In message <9502182317.AA05493@MOLE.mmm.com> Chris Amley - 3M Co. - St. Paul, MN
writes:
> Subject pretty much says it: without considerations to Authenticity, is
> changing a TR3 to alternator a Good Thing? How do you do it? It's so
> sad to see the ammeter needle barely able to drag its sorry little self into
> the right side of the dial whenever I turn on the headlights (which, lately,
> I
> do whenever I drive the car)!
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
Chris swaping over to a Alternator is easy. You will need to do some minor
fitting of the brackets though. Its much easier if you use an alternator with
a regulator built in. You will need to bi pass your original regulator (or
remove it. Sorry, but bifferent alternators have different requirements
depending if the voltage regulator is built in or not so I can't really discuss
wiring. When I converted the Land Rover in '78, I used a Ford alternator &
external regulator. I got a copy of the Ford wiring diagram & Land Rover wiring
diagram. I just made the Land Rover charging circuit look like the Ford one
using as many of the original wires as possible. It should be a lot easier with
a rerulator built in since a lot fewer wires are involved. You would need to
install a higher AMP ammeter. You can often swap front bezels & glass.
Now to your TR3. Unless you have added on lots of axillery lighting, a hugh
mega amp boom box stereo, TV & refrigerator, the original generator is usually
more than enough to handle everything if its in good condition. From what you
describe, your generator probably is due for new brushes. Possibly your voltage
regulator needs minor maintenence, or you have corroded (high resistance)
connections between the battery & generator. if it was me, I would have new
brushes put in, and check out the voltage regulator to make sure it is working
per spec. The generator can handle all the standard TR3 electrics & an
alternator does degrade your cars ahh-ablility at field meets and resale value.
My advice, if you have stock TR3 electrical accessories + maybe a standard
radio, just bring your stock system back into correct operating output. If you
hung a lot of power hungry electrics on the car & don't care about originality,
switch over, but don't butcher the wiring harness & keep any brackets you may
remove in case you or a subsequent owner want to revert to stock in the future.
TeriAnn Wakeman Large format photographers look at the world
twakeman@apple.com upside down and backwards
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