There have been many threads on this subject but most everyone that installed the one wire alternator simply tied back the unused wires. For me, this was not an acceptable option since one of the reasons for installing the alternator in the first place was to clean up the unused wires in the engine bay - also to make room for an MSD ignition.
Please add feedback since I may have missed something. I will update this thread to reflect additional valid information.
These instructions are for a '66 with a 289. If you have a different year or have a 200 installed, instructions may differ.
I studied the wiring diagrams and cut here and snipped there and got it all to work fine while removing all the unused wiring. I am switching to a Volt meter so I do not discuss hooking up the stock Amp meter.
Short Version
I only had to cut two wires:
Long Version
Please add feedback since I may have missed something. I will update this thread to reflect additional valid information.
These instructions are for a '66 with a 289. If you have a different year or have a 200 installed, instructions may differ.
I studied the wiring diagrams and cut here and snipped there and got it all to work fine while removing all the unused wiring. I am switching to a Volt meter so I do not discuss hooking up the stock Amp meter.
Short Version
I only had to cut two wires:
- Solid yellow from the battery side of the relay switch (#152 in the attached diagram)
- Green-red from the ignition switch to the regulator (#904 in the attached diagram)
- I also shortened the black-yellow wire (removing the splice) and routed it above the radiator (#37 in the attached diagram)
Long Version
- Follow the instructions to install your one-wire alternator. Mine was a 140 amp Powermaster.
- There is only one wire hooking into alternator side of the harness. This is a solid yellow wire that is also connected to the black-yellow wire on the battery side of the starter relay. This is part of the feed for the amp meter. Cut the yellow wire about 4" from the end.
- Remove the tape between the regulator wiring harness and the starter relay. This is the part of the harness that routed under the radiator. The other part of the same harness runs power to your lights.
- From here you get a pretty good view of what neeeds to be cut and what can go.
- There is a large black wire with yellow stripe. Don't cut this wire yet. This is the main power for the ignition switch. There is also a splice about 1/3 the way to the regulator. Cut everything away from the spice, keeping the black-yellow wire in tact.
- You should be able to remove all of the wiring from the starter relay switch to the alternator. The only thing remaining should be the black-yellow wire and what is left of the solid yellow wire also hooked into this lead.
- From the regulator side, you will have to cut away one or two of the plastic locks that help support the wiring harness splicing.
- There is a green wire with a red stipe that should be exposed. Cut the greed-red wire. I left about 4" just in case I need to splice back into the harness at some point in the future.
- All of the unused wiring should now be completely free and clear
- I cut out the splice in the black-yellow wire and shortened it about 12" and routed it around the front side of the battery to the starter relay.
- I used shrinkwrap to protect the end of the yellow and green-red wires I cut.