This is a post from the archives from MarvH explaining what I am trying to sort out with the indicator bulb and exciter wire.





You can fix that problem of an alternator not charging should the indicator light bulb burn out by adding a resistance wire parallel to bulb circuit.
One end of the bulb circuit connects to the "I" side of the ignition switch and the other end is connected to the regulator. To hook up the resistance wire; splice one end of the resistance wire to same "I post on the ignition switch and the other end of the resistance wire splice to the bulb wire past the gen bulb.

Factory installed a 14-17 ohm resistance wire to prevent this no charging just in case the bulb did burn out on cars with alternators. I look for early 70's cars with idiot lights for this wire in the under dash wiring loom. It is a green wire with red tracer marked "do not cut or splice resistance wire", take the whole length of wire out with the staked terminals and a short piece of the copper wire on each end. Do not shorten the resistance wire or you will change its value. Cars with guages do not have the resistance wire, the wire is marked the same green with red tracer also, but no marking do not cut or splice. An ohmmeter will tell if you have the correct resistance needed.
marv[/quote



57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Here is a photo of a Pick&Pull Motorcraft 40 AMP alternator from a 76 Ford F250 FE 360 without thermactor air (smog pump) that is going on my 57 Bird. Should be fairly easy to accomplish. The long bolt for the alternator from the F250 will work if the lock washer is removed from between the bolt head and the Tbird bracket surface. This allows to bolt head to sit closer to the bracket surface to clear the alternator belt and allow some threads on the other end to attach a nut to secure it. The spacer I have is from the truck and it is about 3/4 inch too long so it will need to be shortened. My plan is to get longer bolts that attach the generator bracket to the timing cover with spacers to shift the bracket forward (towards the radiator) about 1/2 to 3/4 inches to line up the alternator pulley with the water pump/crank pulleys. A longer belt, maybe 2 inches or so it can reach the alternator pulley. The alternator hits the generator bracket in the position shown and a fabricated slide adjuster with a longer reach needs to be made. After removing the alternator from the F250 yesterday I was walking back to the yard office and came across a 66 Galaxie 4dr. Laying on the ground was a 60 AMP Motorcraft alternator and slide just waiting for me to pick it up. Same case style and terminals as the F250. I got both of them to fiddle with.



57 Black Tbird 312/auto

If you can find a '65 or '66 F-100 or f-250 with a factory alternator at the Pic & Pull and a 292 it would have everything you need to convert with very little Mod.

312T85Bird

What?

A '65 or '66 will not have a Y block.


Lawrenceville, GA

True. The last Yblock, the 292, was in the 64 F series. Passenger car Yblocks went away after 62 in the US. All were equipped with generators. The Tbirds have a spacer between the water pump and timing cover and also use a truck style front motor mount which are different than the Yblock passenger cars. They have a different generator bracket assembly.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

The late 64 pickups used alternators. They are very hard to find. Here is a pic of one of those brackets with a 130 amp Ford 3G alternator.

here is a link to a site on the 3G's and diagram of the resister used for idiot light failure

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/mod-custom-forum/622517-67-3g-alternator-conversion-questions.html


I tried to post a picture however cannot do as I don't see the picture posting icon anymore.

marv

Thanks Marv, those diagrams will help a lot. I had a 64 F250 292 for years, would not die. Stolen twice and got it back each time still running great. It had an alternator but I remember looking it over and deciding it was converted from a generator system. I didn't know they had alternators in 64. Spent the day going back and forth to the nuts and bolts section of the hardware store. Looks like a section of 7/16 threaded rod is the best choice to replace the long bolt that hangs the alternator in the bracket. I need a few more threads to bolt it on and couldn't find any 7/16 diameter bolts over 6 inches. I think I will use the Tbird slide adjuster arm and fab a 2 or 3 inch solid arm to bolt to the alternator in a fixed position with a hole at the other end to meet the slide adjuster groove using a bolt and nut to set the belt tension.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Marv, I don't see any of the icons anymore, for posting pictures, links or editing????

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

I have been using Photobucket but it doesn't work as well as it used to.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

FYI,
I used an inexpensive alternator conversion from eBay on my '55 bird, and it has worked fine for the last nearly 18 months...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251382505328

it was very simple to bypass the regulator, and the generator light works.