LOTS and lots, chrome, plain, etc... do a search here, there are part numbers even in threads.. napa has the cheapest one from what i know
thank god i tryed to go to advanced and auto zone and the idiots were trying to tell me no one makes a single wire alternator its impossible...its like trying to explain how a snow globe works to a bus full of retards
Like me the othernight at autostoned. As soon as I come in, the guy behind the counter RUNS over to the computer and asks me what I need. "Autolite 216 Sparkplugs" I tell him....then it started...... Hahaha, man o' man.
Isn't AutoZone just great!!! LMAO...I needed a bolt to hold on a harmonic balancer...I dunno why...but I called AutoZone to see if they sold them...the dip**** told me he did not understand what I was talking about and asked if I could come to the store and draw a friggin picture for him.... AutoZone will hire any D.S. off the street..
I am glad to see that we don't have all the idiots working in our Autozones and other parts stores. It is amazing though how many of these people just don't know what simple things are. No common sense anymore.
i am almost positive that a major requirment of working at an autozone is to be mildly if not completely retarded...when asking the intelligent man at my autozone where the br*** fittings were and some teflon tape were...he looked at me puzzled for about 3 minutes then took me to the exhaust pipe section and showed me some honda muffler tips, and then tried to convince me that duct tape would work better than teflon tape...so in stead of using br*** fittings and teflon to make my oil pressure sender unit work, i took the knowledgable advice they gave and used a honda muffler tip and duct tape. -ryan "what does v-i-c-t-o-r-y spell?" "...fandango? ugh, hobocamp, yea hobocamp!"
It's not just Autozone. I answered an ad on Craigslist for a Pontiac engine. I replied and asked where the engine was located as the phone number was from North Dakota and it was posted on the Minneapolis Minn. Craigslist. Here is the reply I got back: "The engine is still in the car, its parked at my moms."
I don't know what year it starts, but any late 90's gm alternator will work as a one wire, you just have to run a jumper from the hot post to one of the pig tail leeds (i belive the one furthest from the hot post). In addition you can also order the emergancy vehicle version that's a higher amp. I expect that kind of stuff from Autozone, Kregan, Etc... But when you go into the real parts store and you get it those guys should be fired on the spot.
By now,having read all of this post, you must know that they are available at most every auto parts store. Gm, Ford and Mopar all have used them. The problem with going into a chain auto parts store is that the " partspeople" behind the counter have no real knowledge of parts and are going of off questions asked of them to find parts for you on their limited menu computors on their side of the counter. Most all customers who come into a parts store have no knowledge of what their car is--model, make or any other information. They just know its broke or not running right. As a parts person, you are supposed to know not only whats wrong, but what to replace to fix it and where it goes for several years worth of cars from the '50's to 2008 and beyond. Want to help? Know what its of off and anything else ***ociated with it. Don't go in asking for a whatsit just because you saw it on something and think its cool. Long rant sorry.
Makes you really appreciate the good parts guys. The guy that not only knows exactly what you’re talking about no matter what make or model but also knows a trick to "getting that part out without ****ing up that other part" and half the time seems to have the part number memorized (I can barley remember my own phone number).
I have always just asked for a G.M. three wire. One wire to the battery, one goes to the dash light and the other to the coil, unless your running h.e.i.. Is there a simpler way?
am I reading this right? you go from the alt to your dashlights & coil? Thats wrong. Your battery cable should go to your starter solinoid, then (from the same post) run a wire to the ALT, thats it for the ALT hook up. Off that same hot term**** on the starter sol. run a hot to your ignition switch then from there you run to your coil, fuse box, headlights, etc.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml After reading this, it made me do a generator to 3 wire swap instead of a generator to 1 wire swap. Even if you still do the 1 wire, this is a fantastic site for tech and electrical parts.
again thank u all very much and i didnt mean all parts pro are idiots just the ones i have dealt with around here sorry if u felt disrespected
the one wire is a neater installation usually and a three wire can be converted with a jumper. what you need to be carefull of is to make sure to cleann all mounting points and to make sure all bolts are tight. this is important with a one wire because you are changing your ground path and presumably don't want any charging problems.
the GM 1 wire alt has an internal voltage regulator Correct? I was thinking of swaping one into my ford to eliminate that external voltage reg....
ok so i bought the 7122 part number u were talking about it has the one wire post but then theres a spot for 2 terminal connectors...what are these going to
i don't believe that the alternator from autozone is a one wire. as far as i know , there was no stock application of a one wire on a GM car so i don't know how autozone could sell one. i looked at their website when i first saw this and i think that alternator is an old external regulated. i may be wrong , but i wouldn't bet on it the two terminals...how are they marked? are there numbers 1 & 2 or is there a R & F ?
i was right.....you have an EXTERNAL regulated alternator and not an internal regulated one wire. your alternator needs a voltage regulator for it to work , plus the wiring. there is nothing wrong with it , and installed properly will perform fine. it can not be converted to one wire
i don't think you should feel that way , you asked for help and then bought something based on someone else's recogmendation . think of it as a learning experience...you are not the first guy to buy the wrong part. i'm sure even Boyd did once or twice take it to autozone and get your money back. if you want a one wire internal regulator , try 1975 chevy as the application..that comes up part # 7127 at autozone. that will be a three wire. to convert it to one wire there is a kit you can buy to do that , but i couldn't find it on autozone's website. maybe someone else on here can provide a part # for this kit and where to buy it
Don't feel like an idiot - just chalk it up to experience and move on. On GM alternators - one way to tell if they are EXTERNALLY regulated or INTERNALLY regulated is to look at the two tabs. WHEN they are oriented in s straight line - like this: - - they are internally regulated. When they are oriented like this: l l (as in your pic) they are externally regulated. FWIW the one wire conversions are all done on the INTERNALLY regulated units. One thing about the 1 wire jobs - they don't start to charge until you get some RPM's on them (something about exciting the voltage regulator). Not a big deal, but you have to zing the throttle a little before they start to charge. The standard "3 wire" ones will start charging near immediately - also the 3 wire ones will work fine on 2 wires. Run a wire from your ignition switch over to the "2" terminal, run the 10ga. or thicker (depending on the alternator's current rating) over to the "+" side of the battery and then run a 12-14 volt 1 amp diode from terminal "1" to terminal "2" on teh alt (silver band side towards terminal "1"). The diode allows the alternator to work as it was origionally intended (it was origionally designed to work with an idiot light - most hot rodders don't want that) and prevents any "drain" on your system. I've wired ALL my alternators like this for years - it's never failed me and I never get any "wierd" wiring problems. I wire the diode right into the harness so I can get an alternator from any parts store if I'm in BFE somewhere. You can get the diode from Radio Shack - under a buck.
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