1965 C10 - alternator or battery...

[Woogeroo]

1965 chevrolet c10 lwb

1992 5.7L/350 engine with 1992 doodads, but with a carb..

The low down...

So, I'm riding in big blue today on the way to school and I noticed that my blinkers are not flashing as fast as usual. I'm thinking,

"hmnn, ok blown bulb prolly, no biggie."

I check the flashing action all around and each one was flashing.... "hmmmn."

Went to class, came back out... fired up the truck...

Rolling down the highway to the house...

'hey my wipers are awful slow.... hey my blinkers are still slow.... hey when I turn my heater on the radio cuts off...'

I make it to the house, I don't shut the engine off... I put volt meter on the posts... 9.79 volts with it running.

That ain't good..!

So, I shut it off and check it again... same, 9.79 volts.

I went inside, rapped with my dad about it, we went out and checked it again... it went up to 10.0 volts or so.

Of course... wouldn't start....

battery is new from last year's starter fiasco(I think that was last year anyway).


I've never replaced the alternator since I bought it in 2003, so I'm guessing that is the issue.

Tho', I guess it could be the battery, but I'll stick it on the charger to see if it'll hold a charge.

Anyway, I'm open to anything else to double check... thought I'd run it by ya'll.

Take care,

-W

[fixit-p]

Alternator

[jgarverick]

x2

[TheDark1]

Check your primary wires and connections also.

[Woogeroo]

The alternator is my thinking... if this biblical flood ever passes through, maybe I can get out there.

-W

[ChiefRocka]

Get it started again..then check for 14.5 at the posts...

[Woogeroo]

Well, I charged up the battery last night and I was checking the voltage with a meter...

... I don't think a alternator works so good with a burnt wire:

charging system photos


Now I'm wondering how this happened to start with.

I hope to get out there tomorrow and tear into it, but I thought I'd keep you guys in the loop.

Thanks for all of the replies folks.

-W

[fixit-p]

Thats one of those new fangled cordless alternator thingies I saw on QVC

Bad splice (high resistance, thermal runaway) was there 2 wires going to the batt post and where did the second one go??

[TheDark1]

Thank you,Thank you...I'll be here all night........

[Woogeroo]

Update on my '65 electrical drama:


so, I finally got out there to pull the alternator off and of course, it started raining.

figures.

disconnected the battery, went to undo the other plugged in wires on the alt. and it broke off in my hand.

oops.

took bolts out, alternator off... all in record time!

So, then to the marathon parts search at the store...

first off, a alternator bench check... F A I L(big white letters in a red box on the screen). I figured it was toast, but it's best to be sure, right?


It's not a '92 alternator(tho' it is a '92 engine with a carb. in a '65 truck)... parts number cross check brought up an air filter!? hah! This is gonna be fun...


So, old crusty black dude at the O'Reillys parts counter kept at it... not a '89, not an '85, not a '75, not a '72.... 'could it be for a 307?' we don't know....

He went back to '69 c10 with a 350 and brought up the picture.... perfect match. en heche mexico alternator... hmmn.

Of course tho', they don't have the snazzy now fried out snap in plug, so off to NAPA... their warehouse of course, has 9 of them... so, maybe they will have it Monday. I can make my own plug using connectors, of course. I will abstain from the redneck engineering for now tho', hopefully.

It's supposed to flood here the next 2-3 days anyway... so, the no plug situation works out for me.

Now, I still have to trace the wires back and see if there is further damage, etc..

Old trucks are fun!

Especially when they are broke in the cold and rain!

Ya'll have a good weekend!


Thanks again for all of the replies fellas.


-W

[fixit-p]

Looking at your picture closer it looks like you have 10DN alt with external reg. does the plug look like this ll or this --? You might want to consider the 12SI internal reg upgrade. here's some listings.

12SI, 94 amp, at 3:00 (AC-DELCO # 321-266, Lester #7294-3)
Tell the auto parts counter person that “The alternator is for a 1984 High performance Chevy Camaro, with 5.0L (305G) engine, 94amp alternator

12SI, 94 amp, at 9:00 (AC-DELCO # 321-269, Lester #7294-9)
Tell the auto parts counter person that “The alternator is for a 1985 Buick Riviera, 5.0L (307Y engine), with Heavy Duty options and Air Conditioning.”

[Woogeroo]

If it has an external regulator... where would that be located?

-W

[fixit-p]

Should be on rad support does the plug look like pic 1 or 2?

[Woogeroo]

It looks like picture one.

okay... I'm looking in my shop manuals.

That's the external regulator... hmmn.

More things to check it seems.

-W

part two:

It seems NAPA has the voltage regulators in the system... at least one for a '65. American Classic has one in the catalog on their site.

Were there any big changes or differences in the voltage regulators, year to year? Things that I need to be aware of?



p.s. I'm asking and answering everywhere, old truck guys rock.


thread on chevytalk 60-66 section

thread on stovebolt, electrical bay

[fixit-p]

This would be the perfect time to upgrade to the externally regulated alt it's really simple to do, it's a direct bolt in with minor mods to the wiring which can be done at the regulator plug (diagram) some 12SI's have a metric threaded hole so you'll need to pick up a bolt and plug at the auto parts store. Does your truck have a gen light?

[Woogeroo]

my 1965 C10 Instrument cluster - tachometer install

-W

[62gmc910]

If you chose to upgrade to a higher output alternator read my 60-66 wiring basics post first

[Woogeroo]

60-66 wiring basics by 62gmc910

[Woogeroo]

I wired everything up and installed the new alternator... checked continuity between the new wires and the voltage regulator / battery, etc..

It is still not charging.

Will not run without the battery.

So... my guess is that the voltage regulator is not right, the new alternator is no good... or there is still something off in my 44 year old wiring harness.

Bah.



-W

[fixit-p]

Did you upgrade or stay with the 10DN it sounds like the 10DN if so check the wires at the regulator the brown wire at terminal #4 should have power with key on the red wire at terminal #3 should have power all the time and the white and blue wires at terminals 2&3 should have continuity to the alt (verify that they are correctly wired) make sure the alt and regulator are grounded properly. You could full field the alt by jumping the F terminal to the batt post but be carfull and only do it long enough to verify that the alt is working because at full field the alt will give you all it can

[Woogeroo]

update:

in addition to my previous issues... the engine module died... turns out it is a '74-'87 engine module in my '92 block in my '65 truck.

That makes perfect sense, right?

Got that fixed and all happy.... did a test with some jumpers a semi-retired mechanic told me about (thanks Wrenchbender Ret./George) and the alternator is wired up and charging.

see this thread on the Stovebolt, Electrical bay for excellent troubleshooting tips from Wrenchbender Ret. :

1965 C10 - alternator or battery...

I took off the voltage regulator and oddly enough, NAPA had one on the shelf.

That never happens to me!

Anyway, I ran out of ambition and had dinner. I hope to get the regulator installed today, weather permitting.

Another question... I currently do not have a specific ground wire running to the back of the alternator... the the ground wire post on the back there. I was thinking of running one from the ground wire post on the alternator to the negative battery cable terminal. Is this a good idea or is there a better location? Is the ground wire necessary? The last one didn't have one(it was like that when I bought it, I never noticed the post).


Thanks a bunch for all of the replies/diagrams/words of encouragement everyone!

-W

[62gmc910]

We use ground wires anywhere there is an lug provided Especially on the distributor. The Ignition module thing makes sensce, the distributor is probably a Pre '87 stand alone HEI the 92 would have had an throttle body "fuel injection" with a ECM controled distributor.

[Woogeroo]

victory is mine!!!

It starts, it charges, it runs!

YAY!

Thanks a bunch to everyone for all of the replies, advice and tips.

I got the voltage regulator in today, after much cussin' and talking bad with trying to put the nuts on those 3 bolts... that was the most aggravatin' part of the job.

I ran a ground wire from the ground post on the alt as well, to be sure.

After putting up the tools and so forth, I took a ride around the county in it and filled up with gas. The moment of truth was when it cranked after the fill up.

Yay!

It's so nice to drive my beat up old truck again.

Thanks everyone!

-W

[Woogeroo]

Well folks, I was checking my transmission fluid today and I noticed that the wires on the alternator side had fried again.

dad gummit.

I wired it all back up and checked it, seems everything is working again.

I am going to replace the harness part that runs from the voltage regulator to the alternator and a few other places as it seems rather toasted and brittle.

Any ideas on anything else I should check?


-W

[chris91]

If it were me I would run new wires.