another chevy stuffed with a goat.....

bob_442

mad scientist
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Howdy. It's actually my truck. The BF stole the brand new AGM batteries out of the truck between the time I bought it and picked it up. I don't hesitate to use the word "steal" there because the new batteries were mentioned in the ad.

Anyway, Towcat pointed me at it, and I bit. The initial report is that it wouldn't run because there was no power going to the IP. I pulled the wire and supplied one of my own. Fired right up. The idle needs adjusting; the engine's fighting to go when I put it in gear, like it's not happy about being held down a hundred RPMs. It's a little like a snorting bull. I haven't been able to drive it much. When I tried (at night), the headlights flickered on and off with every bump. The transmission is shiftable with an electronic switch, but appears to not shift automatically. All these things are fixable. Just takes time and money.

Bob
 

apextrans

What Log Book????
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yeah I saw it. I like yours better. I'm just talking outta my butt really. OBS needs some more lovin' before I divert my attention somewhere else. Have my heart set on a 71 Early Bronco really.....or a second wife if the first one reads this!!LOL
 

bob_442

mad scientist
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I learned something new regarding getting a tach signal from an alternator. The Cummins that had been transplanted into the Chevy had an "SI" style GM alternator -- the kind of internally-regulated alternator that most GM vehicles came with in the 70's. A previous owner (probably two or more owners back) had disassembled the alternator, installed a crimp-on eyelet connector to one of the three main winding posts, where the power enters the diode block. The wire crimped into the eyelet ran out through one of the holes in the back of the alternator and provided a signal for the tach. While I was messing around in there, the crimped-on wire fell out. It took me a while to figure out where it came from. I've upgraded the alternator to a close cousin to the GM/Delco CS-130, which has an external tach signal, and has better charging characteristics. The tach came back to life, and since I reused the original pulley, seems to be giving correct readings.

Also, the original alternator seemed to have a short in it. It fed power backwards through the field winding connector. The upshot: when you turn the key off, the alternator keeps feeding power into the electrical system, north of the ignition switch. The engine keeps running until you pulling the IP wire.

No wonder they had speaker wire feeding the IP via a dashboard switch. :)
 
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