New user with questions

Hello everyone and thanks for allowing me in. I just picked up a 1985 F250 4x4 automatic with a 351m and an Edelbrock 1906 avs2 carb. Factory a/c, ps, pb, with the emissions mostly removed. I’m glad to find the forum still active. It’s been really helpful thus far. It’s a pretty solid truck but still comes with its issues. I’m a novice at best and trying to get into automotive wrenching more and the bullnose has always been a dream. Although I didn’t get my dream truck it’s a good place to start.

The truck was “running and driving” when I picked it up but wouldn’t idle. It had been sitting for about 4 years. I’m going through the systems now to get it back road worthy again I’m not looking to do a full restoration just a good driver.

I’ve drained the tank, the best I can without a full removal, rebuilt the carb and put in inline fuel filters and pressure regulator. With the automatic choke I noticed I have the factory choke solenoid on the drivers side firewall. I didn’t have power to the choke wire and in tracing the wires back found out all the wires going to the alternator were disconnected and when I pulled the alternator I discovered it has a GM 10si style alternator installed and no harness coming out of the alternator. I’m trying to figure out now what’s the best direction to go with the alternator and the electric choke. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks I’m advanced.

Welcome to the forum.  Glad you joined.  

But you apparently missed the email asking you to post your intro in the New Members Start Here folder.  Don't worry, about 1/2 the people do.  But we ask that because we want you to have had a chance to see the guidelines, which are posted there, since we hold everyone to them.

So please assure us you've read them?

As for the truck, the last 351M was installed in '81 trucks.  From '82 on it should be a 351W.  You can tell by counting the valve cover bolts.

My apologies… I posted over there just to be sure. And you are correct on the 351 it is a Windsor. I had it correct in the signature.

I’m working on the truck this weekend and this group is my bast chance of getting sound advice on the alternator and the choke, I’ll get some pictures and do my best to post asap.

I’ve never posted on a forum before so if I need to make a separate thread just let me know. Thanks

Thanks, you are good to go.  And I'll bet you'll get answers to your questions.

So here’s my current situation. The cut shunt wire is before I knew what I was looking at. I currently have all the wires configured in the factory orientation. The Gm alternator is what the P.O. Had installed with only 1 wire going to the positive side of the battery. The 3 factory alternator wires were taped up out of the way.
The harness that plugs into the GM alternator has a red wire that jumps over to the batt post on the alternator and a white wire with a diode in it.
My main goal here is to have a working alternator and a working electric choke. Of course I’m on a budget like everyone else… but can I make this GM one work or should I get a ford one? I do have a new OE regulator and regulator harness. TIA

As originally wired the choke relay depends on the alternator having a stator output, as shown below.  But you could rewire it, and the Chokes tab on our page at Documentation/Electrical/3G Alternator Conversion discusses that.