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Post Info TOPIC: Generator indicator (alternator idiot light help)


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Generator indicator (alternator idiot light help)


Hi all. Hope that all is well!

 

Ok so i'm working through the wiring on my 65 parisienne and it's an absolute rat's nest......more things have been spliced, sliced, tapped, cut, and added to......

The car already had an old 10SI alternator installed with internal regulator, and it was MOSTLY hooked up properly (although done with the worst and laziest connections I've ever seen). THe only problem I can find is that the "exciter wire" or what usually is a brown wire on the old GMs which would run to the indicator light on the dash is just not there. like at all.can't even find it in the harness. I've upgraded it to a 110amp 12SI alternator and rewired the entire charging system

Now to add to the frustration, most of the bulbs inside are just hanging under the dash so i'm not even sure which light it SHOULD be. Can anyone give me some insight here on what I should be looking for? Also wondering that if worst case scenario I can just hook up a new light somewhere..........if so, how would I wire it? One wire straight through the firewall to the alternator and the other side of the bulb to ?


Thanks for any assistance!!

 

Mark.

 

EDIT: found some info that the original 4 wire external regulator plug may have only had 2 wires going to it not 4 like gms.....oh Pontiac..........so if this is the case, what would I connect to the trigger connection on the alternator where the idiot light would normally go?

 

 



-- Edited by hutch400 on Friday 17th of November 2017 09:05:38 AM



-- Edited by hutch400 on Friday 17th of November 2017 09:05:56 AM



-- Edited by hutch400 on Friday 17th of November 2017 09:23:30 AM

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A Poncho Legend!

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I think I have a wiring diagram for your car. I will try to post it tonight if nobody has something sooner.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



Veteran Member

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that would be FANTASTIC to have

Thanks again!

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Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Very general, but these might help you get thinking in the right direction,

 

Generic External regulated 10 or 12SI or DN type

2427479011_5ab9b44569_z.jpg?zz=1

 

Generic Internal regulated 10 or 12SI or CS type

2427478141_ddf8dcd908_z.jpg?zz=1



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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


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If running a 10/12si just need a jumper wire from bat to#2 on alt, this will give it voltage to start charging. Old thread
canadianponcho.activeboard.com/t61316872/alternator-issues/

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A Poncho Legend!

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From the 65 Canadian Pontiac Assembly Manual---

6538.jpg

6539.jpg

6540.jpg

6541.jpg

6542.jpg

6543.jpg

Attachments
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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What I find useful with those diagrams is to print them and tape them together where the pages should join to make one large diagram. Then use a yellow highlighter to trace out the connection you are trying to follow. Then save in your toolbox/paper files for the car. Very easy to use when leaning over a fender.

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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC.
1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada

Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic



A Poncho Legend!

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Do you need the index page to translate the abbreviations for the wire colours? I didn't post that but I sure can if you need it.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Do you have a scan of the 65 engine harness Carl?

And in looking for an alt idiot light for the 65, I realize that there isn't one. Just the ammeter. Is that right?

And Mark, here is a good read on the benefits of setting the sensing wire up to "Remote Sense" the load and trigger the alt accordingly.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/remotevoltagesensing.shtml



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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


A Poncho Legend!

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Hmm, I wonder if I missed one? Or maybe it's missing in the manual. I'll have to check. I hadn't realized it wasn't there.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



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. . When I first got my '66 convertible I found the previous owner had fried the main wire to the amp gauge. . He then butchered the harness adding aftermarket gauges and wired the ignition switch outside what was left of the burnt harness. . I first bought a Catalina harness only to find it was nothing like the Parisienne. . I did manage to locate a '65 Parisienne harness only to find it wasn't the same as the '66. . I finally found a '66 Parisienne harness but it wasn't for a convertible or console shift. . Was starting to go crazy. .

. . Think it was Carl who sent me the wiring diagram and after two weeks of carefully removing wires from the firewall plug and ignition switch plug and a few others I was able to build a harness that took care of everything except the neutral safety on the console. . Hardest part was finding the correct temp sending unit for the idiot lite. . But I got it and has been running fine since. .

. . Good luck with yours and remember it's a fun learning experience. .



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'66 Parisienne Custom Sport Convertible



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awesome info everyone! thank you so much!!

 

I appreciate those diagrams Carl! That will help IMMENSELY while rewiring the dash/console! Do you happen to have the underhood diagram? Just want to reference it to double check I have all my connections in the right place......



-- Edited by hutch400 on Monday 20th of November 2017 09:15:05 AM

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I can try to check later. I was away all day yesterday until late evening so never had a chance to check.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



A Poncho Legend!

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I checked the assembly manual and for some odd reason, for 1965 it doesn't include the engine wiring harness. Hopefully someone here has a 65 service manual that has the diagram in it.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



Addicted!

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Would the 66 be the same? I will attach it anyway.

Luppyengine comp.jpg



Attachments
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A Poncho Legend!

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I have that one too. I am betting it's virtually identical if not identical, but now I'm curious to see a 65 diagram.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



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thanks guys! i'll be at the shop tonight and will check things out...off the top of my head, the diagram for the '66 sure looks close

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A Poncho Legend!

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hutch400 wrote:

thanks guys! i'll be at the shop tonight and will check things out...off the top of my head, the diagram for the '66 sure looks close





I would think so too. Other than the 409 using an external resistor for the coil in 65, I can't think of what difference there would be between the 2 years. Neither year has a gauge for oil or temp. Both have ammeter. 65 doesn't have a cold light does it?

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars



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so it looks like the diagram for the 66 is the same as my 65...........reason I couldn't find the brown wire under the hood is because someone had replaced the ENTIRE wire with a white wire....lol....yeah

Thanks again for all the help. These will all come in super handy!

Here's what I've done with the charging system/electrical so far:

-replaced all the grounds and added a couple new ones with 6 gauge and crimped connectors
-replaced all the power wires with heavier wiring with proper connectors
-put a power distribution block in rather than using the horn buss
-new 100 amp 12si (internally regulated) alternator using the remote sensing feature at the distribution block so it will actually detect draw/demand on the system
-headlight relays
-new modern relay for the horn
-ford starter solenoid so that the main wire going to the starter isn't live all the time....I never was a fan of that
-new wiring in the ignition system as well (including restistor wire)

Shouldn't ever have any reliability issues!!! I'll post some pics later



-- Edited by hutch400 on Thursday 23rd of November 2017 09:15:24 AM



-- Edited by hutch400 on Thursday 23rd of November 2017 09:16:32 AM

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Sound like you've done it right! Did pretty much all that years ago except the Ford solenoid (a good idea that I didn't know about at the time), and have never had an issue. Good grounds are key for sure. You should have zero issues and nice bright headlights...better than even a new car if you have Halogens in there.

Question: did you do any fusible links at the alternator output and the battery charging wire?



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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


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haven't put them in yet but I do have them......I would assume right at the alternator so that the output wire would be "dead" should it blow? same for the battery...right at the battery?

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I believe that is correct as to the positioning..

And if I understand correctly, a fusible link should generally be 4 gauge sizes smaller than the main wire?



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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


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Hutch400, what ignition are you running, stock points?

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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC.
1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada

Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic



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hi DonSSDD

yes i'm just running stock ignition for now with new points, condenser, cap/rotor, plugs/wires on it........considered going to HEI but i've never had an issue running points and i'm not really doing any major modifications to the 283 so it should be fine

Mark

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