Voltage regulator?

Joekay

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I was told i may need to change voltage regulator. I have just installed my engine after rebuild, and i am using a msd pro billet ready to run distributor. I have a powermaster alternator. I got the car started last night and had smoke coming from the voltage regulator. Also on my alternator it has two male spades and i only have one connector. Bare with me as im electronically dumb. (And so is chryslers charging system) so im wondering what i need to do to make these parts and the car work together? New regulator? Is my alt hooked up wrong?

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You should change the electromechanical voltage regulator for an a solid-state electronic one. However, your first problem is that your car has an early-style charging system with a single field wire. The Powermaster alternator is the later "isolated field" style with dual field terminals. From the Powermaster instructions:

Note that the Powermaster alternator is a double field unit that will work with both double field and single field type external regulators. If your vehicle has two small field wires, they should be connected to the FLD terminals on the back of the alternator. These wires are interchangeable, so either wire can be connected to either FLD terminal. If your vehicle has one small field wire, connect it to either FLD terminal on the alternator. Then, usinga short 16 AWG or larger jumper wire, ground the remaining FLD terminal. Some models have a ground stud on the back alternator case; this or any other bare metal grounding point will be sufficient.

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/094__Chrysler_Alternators.pdf
 
Awesome info info the Alternator. I didnt think to check their site. I got the alternator from an individual with any instructions or packaging. Was hoping it could still work with the old style charging system. Ill pick up a solid state regulator as well. Thanks
 
You should change the electromechanical voltage regulator for an a solid-state electronic one. However, your first problem is that your car has an early-style charging system with a single field wire. The Powermaster alternator is the later "isolated field" style with dual field terminals. . . .

One other thing to consider: I don't know what the amp output of the PowerMaster is, but the wiring in your car (bulkhead connector, etc.) is designed to handle only 50 - 60 amps. If your new alternator is higher than that, you are courting a future disaster.
 
To get the car running quickly and safely without any hacking of wires here's my recommendation
1 AutoZone electronic voltage regular VR706 plug n play.
2. From second field terminal ground it to the alternator housing bolt in the front of alternator.
3. Powermaster alternator are 70 amp double from factory. Run a heavy wire from the BATTERY stud at alternator to the BATTERY stud at starter relay. With a fusible link at starter relay (easier to get at).
This wire takes the load away from the charging system inceluding ammeter gauge and voltage regulator.
Hope this helps.
 
Heavy as in 10g? And are you saying replace the current wire or in adittion to?
 
Car is a 1966. Ill check that out. But i will go down on record saying that gm 1wire is the way to for charging. I should have just converted but ive already upset the purists enough with this build.
 
Also i had to jump the neutral safety switch as i do not see the wire. I have it at the relay but dont want to cut harness apart to trace it. Can someone tell me where it should come out of harness. Motor was pulled prior to me getting the car.
 
Also i had to jump the neutral safety switch as i do not see the wire. I have it at the relay but dont want to cut harness apart to trace it. Can someone tell me where it should come out of harness. Motor was pulled prior to me getting the car.

Well. . . @Big_John usually chimes in here regarding where to get the FSM, but here it is anyway:

MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Service Manuals

Also, if yer gonna keep the car a while, this big color wiring diagram is a must have - especially for older eyes - get the BIG one

1966 Chrysler Color Wiring Diagram
 
By the way @Joekay your Vreg should not have been producing smoke just because the other field terminal on the alternator was not grounded. The missing wire would cause it to simply not work.

I suspect either there is something shorted inside the Vreg itself, or the wire between the FLD terminal and the alternator field terminal is shorted to ground. You should investigate that before installing a new Vreg and possibly destroying it.
 
Thanks. Ill double check the field wire. I had that part of the harness open to wire in the relay for the msd distributor and didnt notice anything but ill double check it.
 
Thanks. Ill double check the field wire. I had that part of the harness open to wire in the relay for the msd distributor and didnt notice anything but ill double check it.
Why did you need to wire-in a relay for the distributor instead of connecting it to the ignition-switched power wire?

You didn't need to cut into the harness to find ignition-switched power, whether powering the MSD distributor directly or using it to drive a relay. The ignition-switched power could be tapped-off at the Vreg BAT terminal or the input side of the ballast resistor. Both are on the same circuit. (With the ready-to-run MSD distributor, you may have removed the ballast resistor and connected the wires together. Check the instructions.)

If you do need to add circuits, I recommend installing an aux panel like this instead of cutting into the harness.
CirKit Boss Auxiliary Fuse Block/7 Circuits/Weatherproof (3 Constant - 4 Ign.) | Painless Performance
 
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Msd wanted a relay wired for the distributor so i mounted one above passenger valve cover on the firewall and used the original trigger wire to trigger relay and then put the new wire from relay to distributo in that harness. Less wires basically. Just had to run a power from battery along the firewall over to the relay.
 
This is what i recieved with the distributor

View attachment 244492
I have never seen that addendum document posted online before. It was not necessary in this case. The ballast resistor is easily accessed since it is screwed to the hood hinge support on the driver's side. To bypass the ballast resistor, unplug the spade terminals and connect them together. The coil will now see full ignition-switched voltage.
 
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