Hey guys, I have to get a new alternator for my 54 Customline and need to make sure I get the correct one. I would like a one wire, internally regulated alternator. The one I have now is no good and the auto parts store can't help because all they see is generator for that year. I told them "No ****" and if it's not in the computer they don't know nothing. I am unable to get behind the dash in order to plug into the ignition switch. If I am getting my voltage reading from the gen. power source how do I hook up the 12v dummy light? I would like to get a part number on the alternator to use either from AutoZone or O'reily's. I will also need a battery. What size or cranking amps? Thanks
See if you can find an independent alternator/generator/starter repair shop nearby. Take what you have to them and ask them to make it work or recomend something. Your chances are usually much beter for success that way.
Others will chime in on this .....one of the easiest alternators in the world to come by (at many parts houses) will be a GM 72-79 self-regulating unit with a 3 wire attachment. Say, for a Camaro or Malibu of that vintage.... in basic form they are only good for about 63 AMPS. The three wire isn't complicated to understand and will give you the means to use an idiot light. The three wires are: (threaded stud) Main power to the charging system (2) Sensor wire that reads voltage at the dash - turns "on" the system. (1) post that operates the idiot light If (output stud) and (2) are jumpered together at the alternator (won't be from the new box) - and you use a heavy cable with very low resistance (#6 welding cable is nice size)- they can be run directly to the battery attachment on the starter solenoid. The regulator on the alternator will then use battey volts as the "turn on" detector signal. The (1) post ordinarily has power coming out of it (and needs a diode to isolate from the dash wiring). At the dash end is an indicator light that has 12v power from that end as well - so the two feeds negate and the light stays out. But....when the alternator has a problem keeping up, this post becomes a ground - and the light comes on. This wire is the one that causes the "run-on" problem - power from the alternator can back feed through the light and run the ignition with the key off. Using a diode will prevent this backfeed - and still allow the ground to function. Added later.... This illustrates one of the alternators with the three connections - the diode goes in the lead returning to the indicator light and prevents current flow toward the lamp.
excelent picture, the main lug needs to be a min 10 gauge battery feed. you can buy the factory style plug to go in this alt at the parts store in the help section. jump the #2 to the batt lug like shown. the #1 actualy runs to the neg side of an idiot light. the power gose to the bulb in the dash then to the alt. it actualy turns on the alt. and if the diods are bad in the alt { like when the alt gose bad } thats when it truns on the bulb by grounding it to let you know its not working properly. if you dont hook up the turn on wire it will still turn on when it reachs 1700 rpms.
Follow what these guys said. I ordered an alternator and bracketry from L.D. Becker out in Ohio... great outfit and the install was a snap. FLAWLESS performance!
i forgot to put this, the turn on wire for #1 is keyed, or gets 12 volts when the key is turned on. i got my brakets from whites performance, db electrical seems to have the best deal on alts
KMJ has a lot of good deals like this:http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-OLDS-CHR...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5add6215a2 A lot of you may think 10 gauge is heavy enough for the feed wire to battery positive which is OK for a 50-65 AMP alternator these higher output units should have a heavier gauge,I have used the 6 gauge cables like Fords use off the solenoid which have flat lugs on each end on several installs.
In the diagram above - the "sensor" wire is number (2) and regulator performance is depending on it to provide a voltage signal that gives it a value to judge when to "turn on" and "turn off". The the factory applications - this wire is kept as a separate conductor that is run directly to a point where they expect that voltage will have "drooped". When it indicates the voltage has dropped - output from the alternator is increased. It can tbe "twinned" onto the main output as shown - only so long as the resistance of the combined conductors is kept very low. This keeps the voltage signal to the regulator, as accurate as possible. A number 10 wire would be the absolute minimum to use for a short run - 7 guage would be better - and on my outfits, I've used #6 fine stranded welding cable with heavy soldered copper lugs on both ends - it keep the voltage drop to a minimum in both directions.
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