Documentation of Alt Wiring V-8 Swaps

[Elbert]

The purpose of this thread is to attempt to document the wiring necessary to interface a GM alternator with the FJ60 vehicle wiring harness so that you have lights, charge the battery etc. I've noticed over time that this is a very poorly documented area regarding engine swaps. I will populate my information as soon as I have the time over Christamss holidays to swap my single wire alternator and verify the wiring on my CS140 OEM stock spare alternator I have. For the purposes of this thread please provide the following.

(1) Year and model of the GM V-8 engine.
(2) model number and amp rating if known of the alternator
(3) Year and model of the 60 in question
(4) type of engine harness if stand alone type
(5) clear and concise narrative that explains the stock wiring and then goes on to explain what stock toyota wires connect to or get modifed and where and how they connect to the GM alternator or battery. THis is the very critical stuff...can't have too much detail as to what wire goes where.
(6) if possible please provide pictures as well.
(7) if you have dual batteries or other changes that may impact your wiring for the alternator please explain that, as always picutres are helpful.


If there are other important details I've not mentioned please include those.

I currently have a custom made single wire CS140 alternator on my truck and I will explain that and show pics as I have time to fill this in for my truck.

Very important to know the alternator model and of course the specific engine model. Don't refer to the GM engine as just a vortec.. it may be a 5.7 a 5.3 or a 6.0...etc.

If you want to post up info from other swaps thats fine...but make sure to post enough information so people can figure out what truck you are talking about...and obviously the requested details.

 

[xxfullsailxx]

well, I'm honored to be first...

-Motor: '92 Chevy 350 TBI from G1500 van w/ serpentine belt system
-Alt: Carquest #WRE7861-3A 105 Amps...also seen here:
New Tech N8165-3 - New Tech Replacement Alternators - Overview - SummitRacing.com
-Vehicle: 1988 FJ62
-Painless Wiring harness (no alternator provisions)
-From GM pigtail: To Toyota harness:

Red wire: Inconsequential/not used?
(I ended up putting it to the rear stud b/c fourrunner suggested it and it already had a ring connector)
Brown wire: To the black/yellow for gauge & light
Black wire: To the yellow/white wire for 12v w/ignition on
Power Stud: Two heavy gauge white wires w/ ring connector

The "extra" white wire on the toyota side does not show up in any wiring diagrams.
It is a ~12ga. wire that is hot with motor running ~14+volts.

feel free to contact me with any questions/comments!

-darin

 

[LCOwner]

Subscribed on 2. I'm getting ready to swap a 92 cop car motor in.

 

[lehiguy]

Call me a simpleton (I am that) I run a one-wire. All that is required is to solder in a self-exciting regulator which costs just a few dollars.

 

[Elbert]

Looking for people to share their configuration with the OEM style of GM alternator...once you get the wiring squared away....all you should have to do is replace a defective alternator that you can buy just about anywhere.

 

[OyajiJon]

(1) 99 5.7 Vortec
(2) AC Delco of unknown rating...came with engine from dismantler
(3) 1987 FJ60
(4) Howell EFI with smog
(5) There is one wire from the Howell harness that goes to the weather-pac connector on the alternator and one wire on the alternator post that goes to the main post dual battery solenoid. One wire from the factory harness attaches to the main post.
(6) I'll post a picture later.
(7) There is nothing special about my dual battery wiring. The aux battery is attached to the "aux" post and main battery on the "main" post. As previously mentioned, the alternator and FJ60 wiring attach to the "main" post as well. I'll try to get a picture of two that show some things.

 

[Elbert]

Pirate4x4.Com - The largest off roading and 4x4 website in the world.

When it decides to stop raining for any length of time around here I'll get on with swapping over to the GM OEM style alt. I've posted a link in this note with some information about Alt. from the pirate site.

 

[Wolfpack92flying]

ditto on the subscribe as I am just about to make that connection myself for my 89 fj62 96 lt1 swap

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

I have a 87 60 w/ 91 TBI w/ CS130 alternator

I picked up a painless plug from Autozone.

Painless Wiring/CS style GM alternator pigtail (30707) | Electrical Pigtail | AutoZone.com

-Big wire goes directly from the alternator stud to the pos battery terminal.

-Red plug wire (lug included) loops back to the alternator stud.

-White plug wire goes to the “ignition hot” wire that comes from the charge fuse. In my case this was a yellow wire from the 60’s main harness. You will know you have the correct wire if the charge light is on when the ignition switch is on and the engine is not running.

Note, it is important to find the correct ignition wire. There needs to be a lamp or a resistor between the alternator and 12V Power.

The painless kit actually comes with the resistor if you want to wire it directly to the ignition switch.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy

 

[iaintscared1969]

87 FJ60

Running 02 GEN III Vortec 6.0

White wire to Alt. Lug

Yellow wire to Alt. Plug marked S (This is the unused pin on the alternator) FYI The other unused pin will drive a tach if needed

Low voltage Black and yellow to Red wire on alt plug of harness. Yes both wires read voltage but Black and yellow to red wire on aftermarket harness activates the relay.

Charge light for Vortec guys!!

 

[Elbert]

old thread but I wanted to add some info that might help others. GM stock CS 144 alt in a 5.7 vortec. Setup does not require interface with factory dash or alt guage or idiot light (the approach I'm taking) see this thread post 353 ... STLCA 60 Series Club Thread

as background I've had the 60 for a while with the 5.7, most of that time I've run a custom siingle wire alternator. I wanted to get to a stock type cs144 alternator. See the above thread for that..which I just tested and got working today. Basically it was on my radar for a while but since I had a working alt I just put it off. Hope this may help someone. Again the setup I'm using does not interface with factory toyota alt gauge or idiot light. two wire connection using two napa parts and a stock GM CS144 alt that would have come new on a 1999 GM pickup or SUV with 5.7 vortec engine. There are other configurations of CS 144 alternator and certainly there are other ways to wire an alternator and you could obviously make your own adapter off a GM pigtail you could purchase from rock auto or rob off a donor.

If someone needs some pics just let me know. I plan on getting the "ign on" signal from the pos side of the coil wire harness. Just did some testing today to make sure the napa parts worked and my CS 144 alt was good. Likely you could use this same setup (wiring) in any vehicle ..the path I took, if you did not care about the factory idiot light or alt gauge working, in my case I don't care since I have some aftermarket gauges.