Hey all, it appears I'm having problems with my charging system again. I have put in; new battery, cables, alternator, regulator. I've checked all my grounds. The only thing I can figure is the wiring coming from the alternator is incorrect. I've only got two wwires coming off the back of the alt, I think there is supposed to be three. Does anyone know for sure, and if so, which wire is the one that sends current back to charge the battery? My battery read 11.65 when I started the truck and I watched it go 11.64, 11.63, 11.62....you get the idea. Any ideas appreciated. Bill

'70 F-250 Camper Special 360/C-6, 3.73, 8 mpg uphill or down

 

I'm not sure of the hook up right now, but I do know one of the three is for electic choke and should be only 6V. I need to look at my truck when I get home for the correct wiring. Sorry.

 

I've had problems with the connector to the regulator. It gets a little corroded. It's hard to clean but I have to do it every so often. Check by wiggling this connector around. I can hear the alternator sound change when it makes.

1977 Ford F-100
400m/c6
280,000 miles
Stock on the outside
modified/rebuilt everything

 

I did the wiggle wire test with negative results. Ya know I just looked and I don't even have a wire running from my voltage reg. to my alternator. I'm thinking this COULD be my problem. (I'm pretty sharp sometimes.):-) Where does this wire go to on the alternator? Thanks. Bill

'70 F-250 Camper Special 360/C-6, 3.73, 8 mpg uphill or down

 

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I'm almost sure that it connects to what I have called the "starter soleniod". It's the first thing to the left of the battery if you view the engine from the passenger's side. Both the battery and the altenator connect to the same pole. You should get a better voltage (at least 12) off the altenator. I believe 14 is nominal. Can someone back me up on this, for Tam?

 

I have had this problem....

It was my IGNITION Switch.... There is a wire going into the ignition switch that effects the charging, mine shorted out somehow... I replaced the wire and now its FINE...

Good Luck!

Uzi... Yamaha Sleds, Honda Bikes, and Ford Trucks....

 

>Ya know
>I just looked and I
>don't even have a wire
>running from my voltage reg.
>to my alternator. I'm thinking
>this COULD be my problem.
>(I'm pretty sharp sometimes.):-) Where
>does this wire go to
>on the alternator?

That is most likely the problem. There should be an orange wire, or whatever color you want to add , running from the Field (F) terminal of the voltage regulator to the Field terminal of the alternator. This is what causes the alternator to produce voltage.
Also a black/red striped wire from the Battery(Bat) terminal of the alternator to the starter relay, large post on the side facing the battery. This is the charging voltage for the battery. And there could be a wire, white/black stripe, on the stator (Sta) on the alternator running to the electric choke.
An added bonus would be a ground wire from the alternator mounting bolt to the mounting bolt for the voltage regulator, this ensures that everything is grounded.
Please note that these are the factory colors and the wire may have been replaced. So your best bet is to trace the wires and make sure they are going to the right places.
Good Luck.

Sparky

 

Thanks for all the info. One more thing, if I pull the negative cable off the battery while the engine is running, it dies. I know this means something is wired incorrectly. Could the above post be the solution? Thanks again. Bill

'70 F-250 Camper Special 360/C-6, 3.73, 8 mpg uphill or down

 

 

>Thanks for all the info. One
>more thing, if I pull
>the negative cable off
>the battery while the engine
>is running, it dies. I
>know this means something is
>wired incorrectly. Could the above
>post be the solution?
>Thanks again. Bill

The reason it dies when you do this is that you have no more voltage. The alternator isn't producing any and when you remove the negative from the battery the battery is disconnected. Hence no voltage available to coil, no spark and then the fuel to noise generator (engine) shuts off

Sparky

 

If you read my past messages under jspegg in there is some help.I had to totaly rewire mine because somone (previous owner)had ripped the old out and put a chevy alt. on there.After many miss wireings I finaly got it right with the help of this website.There are two different ways to wire these alt. the difference depends wheather you have a stock alt. light or alt. gauge..If you have the gauge like mine the wire from the Battery side of your alt. goes to the left post on the starter silenoid the field post goes the the F on your Reg. and the A on your Reg.later goes to the starter silenoid also.Then you need the run a wire from your ignition switch to the S on your Reg.This allows you Reg. to kick in when you turn the key one and kick off when you turn it off.Make sure you have the right Alt. also I was buying new one's from autozone and they gave me the wrong one actually it was the right alt. just the wrong pulley.The pulley was bigger round and made my alt. set further in which my field post would touch the head when I tightend the alt. down which kept shorting out.So I went to Orilleys and they gave me one with a smaller pulley.Your alt. should set far enought out that the field post and Battery post on the alt. should be clearing the head.If they do not clear the head it not the right pulley.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-Jun-01 AT 02:33 AM (EST)[/font][p]thanks, I'll go check into it. Thanks for all the great info. as usual. Bill

'70 F-250 Camper Special 360/C-6, 3.73, 8 mpg uphill or down