Pretend it's a long bed Mazda.

more photos

Simcitylocal, you can hit "threads" and you should be presented with a list of general categories. I picked "projects" to start this thread. I don't know what rules controls deleting it. Seems like this site is now bannered with street source, a build thread about anything might fill a resource base. Right now, I am looking for a factory manual for the parts. I need that for cross referencing parts no longer manufactured. I was able to find a factory 1100+ service manual.

Different videos of build process. Like and subscribe to get notifications of uploads.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_WZvwSwVfoLyeDq_WQPNmA

I'll probably continue to post pictures now and then, since just like the B series trucks, the Chevy C10 series was a limited production vehicle. I found out yesterday that whenever the steering column was replaced, the unit that was installed was from a 1968 Camaro. The reverse switch part of the neutral safety switch was not making continuity between the switch contacts. I cleaned it up and used petroleum jelly as dielectric grease and now it's working. I think it was axle breaker earl on this site that did a switch teardown.

Today I was looking under my potential build truck and I noticed how huge it is in the engine bay. They put V8's in them from the factory. But my truck has an inline 6 in it. Which means, a V-12 would fit.

Hi everyone, <looking around> and looking for friendly faces. Maybe one you with electrical alternator understanding might help me here. Because this is a build thread, I don't think i want to start a new thread. Considering my level of expertise, i am pretty much stopped here on a simple electrical problem. A V12 motor swap would define insanity, so now to more mundane issues:

The original alternator started acting flaky, showing 12.5 on the field, and 12.5 on the Bat+. I thought maybe the brushes were worn out. The first replacement alternator was running out @ 14.5 pretty much at all engine speeds. If I disconnect the two-wire connector on the side of the GM alternator, there is no feed to the field so the output goes flat and I can do this to drain the overcharging, but even the second replacement unit is way also over-charging.

Maybe the grounds are bad? Maybe they were. Now fixed. Same problem,
Engine ground still maybe flaky? Found new bolt, on another part of the engine, Bolt and engine ground are in much better condition. Did it fix the problem? No, the overcharge light is still showing condition and meter continues to show 14.48 at the battery terminals and B+ post.

I thought maybe the engine wasn't grounding properly to earth so electron balance between the block and negative battery terminal had too many ohms resistance. My reasoning was that the transistor in the regulator has to switch and the case on the thing goes to ground. So I thought if the alternator was shield from ultimate ground (battery) the center leg or case wouldn't have ground when needed. Maybe mad science. Maybe someone out here viewing this on the Internet might give me the education I must have slept through in High School. I hate to have to learn it now.

Just trying to provide as much detail as i can.

/s


"Get a wiring diagram" suggestions won't help me immediately.

I'm confused. 14.48 is normal. What is the issue?

Thanks for the response, sincitylocal.

I've had a couple days to look at this, and maybe what I say here might provide some additional clues. I'm still stuck.

A fully charged battery carries 12.6 volts. The charging system is built to provide between 13.6 and 14.2vdc at the B+ post as the field voltage to the alternator varies to modify those output values as loads like headlights are used. An output voltage of 14.48 allows too much current, which will overcharge the battery, boil out the water, and burn it up.

I thought I had flaky grounds, so I cleaned them up, two days ago. Today, I thought I had discovered an issue with the connections to a junction block on the firewall where a wire is needed to create continuity with the wire off the B+ post. If it was open or had high resistance, the field would sense a loss of what in my case is supposed to be 12.6, and boost the output on the B+ to between the target values of 13.6 and 14.2 vdc.

I had both my original alternator checked yesterday and one of the reman units. Both passed.

I put my unit back on, with all of the wiring I think now all correct. The original unit shows output on the back of the B+ of battery level, just as before, which probably shouldn't surprise me. Free alternator testing is designed to sell alternators. But in this case, the reman unit which also tested good, is now still way overcharging, at 14.48. So maybe an open wire burned up the first unit, and shorted the internal regulator on the second so the unit is blowing out 14.5vdc.

I think there is another alternator waiting for me at the DeadZone. I like warranties. I really like that I'm not paying someone else to R&R alternator the 5 or so times I already have. Maybe it is the hidden cost to fixing 37 year-old-machinery.

Remember - the warning light bulb needs to be operational for an alternator (not a generator).

Hi Cusser, thank you for your poke at this. The light is blasting red at me with the overcharging units I have tried.

Have you tried to run a different battery to see if the alternator output changes? A battery with a shorted cell can still read proper voltage because the other cells are overcharged. It can also wreak havoc on the rest of your charging/electrical system too.