Chevette Lucas alternator onto Viva

[fuel]

hey guys, my Delco alternator on my '73 Viva doesn't work anymore so I've got a Lucas alternator from a Chevette 1256, turns out the plugs are different.

Here's the back of the original Delco alternator, the connections read 'ND' and 'BAT' at the top, the ND has two wires going to it while the BAT has one wire going to it, there's another wire in that same plug but there's no lug for it on the alternator. The other connector is + and -, with only one thick wire going to +.

And here's the new Lucas alternator with just three wires which are unlabeled:

Any ideas how to connect up the new Lucas alternator?

Cheers

[My name is Russell]

When i picked up my Lucas alternator from pick a part i choped the leads further back and found that the two thick wires (Mine has the same plu but cant be sure if its the same altinator) joined into one further back and thats how i wired mine in so effectivly i only have two wires to my altinator. Not sure if this helps at all really.

Chris

[tortron]

might help, or not

with a generator you can test the terminals using a battery and a ground, when it spins (acting like a motor) you have the reverse of how you want to hook it up

maybe check under the plug/on the reverse side

[tortron]

failing that, open it up and see where the wires go and compare with the original

[fuel]

nah alternators wont spin, they work with AC current have need a rectifier to convert back to DC, both these alternators look to have them built in, early jap cars have an external regulator box.

[84_S12]

The terminals on most alternators fit regular old crimp on female spade connectors, so get some appropriate to the cable size you have in your loom and just reconfigure it that way. I changed from a mitsubishi alt to a lucas to another mitsubishi with a different plug and found this to be the easiest way to change between without cutting and soldering harness connectors.

A helping hand for ya to get on the right track.

It's interesting that there appears to be no provision for a noise suppression capacitor...

[fuel]

the car never had a radio to begin with so I guess they felt no need to fit one

So we've sorted which wires go to the old alternator, but what are the wires on the new alternator for? I'm just confused that there are like 5-6 wires going to the old alternator but only 3 on the new one.

[84_S12]

Was the regulator external? would be the only explanation AFAIK

[cute wee gem]

Same thing on the Chevette I had. It should be ground by the mount, so all you need is the big brown wire to goto the terminal, the brown with yellow tracer goes to the charge light and the other smaller brown one goes somewhere else, its called "sence" iirc, but can't remember where it goes, i only had 3 wires so just mashed it onto the last wire

[CaMpylobacter]

small one should go to charge light. other two are common so jsut hook it to the positive batttery. men.

you can test it by hoking fat one to a battery, earth to the body of the alt and spin it up on a drill. then hook the small one to positive to give a signal to excite the alterantor and watch it fly across the room as it loads u 'ardcone

[fuel]

ok sweet so the ND wire from my old alternator will go to the charge wire on the new alternator?

It seems the Lucas alternator has a voltage regulator built in, where the Delco uses an external regulator - but I can't find where the regulator is at all, only thing electrical in the engine bay is the starter solenoid and the fuse box.

[LAN_KILLA]

Regulator will be most likely a little tin box behind the dashboard