Problem with M 12 volt conversion

Brad34 · Jun 23, 2008

I recently helped dad put a 12 volt conversion kit on his M. I went over things several times to make sure it was kooked up correctly. Dad cranked it over for a few seconds and all was good. It didn't start because the fuel had been drained, we just wanted to se if it would crank. A couple seconds passed and dad went to crank it again and nothing happened. Then I smelled something hot and dad cut the ignition switch right a way. It was the resistor that got hot and was smoking slightly. Thinking back, I think the ammeter may be wired backwards but that shouldn't matter right? Also we have nothing hooked up to the 1 & 2 post on the 10SI alternator, just to the battery terminal. Do I need battery power hooked to the #2 post? Otherwise I am confident everything else is hooked up correcly, so what could be wrong??

Thanks

Bob M · Jun 23, 2008

Brad - If the ballast resistor is new, a few wisps of smoke from it the first time it's powered up is normal. (The resistance coil inside gets very hot in normal operation. The smoke is oil, etc. from the manufacturing process burning off the coil...)

Does't matter if the ammeter is wired backward. The meter will read "backward" but otherwise will operate normally.

Presuming you have a standard Delco 10SI (not a "one wire" 10SI) it won't work unless you have connections to both the #1 and #2 terminals.

#1 needs to be supplied from the ignition switch thru either a warning lamp, an equivalent resistor or a diode. #2 can be pigtailed directly to the alternator's output terminal.

Brad34 · Jun 23, 2008

Thanks Bob. I will try this next time I'm back home.

But why would it crank for a few seconds the first time, then not again? Do you think we wrecked anything cranking it without terminals #1 & #2 hooked up?

Bob M · Jun 23, 2008

Brad - The "no crank" condition is most likely a bad battery cable connection or worn starter switch. Other (long shot...) possibilities are a bad starter or jammed starter bendix.

Not to worry: You didn't hurt a thing cranking the engine with nothing connected to the #1 and #2 alt terminals! Only thing that would happen had the started is the alternator would not have charged...

JOSSETTE · Jun 23, 2008

jh

Problem with M 12 volt conversion

Brad34

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Bob M

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Brad34

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Bob M

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JOSSETTE

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