l bought a hack job...HELP!!!!

[fastbill]

Hi Guys,

l'm new to the site, but l'll be here often due to getting suckered into a hack job and a half of a car. lt's got potential, but...Most problems l can figure out, but l'll ask some of the ones that l don't have time to figure out, especially knowing that most are probably commonly made mistakes by shadetree mechanics. first....front turn signals come on, somewhat dim, but on, when l hit the brakes. l'm pretty sure something in the rear light assy is causing the problem . how can l tell an internal from an external regulator alternator. anybody familiar with electric fuel pumps and fans and how they should be wired? l'm going to buy the relay kits soon, so l'd imagine that will solve some troubles. l read some other posts about the dash lights, so l'll try those fixes first. pee ess, it's a '71. thanks for all your help, Bill

[Ed's68]

Well if its mostly original wires in the car first look at all the grounds and conectors for rust. Also make sure they are tight. (They are 35 years old and will have bad conections:rolleyes: ) From there get a wiring diagram and go one circut at a time.

[strtlegal]

if its externally regulated you should have a square box mounted to your core support, i believe next to your drivers side headlamp..good luck

[fastbill]

hi guys and thanks for the replies,
there is a regulator on the rad support, but the wires from alternator go to ground and starter; nowhere near regulator. Does this sound right? or common? Battery is in trunk, also. Starts and runs fine, battery is getting 14v and change when tested while running, but shouldn't something be going directly to regulator? Alternator has 2 posts on back, 1 is ground, 1 is positive, and also has place for plug on top side for two terminals, but nothing is hooked to them. soory for the lack of knowledge; l've been out of the musclecar loop for quite some time and have forgotten a lot of this stuff. Marriage and kids will do that to a guy, you know....thanks again, Bill

[tpinovaII]

First off, (for the record) every '71 came from the factory with an alternator with an external regulator. Let's try it this way.

This is an alternator with an internal regulator.
http://www.madelectrical.com/images/delcor2.jpg
http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/images/AlternatorWiringOverview-1973to1985Buick.jpg

This is an alternator with an external regulator.
http://www.4alterstart.com/nss-folder/pictures/20110119.jpg
http://shirtsforu.com/cdmauto/media/DelcoXT.jpg
http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/images/AlternatorWiringOverview-1963to1972Buick.jpg

[NovaNate]

hi guys and thanks for the replies,
there is a regulator on the rad support, but the wires from alternator go to ground and starter; nowhere near regulator. Does this sound right? or common? Battery is in trunk, also. Starts and runs fine, battery is getting 14v and change when tested while running, but shouldn't something be going directly to regulator? Alternator has 2 posts on back, 1 is ground, 1 is positive, and also has place for plug on top side for two terminals, but nothing is hooked to them. soory for the lack of knowledge; l've been out of the musclecar loop for quite some time and have forgotten a lot of this stuff. Marriage and kids will do that to a guy, you know....thanks again, Bill

There should be two black boxes on the rad support near the drivers side headlights, the horn relay and the voltage regulator. The external regulator is connected to the positive supply post. If you have an external regulator, a red wire should run from yoru positive feed from battery through the rad support above the passenger headlight, the run along top of the front of radiator support, back into the engine compartment near the drivers headlight, and attach to the voltage regulator near the horn relay on inside of rad support. I suppose this is moot point because tpinovaII sent plenty of good info foand you probably already figured it out.

[fastbill]

Hi guys,
I'm still trying to figure this out. I'll look closer when the weather clears up some, but l know l have the internal alternator, looks just like the 10si picture, but nothing is hooked to the wire connector area. the + goes right to the starter, then a lead from there goes back to the power point near the pass. headlight. there is also a ground from the chassis of the alternator to the chassis of car. there is an external regulator on rad support, but l can't recall right now what is hooked to it. ironically, everything seems to work right now, but l'm afraid l'm cooking the battery or not charging it enough, or just not getting the right power supply to the car. l do have an electric fuel pump and fan, so the electrics are a little more crucial. should l hook the wire connectors to something, or just leave it the way it is? thanks for the help. Bill

[72Orange]

fastbill, if you'd like a wiring diagram/schematic for your car PM your e-mail address to me and I'll send it over to you.