slodat

What is the relay on the passenger fenderwell closer to the firewall than the bumper? I know the horn relay/tie point. This one is the one closer to the firewall. Thinking it needs replaced. It sure is making a hell of a racket.

Thanks in advance for any help identifying this guy.

rocketraider

How many and what color wires go to it?

If there are four wires, white, red, green and blue, it's the voltage regulator.

If it's smaller with three wires, red, purple and brown, it's the generator warning light relay. Olds used that relay only for a couple years and I've never owned a car with it, so I'm useless as far as troubleshooting it.

joe_padavano

Don't 63s have alternators? In any case, a photo will go a long ways towards helping us help you.

slodat

I was a little groggy when I first posted this. Of course a photo is required

I know the one that says NAPA on it is the voltage regulator. The car currently has an externally regulated SI style alternator.

Wondering what the relay is on the fenderwell.



Thank you for the replies.

ozoneblue

Blower relay ?

slodat

I need a wiring diagram, owners manual and service manual for the car. I just bought it the other day so, I don't have the reference materials I need just yet.

lowrico

That makes two of us. Ive got some wiring issues on mine also. I wanna rewire the whole thing this winter.

rocketraider

All 63's have alternators, but that is what the factory CSM calls it.

Far as I know only 62 and 63 cars had this warning light relay and I think it was part of the generator to alternator changeover, as the relay is not mentioned or shown in the Sept 61 printing of the 62 CSM. The May 1962 Service Guild goes into detail on Delcotron service and covers the warning light relay.

!! You mentioned an SI alternator. If the alternator has been rebuilt or replaced, it's possible this alternator has the warning lamp circuitry INSIDE and may be what's making the GWL relay holler.

slodat

I called it that not knowing there are non-SI alternators with that style case. Freshman move on my part.

Anyone have a simple how-to on converting to a SI that would eliminate this relay?

joe_padavano

Actually, I recently changed the generator in my 62 to a 10SI alternator. I used the alternator bracket from a 63 and wired it like this:



Don't waste your time with a one-wire alternator, use a factory-style three wire setup. Note that the diagram shows the wire from the no. 2 terminal going directly to the threaded BATT post on the alternator, This will work (and I did it because it was easy for now) but in reality that wire is the voltage sense feedback wire that should go all the way back to the junction block so you account for all voltage drops in the system. I'll correct that when I build my new wire harness, but as I said, it works for now.

slodat

There's a catch to picking up the sense voltage in the dash to compensate for voltage drop in the harness - you can overcharge your battery. I always set the sense voltage at the output of the alternator, which if the wiring is correctly sized and in good repair will be battery voltage. I will be updating the alternator to a CS130 style alternator when I get to that point.

The thing I'm wondering is what that warning light relay circuit looks like. Hmm. The generator warning light relay was making a lot of noise, so I disconnected it for now. I'm still charging so, I'm guessing it is only for the warning light.

Joe, does your warning light function correctly with the 10SI? If so, which wire is the warning light wire?

Thanks!

Steven

joe_padavano

Yes. In fact, the resistance of the warning light is needed by 10SI to properly turn the alternator on at idle speeds (that's why the one-wire alternators typically don't charge below 1,000-1,500 RPM). There is a brown wire in the harness that runs to the light. Simply connect it to the no. 1 terminal on the 10SI, as shown in the diagram. Note that my 62 F-85 did not use a warning light relay, but I can't see why that matters in your case. The warning light simply has +12V on one side and is connected to the regulator (internal or external) on the other side. The regulator grounds this terminal when the alternator is not charging, causing the light to illuminate. When the alternator is charging, you get +12V on the no. 1 terminal, so there is equal voltage on both sides of the lamp and thus the lamp does not light.

slodat

Thank you for the help. That's what I needed.