I have put a just rebuilt 1967 Toronado 425 in my 1964 Cutlass. Had some issues with radiator ,water pump, hoses, brackets, belts, cooler lines ....Solved (I think) these with help from this site. I bought a Petronix HEI distributor and , based on reading threads, looked for a place to get 12 volts from the fuse box with the key on. Did not find a lead out of the box that would turn off with the key , but I did find a yellow wire ,with a connector (not hooked up to anything) that was hot with the key on. A buddy helped me install the HEI unit (more on that later) ,I turned the key on and he checked to make sure we had power to the HEI from a lead to the yellow wire. As he was doing this, the generator light was glowing bright red. The motor started right up but then died. He checked power again at the HEI - none. I checked power at the yellow wire -none. My buddy found a key-on-hot wire at the junction box on the driver inner fender (see picture) ;it is a wire that goes to the starter. The motor started right up again and we ran it for 20 minutes at 2000 RPMs. Now the questions. (1) The generator light now does not come on when the key is turned to on but it comes on when the motor is running. I thought it might be the alternator- I had put in the one from the 425 (see picture-1102367)- so I put in the one that had been on the 330(110656-37A). Light still comes on while motor is running. (2) Is it OK to have the HEI hooked up where it is? Does this have anything to do with the generator light coming on ? (3) I would like to add aftermarket gauges (temp, oil pressure , and volts). I would like to have the Idiot lights still work.Is it better to have electric or mechanical gauges ? Any recommendations? Thanks, John

 

Nice swap project!! I love a challenge, what could possibly go wrong? Anyway, you're through with the hard stuff. Yea!

I have the MSD, HEI flavor of this. Nothing too exotic. The 12VDC supply is from the key on, IGN fuse. Solve for what the GEN lamp is toggled by. It comes on when the circuit thinks there is no alternator output. So you've checked your output and two alternators. 14V right? Okay, move on to the regulator. Here is where I think the issue may be. The reg has to see the alternator and batt levels to do its magic. If the reg is wack, it could throw the false condition and may not be passing proper system voltage? Maybe in your experiments you smoked the regulator or wired it wrong? Poor thing.

 

Just noticed that I have not put back on the Two copper ground wires on the back of the engine. Also, there is no ground wire from the alternator, but I don't remember there being one that I took off. Would new paint on the alternator brackets prevent a ground ?

 

Where is the Negative Batt terminal fastened? Usually the alt is grounded from its engine bracket. I've seen painted brackets fail to conduct. Those straps that attach to the firewall ground the body metal to the engine. These would not affect the Battery Negative terminal ground to the engine point often with a two-sided star washer to bite into bare metal.

Read resistance or continuity from the Alt body to the Batt negative post.

 

Thanks for the input. I will check the ground from the battery to the motor and see if there is contnuity from the alternator to the battery. John

 

SO, I have continuity from the case of the alternator to the negative terminal of the battery. And, with the motor running, I have 14.5 volts between the the battery terminals. The generator light still does not come on when it should (in key on position) and it is on when it should not be (with engine running and alternator apparently charging). My buddy suggested black electrical tape over the light. Hoping there is a better fix. John

 

There should be a brown wire I believe on terminal 4 of your voltage regulator, disconnect that and see if the light goes out. Double check your connections at the regulator for a wiring error.

I don't have a wiring diagram for a 64 Olds, but this is for a Chevelle and I bet it's really close if not spot on. The other thing I would is find a different connection for the HEI as this problem did not show until you connected it up.

http://documents.clubexpress.com/doc...qn0RnjN0OpzeR8

 

Check fuses. Maybe marked guage fuse.

 

Okay, no tape. Regulators are cheap. You may still have a charging circuit problem due to the regulator/gen lamp condition. There's not much to this baby. You've ruled out the basics.

 

OK, the black tape is out. I will check fuses and the regulator. Thanks guys for your help, John

 

Problem solved. I learned something (again) new. I had checked the fuses twice before and all looked OK. I had also checked power across all fuses with a test light..When looking in the fuse box today, I noticed that some of the contacts are corroded. I located the instrument cluster fuse and took it out.I cleaned the contacts on both sides and put the same fuse back in. Generator light now comes on when it should and goes off when it should.. Thanks guys for your help ! John