With my plans to convert my Dart to EFI and maybe add an electric fan, I figure I will probably need a bigger alternator than my current 45 amp if I want to drive at night very often. And I might as well ditch the mechanical regulator while I'm at it, and convert to an electronic one.

From what I've seen, I can simply track down an alternator from a '89 or later truck or some other Mopar products in a junkyard, and get it on there with a little fiddling. So attaching it doesn't seem too hard. But how about the wiring? Since I may be putting twice the current out that the original wiring was designed for, I'm a little worried that things may overheat. (Maybe that's because I also bought a Triumph Spitfire, which had a minor electrical fire shortly after I bought it...) Will I need to upgrade any of the wiring? How much is involved in converting to an electronic voltage regulator?

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Its easier than you might think. I did this using parts off a 72 or 3 something or another. Just go to the boneyard and grab the alternator and voltage Regulator off whatever mopar you want. Grab as much of the wiring harness for the regulator as possible, that includes un wrapping the black tape to get as much as possible.
Go over to Moparts.com and look in the tech archives, they have some good info on this subject. Its a great upgrade, and you won't be disappointed with the results. Good luck
Here's another site to help. http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Elec ... arging.htm

Got $ you can do anything...........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Thanks for the link, 69a100! That diagram is just what I needed. Since I plan on building a fair amount of the wiring harness already, I'll probably just wire it up from new wiring.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

I think I read somewhere to use a '76 360 with A/C alternator ???

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

I know a couple of guys who use a Nippondenso alternator. Just a slight modification to the alt. bracket and some simple wiring mods are all thats needed. I think Moparts might have a wiring diagram..if not, ask. Alot of people there have put a newer alternator with their V8's.

I put a nippondenso alt. on my car - 71 duster so it already had the electronic regulator.

I ended up running my own field wires though, because the ones part of the stock harness were causing erratic charging behavior.

One 18awg field wire directly to regulator (pin on the side), other 18awg field wire to regulator (top pin) and also to switched +12v. Then one 2awg from alternator directly to battery. Also the amp gauge bypass mod as well.

I put the ND alternator on my Duster about 8 years ago. Stock brackets (with minor modification) and bone stock wiring. Yes, you should upgrade the charge wire and run a shunt-type ammeter, but mine has worked fine with no probs in the many years that I have not gotten around to doing the wiring upgrade. I would think that the only time it would really tax the system with the 90 amp alt would be if you let the battery get real dead and the alternator had to recharge it with the full output. The headlights don't dim at idle anymore, even with the cheesy 1970 wiring.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

I personally recommend the mid 80's chrysler 120 amp. It was used on k-cars and the case is similar in size to an old square back and it wires up the same. The chrysler built 120 amp even looks like a factory unit instead of the mini ND. I not positive but it looks like it will even bolt up in place of the old ones. Oddly enough I have the 120 off my Daytona sitting in the back seat floor of my valiant right now I think when I get home I'll see if it fits the brackets. Of course it puts out enough current to melt all the original wiring and ammeter the first time it goes max charge. Good luck

was there any difference in the pulley? did you have to change the belts? I am just wondering about any ratio difference there may be associated with a upgrade, since I am going electric fuel pump and fan also, with a trunk mounted battery.

I installed the double-pulley alt from a '76 360 on FURTHER and it bolted right on. Connector plug matched. Didn't change anything else. Haven't had any problem from it. Also put the starter from the 360 on it. Works extremely well.
The *only* problem with the alt was it wanted to touch the horn under acceleration. I bent the horn bracket a bit and all's well.

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aed
/6>V8