Electrical Issues on my 65

[TLoz]

Hi,
I've got a 65, 3/4 ton with a few electical issues I need some advice on. I changed out the voltage regulator, battery and alternator-the system stopped charging and all were old. Now, it charges very little-as in if I use the lights or wipers the battery runs down. Last night I fully charged the battery and drove into work this am with only the lights on. After 40 miles the battery is dead. One interesting observation-the amp gage swings over to full charge during starter engagement. Any thoughts on what the problem may be? Thanks in advance. Tom

[Chevy Fleetside]

Personally I dont know but if you have to change it out again get a later model alt and use that instead of the one with the seperate voltage regulator. You can use the 3 wire or a 1 wire. Just understand how to wire it up. I think Chevy Duty (They are not Chevy Duty anymore) sells a wire harness for like $15 so you just plug and play.. Sounds like you might have another bad voltage regulator though..

[Chevy Fleetside]

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks60_72/t60_104.html Here it is at the Truck Shop. $18 now..

[Shorty Cox]

I've put this on before, but here is what you need to do.

Here you go,

It is so easy. I did it to my '64, and i would think it would be just as easy on yours.

1.Take the regulator off and throw it as far as you can.
2. It should have had 4 wires connected to it.
3. Using a test light, locate the wire that is hot (12 volts)when the ignition switch is in the "run" position.
4. now, locate the wire that runs from the regulator position to the gen/alt position.
5. splice the wire located in number 3 above to the one located in number 4.
6. now you have a wire at the gen/alt location that is hot (12volts)with the key in the "run" position.
7. forget the other two wires at the regulator position.
8. Now remove the gen/alt and throw it as far as you can(probably can't throw it as far as you did the regulator!!)
9. Should be three wires going to the it. two small wires and one large wire. The large wire is connected to the battery and is hot (12 volts) all the time. (On some vehicles, it may connect to the battery via the horn relay)
10. Go to the parts house and purchase an alternator with an internal regulator and a new "pig tail" (the little thing that plugs onto the two terminals on the side and near the back of the alternator) they are numbered 1 & 2. the pig tail will have a small white wire and a large red wire. The new alternator will also have a large terminal(electrical connection) on the back. It will look like a screw sticking out with a nut on it.
11. Do what it takes to bolt the new alternator into the place of the gen/alt you removed and threw in step 8.
12. Once installed, plug the pig tail onto the terminals mentioned in step 10. attach the large wire from the battery (mentioned in step 9) and the red wire on the pig tail (mentioned in step 10) to the large terminal on the back of the alternator, tighten the nut.
13. Now attach the white wire on the pigtail to the wire identified in steps 4, 5, & 6.
14. Secure all left over wires.
15. Crank her up and you are good to go.

Amp meter should work also. If you have a idot light, i'm not sure.

Shorty

[TLoz]

Thanks guys! Sounds like I'll need to work on my alternator shot put style. Hopefully this will solve the problem. The better half drives this truck all the time-hate to have it strand her. Thanks again, Tom

[LikeARoK]

Originally Posted by TLoz

Thanks guys! Sounds like I'll need to work on my alternator shot put style. Hopefully this will solve the problem. The better half drives this truck all the time-hate to have it strand her. Thanks again, Tom

I just recently had the same problem...come to find out that I had the voltage regulator plug on upside down......but to find out if your alternator is working....all u gotta do is take one of your BATT terminals off and if it continues to run....its working(try at High RPM first) if not its your aternator or voltage regulator.....try switching the connector around...it just might help.....I myself just wanted to get rid of the Voltage regulator for a more dependable system so I went and bought a 80 model alternator and splice the wires...think it was wires 1&4 go together and 2 73 go together

Just take your voltage regulator off and look at the back...you can see which wire goes were...takes like 5 mins to do