altenator conversion?

[tylers_62]

my generator just went out. and i was thinking of doing the altenator swap, but had a few questions. is the wiring hard? how much wiring is required? will the stock wiring handle it? and does anyone have a spare working generator they want to sell?

[Luva65wagon]

Can one assume that if the generator went out, you were driving it again and the rest of the car was running good again?

To convert to an alternator would be most easy to do if you get one of the one-wire alternators with the internal regulator. Then you would only need that and to find some brackets to mount it to the engine, which the local Pull-a-Part often has one or two in-line 6 cars passing through monthly.

As for the generator, unless the armature failed (shorted/open), the most common cause for failure on these is just the brushes -- which you should be able to get from any auto parts store.

And you are sure it isn't the regulator? Did you have the generator checked somewhere, or did it just stop charging and you concluded it was the generator?

[tylers_62]

it was running way better. i think the tank may need some attention soon, but the heet really helped. i turned it off for gas, turned it back on and the light came on. tested the battery while it was running and it wasnt charging, and i couldnt see any arcing in the generator like i normally do. i pulled it today gonna get it tested tomorrow. it was weird. can the brushes in these just get stuck or something?

[Luva65wagon]

Well the arcing just means it is doing some moving of electricity -- but that doesn't mean the regulator is good. They can bench-test the gen, so do that and if it checks good then get a regulator -- and follow the instructions to make sure you polarize it.

As for the brushes, they are being pressed against the commutator by "S" springs, which one of them could have broken and now one brush is floating, or the brush just finally wore down to a minimum where the "S" spring can't push on it any further (these springs come to a stop at a point so the brush wires don't wear on the commutator -- only the carbon brushes will) . Should be easy to see if you don't have the cover over that end any more... and you know what you're looking at. Testing it is free, so worth doing.

[doghows]

Tell us more on the one wire alternator?? I would like to do that on my ranchero. Got the exhaust done and now the bearing is growling on the gen.
I can make brakets, but what about the regulator as so forth??:confused:
P.S. No hijack intended...:)

[Luva65wagon]

Well, to save some typing, just go here:

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/faq-alternators.html

Also, Falconparts.com sells a one-wire alternator adapter, which I assume just screws on the back of a regular Ford alternator.

I've never done anything about converting to a one-wire alternator -- other than working on a few Chebbies which did this long before anyone else (I think).

Any alternator with an "internal regulator" is deemed a one-wire alternator... a big 10-gauge power lead going to it is the only connection.

[Nathan289]

You can also walk into any auto parts store and use a Gm alternator off a late 70's to mid 80s Gm product, buy the little wiring harness conector usually sold by dorman under the connect-tite and wire it to self regulate.. only problem is you usually have to rev the engine above 2000rpms to get it to kick on the alternator..

you then remove the voltage regulator and run one wire from the alt to the battery side of the starter solenoid..
or leave the regulator there and just run a wire from the alt to the starter solenoid..

I think I'm missing some of the steps..
but its another possiblitlity

Nathan

[Luva65wagon]

You can also walk into any auto parts store and use a Gm alternator off a late 70's to mid 80s Gm product,

GM stuff = Chebbies :p

[Nathan289]

You can use ford stuff too. it just requires more work. im all for conversions that require no special parts. i like being able to walk into any autopart store and buy my parts to fix my ride...

[tylers_62]

right on. i was about to order an alternator when my grandpa called and said he ordered a generator for me. hopefully ill get installed soon. thanks guys. alternator is definitely in the future though! thanks a ton guys

[Falcon13]

One of the better mods I have done, Get a 3G Ford Alt with the vbelt pulley, the plug can be purchased at any decent auto parts store. Its stupid easy to wire and its stock 130 amps internally regulated.

[Luva65wagon]

I've done two of these conversions to both my Falcons. Indeed, it's a no-brainer.