generator to alternator change

[ron morrow]

Picked up a 64 comet 404 the other day. It.s got the original 170 cu. in. I'd like to eliminate the generator and go to an alternator. Years ago I had all the change over criteria but have since lost it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Every day is beautiful, some just a little more than others

[38HAULR]

G,day ron.  I can try and help you.  If you just want a simple two wire alternator with the battery wire and use the existing idiot light or "gen light" on the dash. then here we go . To establish the wiring bit.  Before starting, disconnect the earth lead of the battery.  Disconnect the two wires from the generator.  Tag them. One will be "Field".   The other "Armature".   Look carefully and the gen will have stamping reflecting this .  Next go to the regulator it will have 3 terminals .  "Batt" "Gen"  "Field" . Disconnect these and tag one at a time. .    You will note that two wires should be on the regulator "Gen" terminal.  One of these went to the generator "Armature" connection, the other goes to the dash light connect this pair together keep these connected together as a pair. .  The "Batt "terminal on the regulator would have two wires also. keep these connected together as a pair also once removed from the regulator. One of these would go to the ign switch to switch the dash light.  Keep all the floating wires clear of shorting to body or engine block  . Reconnect the battery earth cable.  and switch ign "on". By shorting the wire marked "Armature" that  was on the generator itself to the engine block, the dash light should glow.  This has established  the wire that will go to the alternator "Ind" or dash light connection when you fit the alternator . The other heavy terminal on your alternator you connect straight to the battery positive with suitable gauge wire.   You can then tidy up your wires by trimming/discarding where appropriate . Testing of course then takes place. Once alternator is fitted.  The dashlight should go out with engine running .  A voltmeter across the battery should show around 13.5-14.2 volts with rpm increase.   You may have to do a change to the dashlight bulb to a suitable wattage also if not working properly. I think they are around 2w.   Hoping this gets the ball rolling..........Frank.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I converted my 62 Falcon to alternator when I instaled the 1978  200 cid engine &  C4 trans  from a Fairmont.

My Falcon had an idiot light in dash, made the hook up  easy for me.  there are 4 wires to my alt including a ground wire

[ron morrow]

Thanks a bunch. it sounds relatively simple so I should be able to handle it.

[38HAULR]

Ron, that  wiring config I went through should be pretty generic to generator vehicles.  You can disregard all the gen wiring and do a simple alternator hookup as if you are wiring a vehicle from scratch.  The way  I described gives you the chance of quickly identifying the existing dashlight wire at your engine bay. This is the important one for a two wire alternator,as it serves two purposes ,as well as the tell tale, it provides excitation volts for the alternator to operate correctly. Also on the existing regulator the pairs of wires described at a couple of the terminals may ,instead of being two seperate  terminal lugs ,will most likely have the pair of wires crimped to one lug.........Frank.

[wayne petty]

on most ford alternators... there are one wire conversion regulators...

in washington state this place has most of the stuff to do it...
they do have another store near tacoma... as i recall...

tell then which alternator you have...   and that you want a one wire regulator for it...

Faulkner Auto Electric
1831 NW 28th Ave
Portland, OR 97210-2263
(503) 227-3567

a lot of people have also been installing later 3g alternators which already have the voltage regulators built in..  with just one or two wires...

most of the alternator and starter parts places here in la have been bought up by major corps... who won't deal with small frys...


this place is down here near chino...   have not dealt with them yet.. but i have talked to them...

here is the voltage regulator catalog..

http://www.wagneralt.com/catalog/books/CAT%2009%20EXT%20REGULATORS%202006.pdf

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I bought a electronic voltage regulator for a 1978 Fairmont car...  wired into my 62 Falcon with the alt bolted to the inline 6 , works great.

[sirstude]

Check this link.  Mustang and Falcon and Comet the same car

http://www.mustangsteve.com/GENtoALT.html