voltage reg problem

[MacataQ]

GOOD DAY ALL
i have spent the day going thru a ton of posts on Voltage Regulators
and i cant seem to find anything that covers my specific problem. hoping someone here will set me on the correct path electrically (pardon the pun)
1972 c10
SBC 350
3 wire alternator w external Voltage Reg
no A/C no pwr win, stock radio
details
low charging voltage @ bat when go thru stock reg -by pass reg (test) alternator pitting around 14.9 15.4v
i believe this test confirms the alt is okay?
so i suspect the VR
so went online Napa Canada out in my vehicle details and was directed to
purchase VR142SB as exact fit for my truck, so i ordered it.
when i got it a became perplexed
i thought it would be a matter of plug and play .."as in EXACT FIT"
but it doesn't look like it to me
see pics
any ideas?
thanks
Mac

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by MacataQ

GOOD DAY ALL
i have spent the day going thru a ton of posts on Voltage Regulators
and i cant seem to find anything that covers my specific problem. hoping someone here will set me on the correct path electrically (pardon the pun)
1972 c10
SBC 350
3 wire alternator w external Voltage Reg
no A/C no pwr win, stock radio
details
low charging voltage @ bat when go thru stock reg -by pass reg (test) alternator pitting around 14.9 15.4v
i believe this test confirms the alt is okay?
so i suspect the VR
so went online Napa Canada out in my vehicle details and was directed to
purchase VR142SB as exact fit for my truck, so i ordered it.
when i got it a became perplexed
i thought it would be a matter of plug and play .."as in EXACT FIT"
but it doesn't look like it to me
see pics
any ideas?
thanks
Mac

Does the 4-Contact plug fit?

It looks like a slight design change. The contact on the left [in both pix] goes thru a heat dissapating resister to ground on the box itself. In the newer version, there's a terminal for you to attach your own ground lead.
The Factory also had the VR boxes suspended off the Radiator Core Wall with vibration shedding rubber mounts. I have duplicated this effect by stacking rubber plumbers' washers and this may isolate the VR Box from ground, so groundibg is necessary.

To be honest, I had trouble with ''Lifetime Warranty'' replacement parts from O'Reilly's. They bought out Checker Auto and inherited their lifetime warranties, but their replacemts all failed. On my '68 Chevy Stepside, I cannibalized a VR that was on my '67 K/10 Suburban, from 1998. It works fine.
On my '71 GMC Jimmy, I got a wiring conversion kit from M&H, and Got a NIB SI-12 Alternator with internal VR. It's working fine.

[MacataQ]

orange
thanks for responding
it looks like it lines up correctly
the new one does not have aground on the casing like the old one
Mac

[1970 CST Short Wide]

I seem to remember something about polarization of a VR. Touching one of the wires to get it flowing in the right direction. "??????????

[MacataQ]

70
not sure on that? any details?
Mac

[Already Gone]

following

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by MacataQ

70
not sure on that? any details?
Mac

This was a long time ago. I remember something about touching Field to Ground. Probably long forgotten due to new Alts with built in Reg ?????
Any body old enough to remember this or am I Dreaming. LOL
I’m only 70 and I think my mind still works OK. ????

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by MacataQ

....
it looks like it lines up correctly
the new one does not have aground on the casing like the old one
Mac

Isn't the L-shaped contact on the left spot welded to the case, or is that an optical delusion?