Voltage regulator?

[kaj750]

Hey guys. As I've mentioned in other threads, this is my first dealings with an older vehicle. Specifically, I've never owned a car with an external voltage regulator for the alternator.
Is this it? There are no markings on it and it's difficult to trace the wiring through the harness.
Just wanting to be sure, as I see nothing else on the firewall that looks like a regulator. I want to be sure my alternator has the external, before ordering a new one.
Also, my alternator has a pulley with two grooves. My car is not AC, so I'm assuming this is not my original alternator. Seeing how the belts line up just to fine now, should I just get the exact same design as a replacement? Is there any reason getting an alternator with a single groove would have the belt aligned anywhere else? I don't want to have any alignment issues and I don't care if the alternator has an extra groove. Nobody looks at my engine lol
Lastly, is there any way to tell the amperage of the current alternator?
I have tested things with voltmeters here and there, but never had to figure out amperage.

Thanks, in advance!

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Yes, that's one of the typical Voltage Regulator casings.

 

[Don67Satellite]

Number of pulley grooves is irrelevant if the alternator works fine.

See if you can get a part number from the alternator and that might help in finding out the amount of amps.

 

[kaj750]

Number of pulley grooves is irrelevant if the alternator works fine.

See if you can get a part number from the alternator and that might help in finding out the amount of amps.

I've been digging around it looking for any markings. May have to wait until I pull it off.

Confirmed external regulator. Perfect. Thanks, guys! I'll get the new alternator on the way.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

You should match your number of pulley grooves to the number of alternator grooves regardless if you're using a single belt of not. If you run a single groove pulley with double groove alternator it looks close in alignment, but it is not. You can shim it if needed I guess, but trial and error.

 

[Don67Satellite]

You should match your number of pulley grooves to the number of alternator grooves regardless if you're using a single belt of not. If you run a single groove pulley with double groove alternator it looks close in alignment, but it is not. You can shim it if needed I guess, but trial and error.

Yeah you're likely right it might make a alignment difference.

 

[kaj750]

You should match your number of pulley grooves to the number of alternator grooves regardless if you're using a single belt of not. If you run a single groove pulley with double groove alternator it looks close in alignment, but it is not. You can shim it if needed I guess, but trial and error.

I just wanted to be sure a single has it's belt groove in the same place as the inner groove on the double. It 100% should, but I've been surprised by stranger things. Lol
I'd order the single if I knew it would all work perfectly, the first time.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I just wanted to be sure a single has it's belt groove in the same place as the inner groove on the double. It 100% should, but I've been surprised by stranger things. Lol
I'd order the single if I knew it would all work perfectly, the first time.

I don't think they will place the belt in the same exact location. Why do you say it 100% should? That would be nice but based on my experience with my car it does not.

 

[kaj750]

I don't think they will place the belt in the same exact location. Why do you say it 100% should? That would be nice but based on my experience with my car it does not.

Because whether a car has AC or not, I'd *assume* the alternator belt lines up and runs on the same plane in relationship to the crank pulley, being a double groove alternator or single (not swapping pulleys, changing complete alternators).
But like I said, I've been surprised many times with this car.
It wouldn't surprise me if an AC car has a different crank pulley so lines everything up differently.
That being said, my current alternator has two grooves, so I will just buy the same.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Because whether a car has AC or not, I'd *assume* the alternator belt lines up and runs on the same plane in relationship to the crank pulley, being a double groove alternator or single (not swapping pulleys, changing complete alternators).
But like I said, I've been surprised many times with this car.
It wouldn't surprise me if an AC car has a different crank pulley so lines everything up differently.
That being said, my current alternator has two grooves, so I will just buy the same.

I thought the same and previously tried to make that work when I was swapping things out and it didn't work.

 

[kaj750]

I thought the same and previously tried to make that work when I was swapping things out and it didn't work.

I knew it! Lol. I figured that's why the previous owner used an alternator with this pulley on it.
Thanks for the heads up.