Alternator wiring

[Stubs68]

Throwing this out to see if anyone can assist. Installing new aftermarket wire harness. See image of instruction diagram from manufacture below and my existing starter relay. Want to plug my starter relay into the loop but with the internal regulated alternator, the "megafuse" from the kit and following these instructions I am not certain where the relay would splice in at? I'm sure this is a simple thing to figure out but wiring / electrical is not my strong point. Just learning here. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

.....the internal regulated disi, ......

U mean alternator - not distributor!

[Stubs68]

Yes alternator. Thanks

[pwadventurer]

The starter solenoid in the attachment is the starter relay. What's missing in the attachment, is the starter, and the cable from the battery. The original truck wiring would have the battery cable going to the stud and onto the starter. Keep in mind also, some starter relays have a separate terminal for the neutral safety switch as opposed to the attached drawing showing it in line from the ignition switch.

[Stubs68]

Thanks pwadventurer. So I have attached the original relay pic below. If I call the starter solenoid in the provided diagram the relay and then connect the wiring from the relay to the starter I should be good?

Do I use the "2A" line to provide main power to the relay from the fuse panel or do I keep the "2A" line from the fuse panel and also run a 6G wire from the battery to the the large nut on the relay?

Or.... is the "2A" line in the diagram the hot lead that runs through the fuse panel to the relay that throws power to the starter through the relay and I no longer need a hot lead directly from the battery?

I think the problem is that I keep trying to go back to the original dodge wiring using the relay as a connector from the battery to the starter. Should I just trust the new harness diagram and use the "2A" line feed as the main power feed from the battery that now goes through the fuse panel?

Doing it this way I would have 3 wires running to the large bolt on the relay. 1 from the power source "2A' running from the fuse panel, 1 from the distributor and 1 to the starter. That leaves me 2 wires coming from the small terminals on the relay. 1 that goes to the SOL terminal on the ignition switch and 1 that goes...... to the neutral safety switch? My truck is a manual so not sure if the neutral safety switch is included?

And I still need to drop in the "megafuse" (fuseable link) that came with the kit. I think the megafuse goes between the distributor and the starter relay but not sure.

Please stay with me. I am getting closer but still not quite there. Looking forward to your explanation and the Aha moment on my end. Thanks again.

[pwadventurer]

Thanks pwadventurer. So I have attached the original relay pic below. If I call the starter solenoid in the provided diagram the relay and then connect the wiring from the relay to the starter I should be good?

If your using the mega fuse drawing, the battery cable to the starter relay has to be a #4 AWG or larger cable. If your using the fuse link drawing, you'll have too many cables on the stud.

Do I use the "2A" line to provide main power to the relay from the fuse panel or do I keep the "2A" line from the fuse panel and also run a 6G wire from the battery to the the large nut on the relay?

The 2A cable is a tap from the alternator to battery cable to "provide" power to the fuse panel/block.

Or.... is the "2A" line in the diagram the hot lead that runs through the fuse panel to the relay that throws power to the starter through the relay and I no longer need a hot lead directly from the battery?

No

I think the problem is that I keep trying to go back to the original dodge wiring using the relay as a connector from the battery to the starter. Should I just trust the new harness diagram and use the "2A" line feed as the main power feed from the battery that now goes through the fuse panel?

The 2a line is the main feed to the new fuse panel/block, it's not the main feed for the starter. Keep the battery cable to the starter as a separate cable from cable to the fuse panel/block.

Doing it this way I would have 3 wires running to the large bolt on the relay. 1 from the power source "2A' running from the fuse panel, 1 from the distributor and 1 to the starter. That leaves me 2 wires coming from the small terminals on the relay. 1 that goes to the SOL terminal on the ignition switch and 1 that goes...... to the neutral safety switch? My truck is a manual so not sure if the neutral safety switch is included?

4 cables total, alternator, battery, starter, fuse panel/block. it would be better to land all cables on mega fuse block and free up space on starter relay. see attached sketch.

And I still need to drop in the "megafuse" (fuseable link) that came with the kit. I think the megafuse goes between the distributor and the starter relay but not sure.

Using the mega fuse block provides a nice way to land all cables. The cable to the mega fuse block can be terminated on the positive battery terminal or the starter relay stud. If using the stud, there would only be 3 wires on stud. battery, starter, mega fuse feed. If using the battery, only 2 wires on stud, battery, and starter.

[Stubs68]

YOUR THE MAN pwadventurer!! This is exactly what I needed. I am headed out to the shop this afternoon to try to put this all in place. Thanks so much for the drawing. Very very much appreciated.

[Stubs68]

Need help understanding how the Neutral Safety Switch works and how to wire into new relay. My understanding is that the NSS breaks the connection between the ignition switch and the starter. In the excellent drawing provided the NSS is wired from I believe the ground terminal "G" on the relay to one terminal on the NSS and then from the other terminal on the NSS to the ground on the frame? Is this correct? Following this example I believe the NSS functions because if you do not have a connection to ground then nothing on the relay will provide power to the starter? Can anyone confirm this thought or provide a better explanation. Thank you.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

pwadventurer can probably give a clear explanation to this. All my trucks are manual trannys so I have never had NSS wiring to look at.

[pwadventurer]

Need help understanding how the Neutral Safety Switch works and how to wire into new relay. My understanding is that the NSS breaks the connection between the ignition switch and the starter.

no, that would burn out the safety switch. The neutral safety switch breaks the circuit of the coil inside the starter relay when not in park or neutral. It is my understanding that a 2-wire switch is used with a manual transmission for the back up lights only, along with a starter relay that has the ground terminal bonded to the starter relay housing. The 3-wire safety switch is used with auto trans. 2 of the wires switch the back up lights, and the 3rd terminal is grounded to the transmission housing when in park or neutral for the starter relay coil ground.

[Wildergarten]

It is my understanding that a 2-wire switch is used with a manual transmission for the back up lights only, along with a starter relay that has the ground terminal bonded to the starter relay housing. The 3-wire safety switch is used with auto trans. 2 of the wires switch the back up lights, and the 3rd terminal is grounded to the transmission housing when in park or neutral for the starter relay coil ground.

Correct.

[Stubs68]

Thanks for your reply and help. Still a bit confused on the wiring of the NSS. I do have a manual transmission but the original wiring is all disconnected. Should I just not use the NSS? If I do use it then I am not sure how to use it with the back up lights. If I run it from my "G" on relay then where does it go and where does it terminate? This is really confusing but I am sure I am making it harder than it should be.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

I don't think its possible to have a NSS with a sweptline era std tranny. Never seen one on more than a 100 swepts Ive owned or parted, nor seen it on the wiring diagram in the FSM (for std trans)

[Wildergarten]

Thanks for your reply and help. Still a bit confused on the wiring of the NSS. I do have a manual transmission but the original wiring is all disconnected. Should I just not use the NSS? If I do use it then I am not sure how to use it with the back up lights. If I run it from my "G" on relay then where does it go and where does it terminate? This is really confusing but I am sure I am making it harder than it should be.

Only one wire goes to an automatic transmission: That is the neutral safety switch which should be open to ground unless the trans is in neutral. On my '67, the backup light switch is on the cable linkage under the dash.

On manual transmissions, the only wires that go down to the trans are for the backup lights.

BTW, if you have a relay for an automatic, it can be made to work for a manual buy simply grounding the lug on the top left corner. Typically, relays for manual transmissions have a soldered bridge from that contact to the casing.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Thanks for your reply and help. Still a bit confused on the wiring of the NSS. I do have a manual transmission but the original wiring is all disconnected. Should I just not use the NSS? If I do use it then I am not sure how to use it with the back up lights. If I run it from my "G" on relay then where does it go and where does it terminate? This is really confusing but I am sure I am making it harder than it should be.

Only one wire goes to an automatic transmission: That is the neutral safety switch which should be open to ground unless the trans is in neutral. On my '67, the backup light switch is on the cable linkage under the dash.

On manual transmissions, the only wires that go down to the trans are for the backup lights.

BTW, if you have a relay for an automatic, it can be made to work for a manual buy simply grounding the lug on the top left corner. Typically, relays for manual transmissions have a soldered bridge from that contact to the casing.

But where on a manual is the actuator pawl for the relay when it is in neutral?

edit: it appears there is more than one way to understand your post.....u must have meant the other way.

[pwadventurer]

I do have a manual transmission

The neutral safety switch is not used with manual transmissions. If you are using a relay that has the terminal for such a switch, ground it, or replace it.

edit to add attachment

[Wildergarten]

edit: it appears there is more than one way to understand your post.....u must have meant the other way.

I know he has a manual. I was covering both cases for wiring to transmissions: automatic and manual. The point was for the OP to understand what a "neutral safety switch" does, how it's wired, and how a backup light circuit is wired in both cases. Then I covered how to convert a relay for an automatic to one that works for a manual. It may have been needlessly thorough, but I thought it might be useful to others reading it pending a search on the topic.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Are u saying that a relay can be made to work as a NSS with a manual, such that it will lock out the starter unless the manual stick is in the neutral position?
If so, please explain how that is possible?

[Wildergarten]

Are u saying that a relay can be made to work as a NSS with a manual, such that it will lock out the starter unless the manual stick is in the neutral position?
If so, please explain how that is possible?

No. I'm saying a relay for an automatic with a NSS can be made to work for a manual by grounding the spade lug on the top left corner.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Are u saying that a relay can be made to work as a NSS with a manual, such that it will lock out the starter unless the manual stick is in the neutral position?
If so, please explain how that is possible?

No. I'm saying a relay for an automatic with a NSS can be made to work for a manual by grounding the spade lug on the top left corner.

To be more clear:
...a relay with an NSS circuit for an automatic equipped truck can be made to work in a truck with a manual and NO NSS by grounding the spade lug on the top left corner.