Conference napalm::musclecars

    
        The one wire alternators are pretty simple in design, really.
    What they have is a very small amount of permanent magnetisim in just a
    few of the poles, so that when the thing starts, it will excite the
    field windings into operation. This in turn trips a solid state relay
    which now connects the "single wire" to the battery/electrical feed.
    The drawback in the inherrent design is that, they have lower than
    normal current output at idle and you cannot use them in a vehicle
    with lots of power accessories.   Is this enough of an explanation?
    
    -john

    How can I transform one into a "1 wire" ? Do you know what is
    physically involved and what I need to do it?
    It will be used in a street/race car with no options but a high output
    ignition system.
    
    John

    I think waht's John's saying is that you can't transform it into a one
    wire unit. The internals of the 1-wire alternator are physically
    different than those of a normal alternator. One of the real drawbacks
    of the 1-wire setup (according to the latest issue of Car Craft
    magazine) is that you'll have a hard time finding parts if you have a
    failure. With the stock alternator you can stop at any auto parts place
    to get parts for it. Is there really not enough room to run an 18 guage
    wire down there alongside the battery feed?
    
    Harry
    

    
        RE;  .2   Depends on how much wiring aggravation you wanna put up
    with. You tell me the model car, and I can tell you exactly what wires
    to cut/modify/remove from the charging system. However; I believe you
    afe on the east coast, ya ought to get a hold of Skip Readio. He has
    actually written books on the subject, and probably forgot more about
    automotive electrical systems than most people will ever learn.
    
    -john

    RE; .4 
    It's not what wires to cut/splice/omit, it's how to transform the new
    alternator internally. The application is for a `67 Camaro.I know
    how to modify the original harness to except the newer alternator.
    I believe Skip mentioned in another note that what is needed is an internal
    regulator from a Marine application. I believe those are 1 wire jobs.
    Skip?  This is the info I need..
    
    RE: .3
    I believe Harry is getting confused as to the space problem.. there
    is plenty of room for the wiring, it's the physical location of where
    I want to mount the Alternator that is not cooperating. The original
    location is high over the valve cover which requires a long belt and 
    past experience of throwing belts at high RPMs is why I want to locate
    it as close to the crank/water pump as possible. 
    
    
     John

One wire alternators differ from the standard internally regulated 
alternators in *ONE* respect.  They use a marine application regulator 
instead of an automotive application regulator.

I don't have the part number handy but if you go to a competent parts 
store you can find it out.

As far as availability, if you *have* the part number availability isn't 
the problem.  If you *don't have* the part number, the kid on the other 
side of the counter at the VIP, Auto Palace, CAP, etc. isn't going to have 
a clue as to what you're looking for.

To replace the regulator pull the four bolts out of the case and separate 
the case halves.  Remove the automotive regulator and replace it with the 
marine unit.  It's held in with 1/4" head or 5/16" head self tapping screws
, BTW.  Slip the brushes back into their holders and hold them in place by 
slipping a length of coat hanger or a small drill through the hole provided 
for that purpose.  Put the two halves back together, align them, and 
replace the four bolts.

It ought to take about 4 minutes on the bench.

skip

    Thanks Skip. That's exactly the info I was looking for...
    
    John

    Guess what I happened to see in a J.C.Whitney catalog: "Convert your
    old Alternator to a One Wire system" hot set-up for street rods,etc.
    Only $19.95 for the parts and instructions.(New Regulator,diodes
    pictured). Or complete units available for $49.95, or chrome $89.95.
    Only thing is, the kit doesn't fit the Newer `87-up smaller size
    alternator which is what I need to use...:^(
    
    John

    RE: -.6
    
    Thanks for the tip, Skip, about holding back the brushes.  I'm
    converting mu '55 over to an alternator (anyone want a generator to 
    use as a paperweight?) and decided to rebuild a 94A alternator I had
    sitting around.  Just broke it open last night and found that the
    rectifier assembly was fried.  Picked up a new one for $12 and will 
    be putting it back together some night this week.  I was really
    wondering how the heck you get the brushes/spindle back together.
    So much for me piking up on the obvious....;-)
    
    /jim

    re: .4
    
        O.k. John, I'll take you up on the wiring issue. I have a new style
    (87-8 Cavalier) small alternator. I wish to install it in my `67 Camaro
    that used the externally regulated alternator. I have a schematic on
    how to convert to a `73-86 internally regulated alternator, but the
    87-up smaller one I want to use has an extra wire. It has the large one
    wire Batt. terminal, then has a 4 terminal,3-wire plug into the regulator.
    I believe the plug is marked: S (a 14 ga. wire) F (16-18 ga.) 
                                  L (16-18 ga.)     P (no wire)
    
    What is the extra wire in the connector, and how do I re-wire my
    original harness to make it work?
    
    
    re: .6
    
           Skip, ever try to dismantle the `87-up alternator? Not as easy
    as the 4 minute older one.......I spoke to a GM service guy I know and
    he says GM wants them to replace the units rather than rebuild `em
    cause they're a pain in the ass to take apart. I found that out..
    
    John

    I could really use some help figuring this one out. As mentioned
    earlier, I'm getting rid of the generator on my '55 in favor of an
    alternator.  The problem is, the mounting scheme has me a bit puzzled.
    The generator was mounted via a square U-type bracket that bolted
    directly to the driver's side exhaust manifold.  I picked up a bracket
    that would accomodate a GM alternator while still allowing me to use
    the same bolt holes on the manifold.  I also picked up a "universal"
    ;-) bracket that mounts to the top driver's side bolt of a short water
    pump (oh yeah, '67 327, short pump) and is used for tensioning the the
    belt.
    
    The basic problem is that there isn't enought reach to this upper
    bracket and I can't seem to find one that's longer.  This scheme 
    would problably work if I was running headers in the car as it would
    lower the alternator and pull it in towards the engine a bit.  There
    are no accessory mounting holes in the heads but I do have a mounting 
    hole in the front of the intake manifold.  Help!
    
    /jim

Jim,

I am running the same setup on my 327 (67 vintage) that you are trying to get 
working.  I am using the u-bracket, a piece that bolts to the u-bracket and 
provdes fore and aft adjustment, and the strap that bolts to the top waterpump 
bolt.  I am uding headers and it works fine for my setup.

The u-bracket that I am using is offset to clear the valve cover when used with 
headers.  If headers were not being used, I wonder if your bracket is like mine, 
if reversing the bracket would do it.  Instead of being offset out an inch or so,
it would be offset in an inch or so.

My alternator bracketry (short waterpump style) is non-stock and was purchased 
at a local Super Shops store.

Of course, you could always buy headers...  :-)

    re: -.12
    
    Thanks.  I know the setup you're referring to and that works great with
    headers.  I can't beleive I'm the only guy who ever swapped out an 
    exhaust manifold-mounted generator for an alternator...there's got to 
    be an over-the-counter solution for this, I just haven't seen it.  I
    guess it's time to pound the pavement to the local shops and spell out
    my problem...if anybody else has any ideas, I'd appreciate it.
    
    /jim

re .14

Jim, I just got the new RHS catalog yesterday and they have a couple of different
mounting schems for the SWP setup.  Can you mount it down low on the drivers side
(like the street rodders do) and have it clear the steering box?  If that'll work
it will give you a cleaner looking topside to boot.

Mark

    Hi Mark,
    
    there's no reason why I can't mount it down low with the right
    bracketing.  The steering box clearance shouldn't be any problem.  I'll
    have to get a copy of RHS's catalog.  I've checked Summit as well as a
    number of Chevy resto catalogs and can't seem to find the right set-up.
    
    thanks,
    
    /jim

    I went out and bought a second alternator adjustment arm and sized it.
    Then I spliced the two together with two bolts and I'm in business.  
    It's really not all that bad looking and will get me by until I have 
    a piece fabricated and chromed.  My harness piece to do the generator-
    to-alternator conversion came in yesterday so I should find time this 
    week to put this all together and start using late 20th century charging
    technology...;-)
    
            
    /jim.

    Well it's working......
    I mounted the alternator low on the left front side of the block, have
    just enough adjustment to tighten the belt, and it's charging...
    I connected the large "BATT." terminal to the + battery side of the
    solenoid, the "S" terminal is jumped to the "BATT." terminal through a
    fusible link, and an Ignition "ON" 12v. to the "F" terminal. No
    connections to the "L" or "P" and it charges... :^)
    
    John 

    
    I have a perplexing charging problem on my `69 Cougar.
    Upon initial startup the "ALT" light stays lit until you 
    bring the revs up above 2,000 or so.  The belt to the alternator
    is properly tight, and the pulleys haven't been altered from stock.
    The battery is a Diehard (Die*EASY* actually) that is on the weak
    side.
    
    Three questions;
    
    1. What does an illuminated ALT light actually mean?  That the battery
       is in discharge mode?
    
    2. Could this symptom be indicative of the junky battery?
    
    3. How should I go about tracking this "problem" down (if indeed it IS
       a problem not related to a weak battery)?
    
    

Sounds like it's a voltage regulator requiring either a warm up time, or 
an initial high enough input voltage to enable the proper operation of
the regulator.
Matt

                      

    
    I have a strange problem with my '69 Eldorado which I have not had time
    to  look at in detail so I thought I would ask here and see if anyone
    has seen the same thing.
    
    I found the battery fully discharged and assumed at first that I had
    left the door open.  However, the real problem is that the alternator
    and/or regulator seem to be faulty.  The symptoms are that the
    generator light stays on when the ignition is OFF, when the engine is
    running the light goes out.  By disconnecting the regulator or the
    alternator the battery does not discharge and from the "twang" there
    is quite a hefty current flowing.  It seems that the battery is
    charging when the engine runs.
    
    One other point is that the GEN light always comes on when the engine
    is first started and is idling.  I assumed that the revs were too low
    but maybe it was trying to tell me something.  Engine is a 472 if it
    matters.
    
    So is it the alternator, regulator, ignition wiring or .....
    
    	thanks for your ideas,
    				Colin..