate "I" terminal at regulator where should I put that wire?
2. What do I do with the current "S" terminal wire that currently is going to the STA on the Alternator?

Nick

 

No, an alternator exciter wire should never have power when the ignition switch is in the ACC position.
In a factory set up both the ignition coil wire and the alternator regulator wire are hot only when the key is in the ON/ACC position.
Otherwise what just happened to you what happened to everybody anytime you were just sitting there listening to the radio for an extended period.

With that in mind, you might just verify that whatever wire powers your ignition does not also have power when the key is in ACC.
This would be good to know so you don’t fry an ignition coil or module.

Just wanted to get that out there quickly. I’ll come back in a minute with regulator wiring in another post.

 

OK, back to the number 14 white exciter wire first.
Because it should never have voltage when the key is in ACC, you need to figure out why.
Does Kwikwire do theirs incorrectly, is your ignition switch faulty, or another possibility is that you connected some wires in the new harness to the ACC circuit rather than the ignition circuit.
Hence my previous question about checking for voltage at the coil.

Do that before you do anything else.

Now for the regulator questions.
First I don’t think 13.2 to 13.9 is optimum. It’s certainly charging but I don’t think it’s charging where you want it to be. That would be more like 14.5v.
Could be the old regulator is not regulating correctly, or it could be other things.
Maybe Ford wired differently for a reason.
We can go on that assumption for the moment, but later… 🙄

Even though your old regulator is probably toast, maybe it’s not.
Only way to find out is to fire the engine back up and see if it’s still charging at the normal amount. Check it quickly after you fire the engine up so that you know what’s going on.
If it’s charging at more than 16V, or less than 13v, it’s probably time for a new regulator.

When it all comes down to it though, I’m in favor of rewiring the alternator connector back to the way Ford had it.
When you do that and the I wire is unused, the existing exciter wire goes to the S terminal instead.
So instead of the S meaning stator, the S now means switched.
The order will then be:

1. F to FLD as it is now. No change.
2. S to White exciter wire from ignition switch.
3. A to battery. No change.
4. I is left blank.

Just make sure that the exciter wire has power only when the key is in on/run.
Otherwise you may run into the same problem as before.

 

I forgot to add that if you have an electric choke on the carburetor the stator wire is still used.
It’s now just a straight run from the STA terminal on the back of the alternator up to the carburetor choke.
No longer with a stator connection between the regulator and the alternator.

 

After seeing the smoke from regulator, i restarted truck and it was charging at 14.39-14.89.

Here's the link to wiring from kwikwire..

https://studylib.net/doc/18599971/kw...ruction-manual

We followed the instructions on page 10 for Ford alternator with external regulator. Let me know if you see anything different that I'm not seeing.

 

No electric choke. So do i eliminate STA wire from regulator and alternator use?

 

Here's another pdf version of wiring harness.

 

MOTORCRAFT FORD ELECTRONIC REGULATOR D9PZ-10316-A GR-540 Just my experience, but never had one fail. Have 3 78's with them as original equipment. If you do replace make sure genuine Ford part. I wouldn't hesitate to pull one from a salvage yard if genuine part.

 

Is this a good diagram to follow?

 

Correct. No electric choke, no stator wire.