My 1971 521

[d.p]

25 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

Dp are you using leds in your cluster?

I had that same issue having to rev it up to get it to start charging after I swapped to leds. I put a regular bulb in for the charge light and problem went away....

yeah but I think it’s always been that way meaning I never touched the lights but I think the PO did.  Got a

link to the charge light bulb?  Willing to try anything at this point. 

[Crashtd420]

1 hour ago, d.p said:

yeah but I think it’s always been that way meaning I never touched the lights but I think the PO did.  Got a

link to the charge light bulb?  Willing to try anything at this point. 

Well you didn't have this problem before, and you didnt change them so I doubt it's the bulb then... 

You could still have a look and see what's in there... no idea what the number is... I usually just bring the old one in and match it up.....

[Charlie69]

If the idiot light bulbs are LED change them back to incandescent bulbs or install a load resistor for each light.

[d.p]

Fuck this stupid alternator, took the truck out today and low behold alternator not charging again.  The highest the voltmeter got to was 12.9 but hovered around 12.4 the entire time.  Only drove it roughly 22 miles but that same story the entire time.  Charge light off but simply not doing its thing.  It must be a loose belt or wire, otherwise not sure what else it could be.  This started the other night when I drove it around and turned the headlights on.  

[banzai510(hainz)]

 reseat the fuses and the connector in back of the instrument panel(maybe just wiggle it) if you can get your hand back there  and reseat the T connector at the alternator.

 

Maybe what Crashed said. But I seen other people put LEDs and dont have this proplem

[Crashtd420]

1 hour ago, d.p said:

Fuck this stupid alternator, took the truck out today and low behold alternator not charging again.  The highest the voltmeter got to was 12.9 but hovered around 12.4 the entire time.  Only drove it roughly 22 miles but that same story the entire time.  Charge light off but simply not doing its thing.  It must be a loose belt or wire, otherwise not sure what else it could be.  This started the other night when I drove it around and turned the headlights on.  

I dont remember you having this problem before... Did you change to the internally regulated altenator when you did the motor swap?

Or before? 

 

Is there a chance you have something wrong with the jumpers bypassing the external regulator?

 

I forget how you did yours...

When I bypassed mine I uses an old regulator plug and noticed the wires on the regulator didn't match up to the stock wiring....

 

 

[Crashtd420]

10 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

Maybe what Crashed said. But I seen other people put LEDs and dont have this proplem

I have too , I was surprised it gave me an issue.... 

I figure it only on for a few seconds so a regular bulb is fine.... didnt both trying to figure out why....

[banzai510(hainz)]

I think the Igniton light it goes to the alternator to energize the field coil.  Maybe with a LED it needs a Load resistor for that light circut. as a LED dont carry alot of CURRENT. Fuck Im only guessing here.

Maybe most people just change the back lights?Not the IGNITION lite, I dont know

[mainer311]

5 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

I think the Igniton light it goes to the alternator to energize the field coil.  Maybe with a LED it needs a Load resistor for that light circut. as a LED dont carry alot of CURRENT. Fuck Im only guessing here.

 

Yes, that's exactly how it works. And as far as I know, it shuts off when it sees + voltage across both of it's terminals. 

 

@d.p Did you try what Mike mentioned? Open the hood, put a voltmeter on both battery terminals, and rev up the engine to like 2krpm. See what the voltage is directly at the battery terminals. Ignore any interior gauges right now.

 

If you have long runs of dinky wire, or one cruddy connection anywhere to the gauge, you'll get a voltage drop at the gauge because of increased impedance. Measuring directly at the battery will give you the best idea about what the alternator is doing. 

Edited April 29, 2021 by mainer311

[d.p]

54 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

 reseat the fuses and the connector in back of the instrument panel(maybe just wiggle it) if you can get your hand back there  and reseat the T connector at the alternator.

 

Maybe what Crashed said. But I seen other people put LEDs and dont have this proplem

 

I put new all new fuses in just recently.  And the only frayed wire is one of the T wires is slightly cut so I actually bought a new plug but yet to splice it in.  I may do that today.

 

\

45 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

I dont remember you having this problem before... Did you change to the internally regulated altenator when you did the motor swap?

Or before? 

 

Is there a chance you have something wrong with the jumpers bypassing the external regulator?

 

I forget how you did yours...

When I bypassed mine I uses an old regulator plug and noticed the wires on the regulator didn't match up to the stock wiring....

 

 

 

I switched to an IR during the swap, so yes and I don't think so.  Don't know if its wrong but I simply cut the plug off an old NOS VR to make the jumper:

 

 

13 minutes ago, mainer311 said:

 

Yes, that's exactly how it works. And as far as I know, it shuts off when it sees + voltage across both of it's terminals. 

 

@d.p Did you try what Mike mentioned? Open the hood, put a voltmeter on both battery terminals, and rev up the engine to like 2krpm. See what the voltage is directly at the battery terminals. Ignore any interior gauges right now.

 

If you have long runs of dinky wire, or one cruddy connection anywhere to the gauge, you'll get a voltage drop at the gauge because of increased impedance. Measuring directly at the battery will give you the best idea about what the alternator is doing. 

 

Not but I will try it today and see what its doing.  

[Crashtd420]

7 minutes ago, d.p said:

 

 

 

The jumper looks correct to me.... 

[d.p]

So not the jumper, and so many problems with the alternators its got to be something else.  I will move the ground and replace the T connector and see if it makes any difference.  

[Crashtd420]

22 minutes ago, d.p said:

So not the jumper, and so many problems with the alternators its got to be something else.  I will move the ground and replace the T connector and see if it makes any difference.  

You should also check you have power on the white and black wire while your changing it....

[d.p]

16 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

You should also check you have power on the white and black wire while your changing it....

How tf do I do that? Test light on the end of that wire? 

[Crashtd420]

33 minutes ago, d.p said:

How tf do I do that? Test light on the end of that wire? 

Or multi meter

[d.p]

14 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

Or multi meter

 

White/black wire is one the wires to the T ?? Sense and whatever the other one is?  

[Crashtd420]

32 minutes ago, d.p said:

 

White/black wire is one the wires to the T ?? Sense and whatever the other one is?  

Sorry I think I'm confusing myself ...

I guess I ment the yellow wire,  that should be the one connected to constant power....

here is the diagram I used. ...

[Crashtd420]

The white and black would be the lamp wire,  that should get power when the ignition is turned on....

[d.p]

Voltage doesn’t change at the battery when revving. Constant 13.0-13.1 give or take.  

[d.p]

I just took the fucker out.  I have a brand new one but again its bigger than the reman'd one so it doesn't fit.  I think I am done with 200SX alternators so what are my alternatives now?  

[mainer311]

Could go back to a 60A 510 alternator and just run the external VR...

[jbirds510]

hard body (D21) alternator maybe?

 

[d.p]

Just now, mainer311 said:

Could go back to a 60A 510 alternator and just run the external VR...

 

I think I am going to have to...got a link? also doesnt the alt get power through the starter from the battery?

[mainer311]

3 minutes ago, d.p said:

 

I think I am going to have to...got a link? also doesnt the alt get power through the starter from the battery?

What does that have to do with anything? The alt connection to the battery gets jumpered at the starter post, but the alt is “getting” power from the battery. The alt you want is a Remy 14118.

[d.p]

8 minutes ago, mainer311 said:

What does that have to do with anything? The alt connection to the battery gets jumpered at the starter post, but the alt is “getting” power from the battery. The alt you want is a Remy 14118.

 

Because I was wondering if that wire didn't have power would the starter not work because power comes through the starter?   I ordered that Remy alt, thanks man.  

Edited April 29, 2021 by d.p