Re: Re: Re: Change Generator to Alternator..3000 Ford

Posted by Rick K on April 29, 1999 at 07:37:56:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Change Generator to Alternator..3000 Ford posted by Mark R. on April 26, 1999 at 20:17:53:

While I like GM, I was not hung up about using a GM alternator. I know that Chevy's are very popular for hotrod conversions of older cars, so maybe that is why JC Whitney sells the one-wire alternators from GM. It is possible that GM came out with alternators with built in regulators first... dunno. Anyway, they are probably the easiest to get. If you want, JC Whitney will even sell you a nice pretty chromed GM alternator. I have noticed a couple of comments on various bulletin boards about not getting output from alternator conversions at the low RPM's that tractors run at. If you find this to be true in your conversion, you may have to put a smaller pulley on the alternator. Several people have posted info stating that they took the thing to an auto-electical shop and were able to get a smaller diameter pully without any hassles. On the other hand, one of the big plusses of alternators was supposed to be that they had decent output, reguardless of speed, within reason. My only experience with a generator to alternator swap was on my 61 chevy impala. I got ahold of an alternator and brackets out of a pontiac, bent the brackets to make the pulley's line up, and everything worked fine. Of course, the chevy engine turned about 7000 RPM at top end! MY best suggestion is to just try it. If your charging rate is not there at low engine speeds, see what is available in a smaller pulley. Also, take a look at your crankshaft pulley diameter, and try to find a fiend with a chevy to compare crankshaft pulley sizes. If the tractor pulley is smaller than the chevy pulley, this would cause the alternator to turn slower for the same engine speed, and would be another reason to need a smaller alternator pulley.
Above all, have fun.

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