Did the alternator just go out?

Hows it going young man, did you take a long weekend ride yet?

Joseph,
Is there any way you could send me a picture, or post some, showing how that 1-wire alternator mounts. I'm working with a reverse mounted (Motorola) alternator for the A/C set up, and wanted to see how you installed yours and ask if one needs to use the old pulley, additional spacers, mounts, tension rod, etc. Also - once the wire is connected from the alternator post to the firewall post, how does the ingnition light on the speedo continue to function? Since the 3aw relay is now out of the cirquit. Any pictures, or additional information on how you went about installing yours would be a tremendous help. Thank you, again, for your suggestions thus far.

I had a wire (the one on the right side ( yes that the starboard side) fell off the alternator and that caused my light to come on. check and make sure you have good contact with each of the wires on the alternator. If yes. test this wire to make sure it has continuity or is not broken somewhere

Bruce

Edited on 2014-09-05 16:03:54
You have two options left, the regulator or sell mE the car for 500 dollars since the light wont go out?
Good luck
GTJOEY1314

Continuing on the same question as above, the battery tested good - 12.74V, the alternator also functions as it should, tested by alternator shop, not Autozone. Where do I look next, to remedy to low charge rate/ignition light staying on at 55mph. Belt was on tight, just removed it yesterday for testing.

Nothing to do as the alt has a built in regulator which is also a micro chip, no need to POLARIZES the system it will run to the positive side of the gage.
Just swap it out and run a direct eye loop to the back of the alt , then run the wire to the positive post on the bulk head....done , simple no old bologna.....
Good luck
GTJOEY1314

Bruce - No I didn't do anything to the voltmeter which registers, I'm guessing correctly

One more question on the single wire alternators: Do have to do anything with the volt meter to show charge discharge after changing to the single wire alternator or is that a different circuit

thanks

Bruce

Jay, I run the 114 amp and I understand you thought, but if you put in halogen lights, run aftermarket a/c, navigation?, electric cruise control? and a boom box radio, I don't think that would be 60 amps?
Im goofing but the 1 wire will only climb as needed with the internal regulaor, with this crowd, theres more energy used rolling down the windows........but a good point though. 27 years, no squeal, but I get the theory.
Enjoy
GTJOEY1314

No, the pulley faces the windshield or you in the car, the back of it faces the bonnet and cool air comes over the back of the unit. It never melts like the original next to the exhaust causing all the problems. If I ever had another e without air , I think I would make a bracket so it always faces that way, HUGE different, lot less draw with the heat and all.
GTJOEY1314

so are you saying the mini on a car with a/c can be mounted so it faces forward and the pulleys line up? I will have to go hunting on the web for installation methods unless you guys want to hold my had by providing a couple of sites. Oh I will buy a round of scotch for you both at the next champ challenge for your assist. Thanks Bruce

Now all we need is a host for the champ challenge Just saying

Edited on 2014-08-20 14:09:34
Alan. I ve noticed over the years that ALOT of series 2 etypes are driven and enjoyed more. At first the middle child it has now become the great driver of the bunch.
Ive owned them all and my 70 coupe is just great.
The mini alt , was originally out of the buick/Pontiac motors from the 90's. That where I FOUND MY ORIGINAL , JUST CHANGED THE PULLEY.
Now they just make them because of hot rods, street rods with big old American iron under a 32 coupe.
Other positive effect, the mini turned around gets cold air from the opening in front of the bonnet so the internals NEVER get hot.
Great stuff.
Almost forgot, if you don't have air and the alt faces forward, the gm old style just bolts in the same cradle, you can even use the same belt!
Then replace the old head lights with halogen replacement bulbs, they are 10 dollars, you would not believe the difference.

Bruce - This is truly the answer to many problems. Having rebuilt the original for $200+, I finally ditched it and put in a shiny chromed 100 amp GE unit. Works like a charm, with RetroAir a/c too. A pain to install due to size - wish I had known about the mini. But the one wire system is just the answer. Plus, you can still use the ignition light by connecting it to a second wire from the alternator. Plenty of web info is available with installation instructions. Good Luck

wow, sounds like a plan and a helofalot cheaper then getting old alternator rebuilt.

Thank

Bruce

A.Bruce , The quick answer is YES!
Follow me to the maintenance free ETYPE ZONE. Remember ive had mine for 30 years and drive 6,000 miles every year. Its simple, sweet, fits and you can do wonders to the etype.
1. If you have A/C, Get the "mini gm alt" , they are 120 dollars instead of the rebuilt 1960s gm big jobs. That early style is around 50 dollars. Both have options from 70 to 115 amps.
2. They spin either way and charge, Like mine, its the opposite way and mini and fits under the hood.
3. You can use the old style no a/c if you want to save money .
4. All 13 wires coming out of a series two are GONE! Just one battery cable from the post of the alt to the battery post on the bulk head positive post.
That is it....all the other wires tape back in the harnesses.
Its a god sent piece of machinery.
I now have Sirius radio, halogen head lights, nav rear view mirror and it never skips a beat.
You will never ever put back the original .
Good luck.

Joseph, does that work on A/C cars as per mounted and turning backwards Does the lucas generator fan fit it and what wire goes to the new gm alternator

Thanks

Bruce

Pete almost forgot, if your car is a driver or you want dependability and not comcours. Just get a gm 1 wire with the built in regulator. Base model 50 dollars, mini gm with 115 amp 110 dollars and ALL your Lucas problems go away........
gtjoey1314

Thank you, all so much. I will update(and likely ask for more advice) in 8 days when I return home, and make my way step-by-step through all of your recommendations.

Peter,

Discharging at 55 mph, you are correct to suspect the alternator but first must rule out the regulator and 3AW light control. Both are located under the heater, mounted to the chassis. First,unplug the 3AW; this has no purpose other than running the light but (rarely) can effect the alternator if it is defective. Second, remove the 3 wires from the regulator. You need to connect the 2 wires that went to the - and F connections together with a short jumper. A wire with the ends stripped should do but a wire with male lugs attached is more secure. Make sure no bare wires touch the chassis. This will cause the alternator to operate at max.

Start the engine and watch the voltage gauge. It should climb slowly. At idle you should be able to operate the lights and the voltage should continue to climb or at least hold its own. If not, the alternator (or wiring) is at fault. If OK, trouble is with the regulator or 3AW. Important, do not let the voltage grow to high (in the red). Turn of the engine before that happens. This test should point to the problem and only assumes that the battery is not acting like a dead short. Since you can run the starter, that is not likely.

From your test it appears that the oil pressure gauge may be voltage sensitive but it is not supposed to be so. My gauge, also on a 68, is relatively immune to voltage changes and the combination of gauge and sender were designed with that in mind. That is why the gauge operates directly off 12 volts rather than through the dashboard regulator which powers the temp and fuel gauges.

Good luck, I am sure you will conquer in the end.

Bill Braun

I have noticed on my 68 with the dash map light on and the car running I can see the map light intensity pulse slightly I assume with the operation of the voltage regulator. I have always used this as a sort of indicator that the voltage regulator is working. If you do the checks Joseph suggests and find the battery, regulator and alternator are good but still have an indication problem there is a instrument voltage regulator mounted on the inside of the center flip down panel. I have not had any problems with it so do not know the symptoms of failure but might be something to keep in mind if the other things check out OK.

David Barnes
68 E-Type FHC

Edited on 2014-08-19 14:21:01
Peter, have a little time here...How old is the battery, check the voltage , over 4 years old and never charged at sat, the cells are collapsing.
If battery is good and cranks okay, regulator is next. Your belt is tight correct.
Simple old school check,start the car, put on you headlight against a garage wall , dim or darkness, rev the engine , if the lights get bright as you rev then dim as you stop reving the regulator is okay.
P.S. Checking voltage on the battery , you must also check under load, if cells are bad you would know under load. Are you running an Optima? that's a whole other kettle of fish.
GTJOEY1314

A significant low voltage and a hight voltage could give you an inaccurate oil pressure reading. From your pictures it appears your voltage is around 12V which seems to be high enough for the oil pressure gauge to function, but it could be the problem. I know oil pressure is more important than an alternator/regulator working properly, but there is some chance the low voltage is causing the problem. So I would suggest taking care of the electrical problem first. It appears to me with the ignition light/low voltage and then a high voltage that your regulator is not functioning properly. I am not sure if your car has a separate regulator or built in but you could remove and take to Auto Zone or a Gen/Alt shop and have them checked out.

Thank you, I will check battery. But first two pictures were taken at the same time, going 55mph with the ignition light on, battery off-charge, and oil at 20. Normally, what I would see is the 3rd picture, up until two days ago, when the ignition light stayed on throughout the drive and neither voltage nor pressure climbed. What would happen over the past 4-5 weeks, is when driving(highway) I would suddenly see oil pressure start to drop, and also notice that the voltage meter slide to off-charge. Then, typically it would revert itself, start charging and I would notice oil pressure climb. Are those to gauges, or rather voltage in the system, related. Would drops in one, cause the oil pressure indicator to falter? And so, two days ago, it seemingly gave out all together, and I drove home with the ignition light on, off-charge battery and 20 psi.
Thank you again, for your suggestions and advice.

Well, start with your battery, how old is it? has it been on a charger and if not how many volts does it have.
What I see imho, is if your battery is low, your regulator is doing its job, recharging the system, same as your oil pump to oil, rev and it builds, idle and it comes down. If you have an original alt the regulator kicks in at around 850 rpm. So good luck,,,,
gtjoey1314

Sorry - I could only upload one picture. Here's an additional shot of the gauges.