Alternator, Regulator & E.C.U.

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64ragtop

64ragtop

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For about ten years my 64ragtop has been running on a hacked up stock points type wiring setup, with a two pin ballast. The previous owner had installed a solid state regulator to replace the old electromechanical one. He had also cobbled up wiring for a four pin E.C.U. Well, it's been working, but looking pretty lousy. So, I'm putting in a new wiring harness and don't know if I should install the '70 & up "flat pack" regulator, four pin ballast and five pin E.C.U. This also requires ungrounding the field that was grounded on the dual field alternator. Is the change worthwhile? Is there a performance difference between the four and five pin controllers, or between the regulators, or in using both fields of the alternator?? Thoughts and opinions are welcome. Results from the real world appreciated. Thanks!

BC
 
Thanks for the reply, sorry I wasn't specific. The alternator is a squareback, vintage unknown, but with one field grounded so it can work with the original wiring. There's no reason to change the alt, it's been working fine. I just need to remove the wire from the second field tab to use both field wires, the flat pack regulator, the four pin ballast, and the five pin engine controller. I'm just wondering if ditching the four pin E.C.U. and the ballast and regulator that are already installed is worth the time and expense.
 
60 amp isolated field alternater, correct voltage regulator for it. I'm told the newer regulaters are electronic while they still look like the mechanical OEM. I dont know if they supply enough system voltage for electronic ignition to operate properly.
4 pin ignition module, 2 post/single circuit ballast resistor, electronic ignition distributor.
Done
 
RedFish said:
60 amp isolated field alternater, correct voltage regulator for it. I'm told the newer regulaters are electronic while they still look like the mechanical OEM. I dont know if they supply enough system voltage for electronic ignition to operate properly.
4 pin ignition module, 2 post/single circuit ballast resistor, electronic ignition distributor.
Done
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I'm running! What I'm wondering is if it's worth the extra expense and installation time to change the voltage regulator from the electronic regulator that looks like the old electromechanical one to the '70 and later "flat pack" V.R., change the two pin to a four pin ballast, change from the four pin E.C.U. to a five pin controller and wire in the currently grounded field on the alternator. Any significant improvement in power, fuel efficiency, reliability or anything else? Still wondering.... Thanks.

BC
 
Depends. What exact brand and part no. regulator do you have now? If it's regulating at the proper voltage, I'd say don't worry with it.
 
67Dart273 said:
Depends. What exact brand and part no. regulator do you have now? If it's regulating at the proper voltage, I'd say don't worry with it.
Click to expand...

The car is thirty miles away and I don't know the brand and part # of the regulator. The car has always started and run dependably, even with the cobbled up wiring. But the need to repair the wiring when I found the bulkhead connector to be on its' last legs resulted in my buying new dash and engine compartment wiring harnesses (see my thread here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=199396

This thread resulted from the wiring harness maker pushing me toward the new parts I mentioned above. So, I'm wondering if there are performance gains with the five pin E.C.U. four pin ballast and '70 up regulator.

The previous owner's cobbled up engine compartment wiring:
 

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The regulator pictured looks like a generic old style regulator

To tell if it's mechanical or solid state either look at the underside (mechanical has two good sized resistors)

or pull the cover and see if there's a mechanical/ electrical relay, or a solid state board.

This is a mechanical relay type:

http://vintagemoparts.com/img/p/97-396-thickbox.jpg

If you have a late model (70/ later) alternator, you can use either the later model factory regulator, or ........

if you have EITHER a 69/ earlier alternator or a later one, you can also stay with a replacement but better regulator. Standard VR 128 or Echlin VR1001

These can be expensive, but are good regulators. Frankly, if you are going to a late model alternator with better low RPM output, all you need is one extra wire to hook up the factory 70/ later regulator.

As long as it works, there's no real problem with a 5 pin ECU. Remember, though you can NOT tell by looking. Many 4 pin ECUs have 5 physical pins. You must use an ohmeter to tell if the 5th pin is hooked to anything.
 
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