alternator upgrade?

Wiring, lights, heater controls, anything electrical..
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zdatdodge
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alternator upgrade?

Post by zdatdodge »

Hello,
I have a 1 yr old diehard battery which has drained down.
Im charging it as I speak and will soon start her up and do the old volts test at the battery to see if I have a charging system.
Can anyone point to where I can find the procedure to rule out the voltage regulator?
I also may just upgrade the complete charging system. Can someone recommend an alternator that would be good and throws out good amps? I dont care about it looking factory, just something that bolts on and is easy to wire up and is pretty reliable.
I plan on putting in the painless wiring system and a whole bunch of electronic goodies.I have a complete set of autometer gauges waiting for installation. Right now this is on a 1976 318 in a 68 d100, I have a mallory electronic igniton hooked up. This may just be what I needed to go ahead and hook up the painless wire setup.
Thanks

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

I just did the volts test. While she is running she is only getting 12.2 volts.
Something isnt right.

JJ
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Post by JJ »

Unplug the regulator, ground the field wire (should be the green one) and this will let the alternator go full charge when you rev it up. Then you know if the regultor or alternator is bad.

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Post by wideblock »

you should be getting btween 12 and 14 volts at the battery while its running. if you only checked the volts at idle, then you havent set the voltage regulator in motion. take the rpm up a bit and see how she does. on all 3 swepts i have owned the lights dim at idle, and just above idle, say 1000rpm, the lights get bright and everything works again. i upgraded the alt on my 66. dont remeber the exact amperage, but it was a heavy duty unit for the trucks that have a/c and full power options. im thinking it was from a late 70's early 80's truck. i had to take the case apart and "re-clock" the rear of the housing, other wise it was a bolt in swap. just go talk to a napa guy who isnt scared of the books, and see what they offer in a non internally regulated alt for dodge. but you do have to be carefull, too much of a jump can fry your old wires. my 66's both had the old mechanical reg, they did this pretty bad, the 69 has the electronic reg conversion and doesnt do it as bad, but it still drops the lights a bit at idle. take up the rpm and see if your reading changes, if you still just get 12 volts, then id say your reg is fryed.
Trey

1965 CSS Utiline.


ex trucks:
70 D100
66 d100
66 d100
67 d100
69 d100
69 d200 crew cab
65 crew cab
66 d100
66 d100


"i don't know it all, but i know enough to be dangerous"

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Jeffc
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Post by Jeffc »

My bet would be that you have lost a diode in the alt
and I would pull it off and take it in and have it bench tested.
Or drive the truck to auto parts store and have them test it there,
most will do it for free in hopes of selling parts.
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

Im not getting any volts no matter how much I rev the engine. still around 12volts.
I just ordered the painless wire kit so Im going to upgrade the alternator while Im here.
Seems like those evil chevy alternators are cheaper and throw out more amps.
Anyone have a recommendation for one that is easy to mount. I think I can handle modifying the mount and using one of the 1 wire hookups.

Or is there a particular year chrysler alternator that uses 1 wire and would bolt on to the mount without mods.

Or is there just a particular year chrysler alternator that would bolt on, use the same type pulley, throw out more amps, doesnt have to be one wire.

Thanks again.

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Jeffc
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Post by Jeffc »

Just about any Mopar type alt should bolt right in, one or 2 wire.
your 68 only came with a 40 to 45 amp alt stock, it can handle
up to a 70 to 75 with out a problem.....
The mopar 2 wire alt will require you up grade the voltage reg.
1 or 2 wire alts refers to the number of field wires, excluding
the battery wire.
The chev one wire alt is a true one wire since the regulator is
built in. of course when they go bad they cost a lot more to
replace.
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

Im doing this the hard way so far.
I went in to the parts store today and asked for a 76 318 alternator. THe parts kid didnt know much about them. He brings out a alternator that looks similar but has 2 field wires. THe other guy says it should work. I dont know any better so I I bring it home not knowing what those field wires are for and try it by hooking up my onefield wire. It does not work so I looked at my voltage reg which looks brand new and decided its prolly those field wires so I brought it back and went to parts store number 2 who has a 100 amp alternator listed for the same year and engine. It will be here tomorrow so I can look at it and make sure it matches up.
So what are those field wires for anyways?, I think I will be able to make them work when I get my painless kit next week.
Seems llike I have a weird mount set up as well. Im wondering if someone before me changed the water pump to one that isnt right. The two holes in the waterpump that t he alt bracket use are further in than the alt hole causing some weird alignment issue. I cant believe the belt didnt fly off because of this. Im going to have to use some spacers to make everything line up.

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Jeffc
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Post by Jeffc »

The 2 field wire alt needs a 2 field wire regulator to make it work.
(thought I said that it needed a upgrade to be used above) or
you can ground one of the field wires to the case on the alt and it
will work with regualtor that you have now.
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

Thanks for the info Jeffc, I wish parts guys were as informative some times.
So when I go look at the alternator today I will see if I can get a voltage regulator to go with it.
Thanks for the help.

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

This post goes on...
I went to look at the 100 amp alternator , it was huge not even close to mine.
The guy found one close to mine listed under a 76 w100 w 318. This alt is a 65 amper with 2 field wires. The engine I have was swapped into the truck so Im not sure exactly what it came out of, just that its a 1976.
Im think 65 amps will do for now.
I got the voltage reg that came with this alternator and its totally different. Its a thin rectangle with a triangular plug that has 2 pins in it. Im guessing these would go to the 2 field connections on the alternator.
Does this sound right and should it matter which wires go to which pin.

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Jeffc
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Post by Jeffc »

doing this upgrade is pretty easy.
Yes there are 2 field wires and both run to the regualtor, however
one is also spliced into the old ingition wire (ing wire is the one
with the plug in on the old reg).
Which one? the one that is at the peak of the regualtor plug in.
Hold the reg so that both the plug and reg have the flat to the
bottem and you know which is the plug at the peak.
It does not matter which wire runs to which post on the alt, but
it is important which wire has the slice and which post on the
regualtor it is on.
You should be able to use a female bullet connector on the wires to plug into
the regulator or go to a yard and get one off a 70s/80s mopar.
I would also recommend that you solder the splice and any other wiring
that is cut and reconnected.
Unless you are running one of those big thumper type stereos with big
amp's a 70amp alt is all you will ever need
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

my old regulator is the square box type, mechanical type looks like. It has only two wires, A black wire which slides on a spade type connector (plug in) and a olive green color wire which is connected by a eye connector.
If I squint real hard at the wiring diagram I printed off the internet I see the black wire should go to the ign and the green should go to the alternator. This is clear.
Looking at the new reg which must be electronic type I think I see what your saying about the plugs peak. If I look at it and its a triangle, hold it so the pointy part of the triangle is up and this would be the peak. I will add the ign wire splice to the wire that goes to that terminal which is on the top of the triangle.
I should finally get to this today, will let you know how it works. Thanks.

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zdatdodge
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Post by zdatdodge »

it works it works! it took a while to make it align up correctly because the old alt was missing spacers so I had to figure out how to put everything back on. Im getting 13.6 volts now and even my turn signals flash quicker now.
THanks again, I couldnt of done it without you.
I cant believe there is so little info out there on this topic.

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Jeffc
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Post by Jeffc »

This is really a pretty common up grade, just got to know were to look
(there are number of books and web sites that cover this up grade)
or who to ask about it. It should also work just fine with a painless kit
if you still choose to use one.
Glade it all worked :clap
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

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