LUVTruck.com

so, new problem with the new (old) luv...

the PO had just put in a new alternator, and the battery was toast when I bought it, so I replaced it with a new one.

the new one hisses after driving, and both my high beams went out (blown lights - I still have voltage at the harness) during a one-hour (daylight) drive. less than a week later the ignition coil went out rather suddenly when trying to pull out of the driveway (thank goodness!)

when running, the battery shows 16-17 volts at idle and between 18 and 19.5 when revving.

there are two ?? regulators bolted to the fender, neither of which appear damaged at all, but neither one fixes the problem.

I'm in the boonies in northern california, and it's difficult to get parts and nobody around here seems to me to be any more competent a mechanic than myself, which doesn't give me much confidence in getting help here... I've got the truck at a mechanic right now, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope for them to track down the problem. I expect to go back and have them tell me to replace the regulator and charge me $300 for it.

I'm considering getting a delco internally regulated one-wire, but I'm low on tools - no welder or other metal working tools - and I'm not sure I could get together a bracket for it without them.

does anyone have any prior experience with a similar problem? or maybe some more information on swapping in a GM alternator? I would actually prefer to keep it stock if I can.

thanks in advance --- I'm driving around with the alternator unplugged most of the time to keep it from burning up my ignition and leaving me stranded.

thaddeus

That sounds like your regulator is toast and/or has been tampered with. A new solid state one should solve your problem easily, doesn't cost much, and they are fairly easy to install.

you were right - regulator was to blame. $50 and a few minutes fixed it.

yep, that’s what happened to me, but mine was all rusted when i opened it to see... glad you got it fixed

_________________
My old but now gone Luv...

Nothing to be embarassed about...you asked, checked it out, and fixed it. Problem solved.

Good job! Glad it all worked out.

ha - I wish. I thought it was fixed... but it's not. still overcharging. now instead of fluid out of the battery, it just smells like rotten eggs all the time. not cool!!!

I'm going to go back and see if I can get a warranty on the alternator, which is nearly new, though the tech said the diode is testing possibly bad. and then hopefully also get warranty on the new volt reg.

so... just in case that doesn't fix it, does anybody know if there might be something *other* than the alternator or regulator that might contribute to either one of those components getting fried?

thanks y'all...

thaddeus

I cant imagine anything besides an alternator and regulator could be causing your voltage to go up. Nothing that I know of stock would cause that.

I have actually had the same problem you have, but it was because I was trying to add an alternator from an 86 Trooper. It was a few years ago when it happened, and I don't exactly remember my configuration.

You could do like I did... get a GM 1-Wire alternator (internally regulated) off ebay (I got a chrome one for somewhere around 60 or 70 bucks... i think it was a while ago). I got a 100Amp, and I'm glad I did because I've added tons of electrical stuff. I get 12.5v idle, and 14v running (less if I'm running the lights/blower and subs). If you want to go with that, let me know and I'll post pictures of how I got it setup.

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-1979 LUV 4x4

May have a wireing problem if not the alternator itself. Make sure the white/lavender wire at the regulator has 12 volts (battery) voltage on it at all times. This is where the regulator samples the battery voltage and then adjusts it as needed. No voltage here and the regulator thinks the battery is low and calls for maximum charge. Just a long shot.
If the field wire shorts to battery voltage it also causes maximum charge. Another long shot, but happens.

I'd like to see those pics..

Clean up all your connectors especially at the battery and the fuesable link.


Hows your fuse box????


Did you guys get the Family II GM motor.

They made heaps of them here and put them in locally made Nissan bodied Pulsars (N13) and Astras (LD). They also used them in the Camira which i think you guys called the 'J' body.

Some of these had a bosch alternator as did the N12 pulsar and are dead simple to fit up to a G-series Isuzu motor.

Ive got pics if the models sound familar.

hes a link to some N12 pics.
http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carsales.com.au/cvr/80nn12fp-thumb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.research_results%3Fcurrent_rec%3D121%26sort_type%3D%26total_rec%3D152%26make_name%3DNISSAN%26model_name%3DPULSAR&h=89&w=125&sz=4&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=K6ILg2gejSfEGM:&tbnh=64&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dn12%2Bpulsar%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

I'd like to see photos of the one-wire install as well... I might do that, now that I'll have my welder set up in the next few days.

Thats the thing, the one i used you dont need any of that, its just a simple cut and thats it.
Use a grinder or a hack saw, put it on the bench grinder.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

what did it come off of? or, how could I make sure I get one that will fit likewise?

In the post above.


N12 Nissan pulsar E15 or E16 engine.

Or a N13 pulsar but with a family II motor but i do not think you would have got that model with that engine. Probably a CA16 in yours, probably with a different alternator.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

Sorry, I have been off the forums for a while. Let me go get some pictures taken of the 1-wire, and attempt to write something up for what I did.

as for the alternator, take a look here...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrome-Chev-alternator-100-Amp-1-or-3-wire_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33573QQihZ007QQitemZ170232440334QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Thats the same guy I bought mine from 2 years ago off a recomendation another luv owner made. I'm not sure if the seller buys them rebuilt, or rebuilds them himself, but mines worked fine for two years.

I'll make another post afterwhile with pics.

_________________
-1979 LUV 4x4

From the HAMB


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200777

http://www.geocities.com/smedly_whiplash/Alt/alt_index.htm

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml
http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/8/030/article/One_Wire_Delco_alternator_Installation_In_A_Classic_Ford_Truck.html
http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/10si.htm


These don't show a Luv setup, but they show the wiring and some brackets that have been used.

_________________
75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

Nah theres two styles of Bosch alternator.


One goes over the mount. The other goes in the mount. Thats the latter and the first one i mentioned is a lot easier to put on.
Heres what i did, ive copied it in from another fourm.

Ok ive done the mount etc, it doesnt quite "bolt on" but its freakin easy to do. Ive linked thumbs to keep the pics as big as possible for detail.

What you need.
The first thing you need is a Std Gemini Alternator bracket. It had to take 10mm bolts to hold the alternator to the bracket, they are the ones with 14mm heads. I had one with 8mm bolts (12mm head) on my KB20 ute and on the motor i fitted this alternator too i had the 10mm holes in the bracket but with an alternator fitted to it with the 8mm bolt holes. If your bracket does have the 8mm holes you could drill the rear one out and use a spacer or stepped bolt on the front if you can find one, or have it drilled out and tapped to suit a 10mm thread.

You need an alternator. The one ive used is off an 85 Astra, its written on it. That would make it either an LB or an LC. I know for sure this alternator can be found on an LC astra that is from late 85 and 1986. It is fitted with the E16 engine. The LB had the E15 engine. It can also be found on the LD Astra with the Holden family II motor in it (probably more amps too). As for what is what on a Pulsar im not so sure. I would say that N12 would be the same. I have a 90 model N13 Pulsar here and it has a different Bosch alternator fitted with a different mounting spacing, it wires up differently too. I also have another alternator here that came off something its the same mounting spacing as the alternator ive used in the pictures but it another brand (nippon or Hitachi or something) one of these would work as well, its in the pic in the above post.
Heres a view of the rear of the alternator.

The main thing you need to know is that its 95mm from the back face of the front arm to the rear face of the rear arm.

For alignment the front face needs to stay as is, its spot on. Belt lines up perfectly once the mount had been modded a bit. Im not too sure about the adjustment brace, it could have been bent already, its easy to space out or whatever. You could need a longer belt, the alternator is physically bigger than the Gemini unit so it wont go as close into the block.



What you need to do is cut a slice out of the rear part of the mount, the gap has to be opened up between the front mounting face and the front of the rear mouning face. You can see the washer like bit i cut off in the picture. Easily done with an angle grinder took me 5 mins to do.
At first i thought that cutting it back to the strengthening brace cast in the bracket would be enough but it needed to go a little further.


Why???
Because if the both the front and rear mounting arms are tight on the bracket the measurement between the two would need to be exact to stop the arms busting off the alternator when you tighten the bolts. The front arm locates the alternator and the rear one is just a brace to hold it or locate it and stop the alternator wobbling and breaking off the front mounting arm and falling off. So the front arm needs to touch the bracket and the rear arm shouldnt becuase its got the split sliding sleeve in it. Because of the sliding sleeve the rear mounting face doesnt need to be 100% parrallel or the exact distance, so a carefull grinder cut will do. I used the 1mm cut off disc in my 115mm grinder, you could use a 3mm disc or even take a bit of time and do it on a bench grinder.

If you look closely you can see the air gap between the rear arm and the bracket. Youve got to have the air gap.


If you look closely at the next pic you will see the sleeve is hard back against the rear mount, the bolt is done up. Take care doing the bolt up, if the sleeve gets stuck you will flex the arms on the alternator and could break one off. I did the front bolt up firm first, then i gradually tightened the rear one moving the alternator up and down while i was doing it to make sure the sleeve slid back. Once youve done the rear bolt up tight the sleeve should stay still and the alternator will twist on it.


Happy charging.

Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

Heres the thread i got that from, theres also a post in there about how to do the wiring to remove the external regulator.

http://www.ozgemini.com/forums/tech/viewtopic.php?t=4271


It would not let me put more than 5 URL's in a post.


LB-LC Astra is an N12 Nissan/Datsun Pulsar but with a different Grille and headlights.
LD Astra is an N13 Pulsar. But with a locally made motor.

Pulsar is possibly a Datsun Sunny maybe in North America. I think thats what they are called in New Zeland.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

thaddeus where are you at? It some times helps to know, so we can help you according to your location

if it is Australia then bob is your man... Holden = Chevy

_________________
75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

No one has got back to me on the whole Nissan thing yet. Did you get that model???

Best thing is because its a Bosch housing you can get it upped to 100Amps easy.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.