Alt wiring question

[66gt350]

In all recent upgrades to the car, I tossed my old alternator and replaced it with a 3G alt out of, IIRC, a 94-05 mustang. When I picked it up from the shop, they told me that I didn't need to hook up the stator wire unless I just had idiot lights in the car -- I've got a volt gauge. I was going to the DMV this morn (long long story) and it was slow cranking, and I noticed that I was about down to 10 volts. At around 10 volts is where the efi computer shuts down and leaves me stranded. <-- that's why I switch to the higher amp alt.

Is the stator wire necessary or is it optional since I have gauges. I'll be getting a new belt tomorrow, it looked a little glazed. If it was slipping bad enough would that cause it not to charge? At idle it didn't appear to be slipping, and the gauge reads about 10.

-rob

 

[AzPete]

If the belt was that bad, you would have heard it squealing. I would say you need to look at the wiring again. I have not done that alt. upgrade so if you do a search, it should bring up what you need.

 

[RustyRed]

Is the alternator new or a refurbished part?

I'd probably consider taking it over to O'Reilly, AutoZone, etc and having them test it.

 

[66gt350]

The alt is a refurb alt, not a kragen or autozone, but a shop here in town does 'em. I went out today and bought a new belt. but it on and it started squealing and the garage started to smell like burnt rubber....eeeewwwww. and according to the computer, it was putting out 13.65 volts at idle. So the alt is putting out the correct voltage. The belt was slipping big time. I guess that the old belt was so glazed that it didn't squeal. The pulley was uber hot. Before you ask, yes the belt was tight. So, I'm thinking that it could be a problem with the alt somehow binding, or can a pulley get glazed so that it will slip? If so, can I bead blast the pulley to break the glaze?

-rob

 

[AzPete]

I have used a bit of fine sand paper on a glazed pulley and it worked good. That amount of slipping could have glazed the new belt too.

 

[66gt350]

Thanks Pete. Tomorrow, I'll deglaze the pulley and give it a try. And then Maybe buy another new belt....

 

[daveSanborn]

Stand perpendicular to the belts while the car is running and eyeball the pulley to make sure that the ALT is properly aligned. You may need a shim on one of the ALT attach points.

 

[RustyRed]

Stand perpendicular to the belts while the car is running and eyeball the pulley to make sure that the ALT is properly aligned. You may need a shim on one of the ALT attach points.

Good point Dave...mine has several on the top bolt for my alt.....

 

[apollard]

Is the stator wire necessary or is it optional since I have gauges. I'll be getting a new belt tomorrow, it looked a little glazed. If it was slipping bad enough would that cause it not to charge? At idle it didn't appear to be slipping, and the gauge reads about 10.

-rob

On a 3G, the stator wire is necessary, without voltage here the built in reg will not activate the alternator. I recommend hooking it to a switched source; if you want '1 wire' hook up, it should be tied directly to the alt output.

 

[66gt350]

I talked with the shop that I bought the alt from, and they stated that the stator is only for the dash light. And they tested the alt by just pulling in the harness and 12v output without the stator wire connected, and it puts out the correct voltage. There's a different wire that goes to the 12v switch source. Which all of this is now academic, since I'm swapping over to serpentine belts and using some March brackets. The 3g alt doesn't fit the brackets, it's just enough bigger that it just don't fit. I talked with March this morning and the brackets are for alts upto '93. So, I guess it's back to a 2g alt. :cry Anyone need a good 3g alt?