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Vintage '68 Volvo 122s alternator swap

iwannadrive said:
hmm. interesting. I wonder how hard it would be to fab up a different bracket for it?
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Well, this factory bolt location is part of the block casting, so it's not like you could just unbolt it. It looks like, because of the size of that part of the casting, the aftermarket brackets won't bolt onto the block, either (I'm assuming the hex section is supposed to replicate the later mounting location, and that the earlier blocks don't have that extra material over the forward boss). If that's the case, then what's the deal with that engine with the SI on it? I wonder what they did for accessory pulleys, because my original pulleys sure as hell don't line up.
 
all this theorizing without visualizing it on my car is making my head hurt. my car's in storage about an hour away from me for the winter, so I think I'll throw some new brushes in my generator next spring to see if I can get that to work, and get it home. and then just grab a cheap SI alternator at the junkyard to play with and try to figure out a solution for.
 
buy the SW-EM kit

All the time you're spending figuring out what to do about mounting the thing - fuggeddaboudit. Buy the SW-EM kit. Yeah, it's a hundred bucks. It's also rugged as hell, works great, it's easy to install, and Ron's instructions are excellent. Use the time and imagination you were going to devote to this on something for which there isn't such a no-brainer solution.

BTW, the 10/12SI alternators are *not* one-wire, they're three-wire. Marginally more complex to set up, but they work better. And you get to keep your red amp light in the dash. Most people find that it's worthwhile. And like I say, Ron's instructions are excellent, so you should have no problems.

One thing I'll suggest as an addendum/modification of Ron's approach. Ron's kit is set up to connect the voltage sensing wire (the third wire of the three, the one that doesn't connect to the amp light or the battery) to the battery output stud on the alternator. While this will work, it means the alternator is measuring the voltage at the "best case" point. It's better to connect the wire to the power distribution stud (which should be mounted on the firewall). That way it'll give you a more accurate reading of actual voltage in the system.
 
pstevens3307 said:
All the time you're spending figuring out what to do about mounting the thing - fuggeddaboudit. Buy the SW-EM kit. Yeah, it's a hundred bucks. It's also rugged as hell, works great, it's easy to install, and Ron's instructions are excellent. Use the time and imagination you were going to devote to this on something for which there isn't such a no-brainer solution.

BTW, the 10/12SI alternators are *not* one-wire, they're three-wire. Marginally more complex to set up, but they work better. And you get to keep your red amp light in the dash. Most people find that it's worthwhile. And like I say, Ron's instructions are excellent, so you should have no problems.

One thing I'll suggest as an addendum/modification of Ron's approach. Ron's kit is set up to connect the voltage sensing wire (the third wire of the three, the one that doesn't connect to the amp light or the battery) to the battery output stud on the alternator. While this will work, it means the alternator is measuring the voltage at the "best case" point. It's better to connect the wire to the power distribution stud (which should be mounted on the firewall). That way it'll give you a more accurate reading of actual voltage in the system.
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I second this. Sometimes I'd rather spend that extra dollar to not even have to worry about it and that's exactly what you can do with the SW-EM kit. While you're at it, put in a voltmeter so you know exactly what you're charging system is doing. You won't regret buying the kit. The only problem I ran into was when using a one wire Delco alternator my AMP light would stay on when the car was off and turn off when the car was on. Add in a diode if necessary.
 
Don't add a diode. There are good reasons to use a three-wire alternator, and it's not at all difficult to wire it properly. Just follow Ron's instructions with the SW-EM kit. Just get a 10/12si alternator and wire it up right. It's easy. Really. I promise.
 
pstevens3307 said:
All the time you're spending figuring out what to do about mounting the thing - fuggeddaboudit. Buy the SW-EM kit. Yeah, it's a hundred bucks. It's also rugged as hell, works great, it's easy to install, and Ron's instructions are excellent. Use the time and imagination you were going to devote to this on something for which there isn't such a no-brainer solution.

BTW, the 10/12SI alternators are *not* one-wire, they're three-wire. Marginally more complex to set up, but they work better. And you get to keep your red amp light in the dash. Most people find that it's worthwhile. And like I say, Ron's instructions are excellent, so you should have no problems.

One thing I'll suggest as an addendum/modification of Ron's approach. Ron's kit is set up to connect the voltage sensing wire (the third wire of the three, the one that doesn't connect to the amp light or the battery) to the battery output stud on the alternator. While this will work, it means the alternator is measuring the voltage at the "best case" point. It's better to connect the wire to the power distribution stud (which should be mounted on the firewall). That way it'll give you a more accurate reading of actual voltage in the system.
Click to expand...
you're probably right. I just really like to build stuff myself. I like trying to engineer ways to make things work, it's kinda just the way that I am.

when spring comes, I'll probably pick up a 10/12si alternator, look at it, realize it will take a bunch of work to make fit, and then pick up an SW-EM kit.

do you guys think that putting a new set of brushes in my generator is worthwhile? the previous owner of my car stated that it was recently "professionally rebuilt", but it was working kind of erratically until it quit charging, came back to life for a small period of time, and then quit again. It would be pretty cool to keep the originality of the generator if possible. I already tested the voltage regulator by quickly bypassing it, and that doesn't seem to be the issue.
 
I think I'd go with an alternator rather than mess with brushes on that old generator. My wife's B20-equipped 220 has an alt and it's WAAAYYY better than the gen on my B18-equipped 122 sedan. I'm waiting for that gen to fail me and then I'll swap to an alt.
 
Amazon newb here wondering if I can use this alt that Ron says to use with his kit on my Amazon I have a b20 swap and I have the front mounting hole I'm trying
To avoid the ext voltage reg I got my self a Bosch alt for a 140 with b20 thinking
It would be internal but it's not and I rather not have to track down one if I could use the alt that Ron says to get for his kit would it bolt up to the hole that's on the b20's stock and only require how to wire in the three wire bypassing and removing the original voltage reg for the gen? If so can anyone send me that info for wiring it up with the 10 or 12s?
 
I used one on a B20 Amazon, but made my bracket out of an old Chevy one I think, so can't say if the kit works.
Local part store has a new alt connector, use it if you don't get a good bit of harness at the junkyard.

I do them like this;
Put a ring terminal on the red wire, run that to the batt post on the alternator
A hearty wire, best with a fuse link to the battery to the alt batt post
the other wire from the plug joins the one coming from the charge light to the old regulator.

Works on most cars.
 
So there is no need to wire anything back to the large black wire that comes stock in the harness that went to the back side of the voltage reg b+ and thenother red wire I'm guessing next to it went to the dash light
 
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