Gary Lewis

When you are done it’ll drive as good as it looks, which is great.

Bummer! But things like that do see to happen at inopportune times. Glad it worked out What brand was on it that failed?

You are now on the map. As for a timing chain, I'd go with a name brand double-roller like a Cloyes or similar.

Welcome! Glad you joined. I agree with Jim, it sounds like it jumped time due to a very loose timing chain. Where's home? What city in SC? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and can add you with a city or zip.

That is good to know, Chris. Thanks!

Welcome, Kris! Glad you joined. On the truck, that sounds a lot like what Dad's truck was out of the factory. But are you sure it is a 351W? From the factory it should have been a 351M, and the only thing those two engines share are valve cover bolts - but the W has 6/cover and the M has 8/cover. Where's home? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we can add you with a city/state or zip.

Ok, I think I understand what's on Darth and where it came from. As well as what failures it has had. And I assume it would kick out 160A on a continuous basis if called upon. But would the same generator/regulator combo with lessor diodes and heat sink cut back to 130A? The generating portion of the alternator would be the same, so how would the regulator know to cut the current back to save the diodes? Does it sense the temp of the heat sink? I'm missing something. Maybe I haven't had enough strong coffee today, so I just got a tall Starbucks dark roast and we'll see if there's a dawning in a bit. But if y'all can 'splain it to me...

Yes, but... Let me rephrase my question. Bill took a 130A-capable alternator and put "bigger diodes and a thicker copper heatsink" in it so that now it can put out 160A's w/o blowing a diode. But the generating part of the alternator isn't different, so in the same conditions it'll put out the same current it did before. Which brings me to my question: Does the regulator sense the temp of the heatsink and cut back on the output current to keep from blowing the diodes?

It is in the rear, but it's also only 8 gallons. I have airbags on this truck which I can air up to offset any squatting, but this camper is also probably 600lbs lighter than my fifth wheel camper + hitch so you don't really notice it's there. Air bags aren't actually that great with truck campers, though. For Rocky I was thinking of going with one of the spring-type enhancements instead, like the Roadmaster. They're supposed to be better for truck campers. Speaking of Rocky it's time to start tracking down oil leaks. I've degreased some trouble-spots and cleaned up the driveway (if I haven't already said it, Chomp Pull it Out is amazing stuff!), then parked Rocky facing uphill so the oil drain plug is at a lowpoint. I'm going to get it hot then do an oil change, then put some fresh cardboard underneath to track any drips and start sleuthing. From past patterns I think I have two drips to trace out, but I've made such a mess over the past few months I can't really tell for sure! How do you have the air bags plumbed? If they are both connected to a single inlet then that can be a problem since when a tall load, like a camper, leans it can push air to the other bag. I've always thought that individual fillers would be better, but I've not really tried it. Good luck on finding the leaks. But with it clean you should be able to do so pretty easily.

Welcome, Jim. As the curator of the site I usually know where things are ... buried.

Which electric connection? If the power to the tach fails it sits on 0. If the input to it fails it sits on 0.

Bill - Is Darth's alternator a "160" because it has diodes capable of handling that much current? I'm asking because I'm wondering how, or even if, the regulators take the output rating of the alternator into account. Looking at Rock Auto's site I don't see a different regulator for the 95A alternator vs the 130A unit, even though a 95A alternator is shown as standard equipment. (The 165A units appear to take an outboard regulator, and I see no regulators for a 200A alternator.) So do the regulators sense the temp of the rectifiers?

I remembered that there is a writeup regarding this on the page at Documentation/Electrical/Ignition and then the Ignition Simplification and the One-Wire tabs. In part it says: So if you have that circuit, and you should, then you can connect to it for your HEI. But as that wire is hot at all times you still need the relay. And I'd still fuse it. You can see a suggested wiring diagram for the relay on that page.

Nice looking rig. Seems to sit level, but the camper is surely "dry", so that will change as the load comes on. Is the waste tank in the rear as well? I'd think that would affect the handling as the load changes.

That's what I'm talking about. I doubt it could do it very long as the heat would build up very rapidly, but a fuse has a hair trigger compared to a fuse link, so I'd bet that's why Ford put a 300A fuse on a 200A alternator. And that might be a really good rule of thumb.

Yes, it is interesting. And it may suggest that the alternators are capable of kicking out more current than their ratings would imply on a short basis. Perhaps the rating is a continuous rating? I know my voltage goes up higher than the long-term set point right after starting, but then comes down pretty quickly. So I'm wondering of there is a "map" in the regulator that tries to give the battery a quick hit of power right after starting but then tapers off. And maybe at times that can exceed the rating of the alternator?

Right, and right. High Energy Ignition, HEI, was designed by GM and used on their vehicles from '75 until computers took over that task. And even then there were HEI systems that had computer connections. And right that they are power hungry and require at least a 12 gauge wire from the battery to the ignition. But you can't find that much power controlled by the ignition switch under the hood of a Ford vehicle so you have to install a relay. It isn't so much the wattage that is used in the ignition as it is the massive inrush current that is used to charge the coil. So while overall it would look like smaller wire would be fine, you need the larger wire to handle the short burst of high current as the ignition is preparing to fire the next plug.

Matt - You certainly do add value. For sure. And I, too, learn daily. But sometimes I learn the same thing I did last year.

The 1996 charging system is shown below, and it has a 12 gauge fuse link. But that begs the question of what size fuse to replace it with. In the 1985 EVTM there's a note that says: Note: (Fuse Link D) 14 gauge with 70A alternator. 16 gauge with 40 or 60A alternator. So 12 gauge would seem to be about right for a 95A alternator. (The diesel must have gotten a much bigger alternator as it has two 12 gauge fuse links in parallel.) Given that I'd say go with something like 110A. Fuses aren't precise and don't take overcurrent like fuse links do, so you have to err on the high side. Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute. There's also a page for a 200A alternator and it has a 300A fuse. Not a fuse link. That's 50% more, which would say you should have something like a 150A fuse.

At one point Tim Meyer was trying to work up a deal with Davis to have them make distributors for him as he was impressed with their quality. It didn't happen, although I have one of the prototypes, but I still remember that Tim was impressed with them. On the Jet Hot issue, I sure understand. But my guess is that you called at the height of their season. IIRC they told me that this time of year the racers were hitting them heavy to get their headers coated. I still think they should have returned your call, and I'd move on if it was me.

Well I guess I will do some measuring this weekend and see what I can get away with, because I know one thing for sure, I don't want to have to change this after the fact. I'm just not sure if I can move the engine over the full 2" or not. Still, if the trans output and rear diff input are offset, but still parallel, it should be fine? I know you are asking Jim, but I concur. Up/sideways doesn't matter. You need the same angle at each end w/a single cardon joint. So if the tranny points straight back and the pinion shaft points straight forward you should be fine.

North London has an accent? You mean w/in the sound of the Bow Bells? Yes, I know that's E/NE London. But having lived in Northwood/Moor Park and worked in the West End, what is now a car dealership on the backside of Selfridge's, I wasn't aware there was a specific accent for north London. However, as I think about it, I worked with people from all over the UK rather than locals, so I guess I wouldn't have been aware of a specific accent. On the 3 times to say something, I think you are right for most people. Unfortunately I find myself thinking "Where's that accent from?" But that's on the first pass, and I usually get the statement on the second pass. Case in point: The young lady that was interviewing someone from church about Ukraine was obviously from the UK. I guessed Yorkshire, but it was Lincolnshire. Oops!

Jim, agreed on all counts. This is the stock alternator for this engine, so it should be fine...now even more so with more belt wrapped around the pulley. I was really trying to minimize the extras on this engine...I have very little room to work with under the hood of this truck. A cleaner and tighter serpentine belt was preferred, but also needed. That looks great! Clean even.

I hope you are turning a corner. And sometimes just telling them what you are going to do is enough. My brother bought an FJ Cruiser a few years ago off a used car lot. It didn't drive very well due to oversized tires, but he brought it down and we put it on the lift. The tire sidewalls were rubbing on the brake line. He went back and asked them to replace the tires and they refused. He explained that he was going to post a review of them having sold him an unsafe vehicle and include the pics we took. They replaced the tires. There are really good things an really bad things associated with social media, but one of the good things is that you have a whole lot more leverage on businesses.

That kit looks pretty good. And the reviews are good as well. But like you, I can't see the difference in those three different part numbers. All three seem to say they have an adjustable vacuum advance as well as 65KV coil.