71 Swinger Voltage regulator Question

[74desertduster]

Have a 71 Slant Six Swinger and from the research I have done on the web, the voltage regulator I have (shown in the picture) is 1969 and older style.

71 Should have the newer solid state type with different wiring from both field connectors on the alternator.

Did they make 71's with the old style regulators?

Thanks

Brian

 

[abodyjoe]

i thought 71 had the dual fld alt and reg. i know both my 71 here do anyway.

 

[slantsixdan]

'70 was the first year for the "2-field" alternator and what we are calling in this thread the "71-up" style regulator. Someone has indeed swapped an earlier-style regulator onto your car for some strange reason. If the charging system is working okeh, might as well leave it until you have cause to repair or upgrade.

 

[Mr Hemi]

You can see the holes in the firewall to mount the proper regulator. Just get a regulator, plug and bolts

 

[67Dart273]

So far's I know, all 70's and later had the ISOLATED FIELD alternator

Before you get all excited and try and convert it, you might look at your alternator. If someone put a 69/ earlier alternator on it (one side of field grounded) you'll have to change the alternator too

The fact is, that if it's working OK, why mess with it

 

[74desertduster]

Yes, I need to check the alternator to see if one field is grounded as it should be for this setup or if they have the 71 up alternator with this regulator...wanted to confirm that a 71 should have the solid state regulator.

One never knows what thing could have happened over 40 years....

 

[74desertduster]

Well, the alternator is wired with negative field grounded with a jumper wire to the case, which is correct for this regulator. It's odd though because the wiring harness looks original, just not correct for this year. Weird.

 

[green1]

Strange, we just went through this today, with the local alternator builder. Converting a 69 model. That regulator is for a 69 down 1 field, but electronic. He said that was what was needed, going to electronic ignition. He is building a late model Denso 90 amp to fit the 69, and grounding 1 field, so we don't have to splice in a wire, if we used the 70 up factory reg.
And he agreed with the madelectric schematic, bypassing the ammeter- said he had done it over 50 times. He also said, with electronic non-factory ignition, that less than a 60 amp, with a/c, would probably stall at idle; not enough power to run ignition. The denso puts out 60 at idle; Mopar went from 45, to 60, then in late 70's to radial, then all now use Denso's.
The lower mount just invovles tweaking the bushing/sleeves, upper adjuster close, tweak, he is changing pulley from serpentine to v belt. $125.
And, we learned that fusible links are a special wire (that he gave us for the bypass).

 

[slantsixdan]

He also said, with electronic non-factory ignition, that less than a 60 amp, with a/c, would probably stall at idle; not enough power to run ignition

Bull. Lots of cars left the factory starting in '71 with electronic ignition and much-less-than-60A alternators; they do not stall at idle. Many other cars have been upgraded to many different electronic ignitions without a 60-or-more amp alternator; those don't stall at idle, either.

Mopar went from 45, to 60, then in late 70's to radial

Not sure what this is supposed to mean. A-bodies came with alternators ranging from 30 to 65 amps depending on model year, equipment, and specification. "Radial" is not an output rating and doesn't mean anything with respect to alternators anyhow.

 

[67Dart273]

................Lots of cars left the factory starting in '71 with electronic ignition and much-less-than-60A alternators; they do not stall at idle..............................

Well YEAAAAA!!! Hell I've driven many miles once or twice when the alternator QUIT running on the battery!!! Amazingly enough, the car did not stall!!!!!!!

(I've also driven a few miles here and there with no clutch linkage, once with no starter, and spent a weekend "on base" when the 3-4 shift fork broke, but it didn't stop me from going SOMEWHERE)

When my POS Dodge 600 (2.5L?) blew a head gasket, I just pulled the offending spark plug, took a plug shell and rigged a hose "overboard," and stuck a wire in the rad cap to kill pressure. Drove the damn thing over a month that way. Sounded like a John Deere.