No, the orange wire in any of our Classic Update Kits is a fused 12v ignition feed that should be used as the “keyed” trigger wire that connects to your cooling fan relay.
Tags: classic, cooling, engine, fan, ignition, kit, orange, update, wire
It is not recommended that original switches be used in any of our kits. In many instances, the method of connection is completely different, as the switches that we include are updated-style units. The amperage ratings on our switches are usually higher than stock so that they will carry the extra load capabilities of the updated harnesses. In addition, our ignition switches are mutually bussed between crank and run (whereas most originals are not) so that updated items such as HEI, MSD, fuel injection, and single wire “high torque” starters can be used.
Tags: classic, headlight, ignition, kit, switch, update
Delco Remy (System Integrated) SI alternator were used on GM vehicles between 1969-1988. They were primarily used on vehicles between 1975-1985. Two of the most commonly used models were the 10SI and 12SI alternators.
Two key identification points of the SI alternator is the external fan with V belt pulley and the 2 charge indicator light terminals (male blades) that appear on the backside of the alternator.
The pictures below show the front and rear of a SI alternator and a picture of the connector that plugs into the alternator.
 SI alternator front/rear |
 SI alternator connector - 06294493 |
Tags: alternator, belt, charge, CS130, CS130D, CS144, fan, indicator, intergrated, Internal, light, regulator, serpentine, SI, system, V belt
Purchase and install a new fuse box
AAW does not recommend the purchase of a new fuse box for installation by the customer.
There are several reasons for this:
Recondition existing dash harness
AAW recommends a new dash as opposed to a reconditioned one. To qualify for reconditioning, you must meet the criteria listed below:
If the fuse box needs to be replaced as part of the recondition, there is an additional cost of $25.00.
Purchase a new dash harness
AAW recommends a new dash as opposed to either of the above choices. To find a dash for your make/model/year vehicle, you can visit the dash harness section of our online store at http://shop.americanautowire.com/dash-2.aspx or speak to a sales representative by calling 800-482-9473.
Tags: box, fuse, fuse box, fusebox, new, purchase, recondition, reconditioning, replacement, shorted, wires
Q: I am interested in one of your wiring kits for my streetrod/muscle car, however, I am running a Mallory Uni-lite distributor, not a points or GM HEI setup. Are your wiring kits compatible with a Uni-Lite distributor? Are there any changes that I need to make to my wiring to ensure proper ignition function?
A: Our wiring kits are set-up with a 12v feed directly to the ignition coil, such as is required by GM HEI systems. In some cases, our kits will include instruction sheets for using a points type distributor along with a ballast resistor as an alternative to the out-of-the-box HEI setup. That said, our kits do not include instructions for wiring a Mallory Uni-Lite distributor, and typically, the correct wiring of a Uni-Lite distributor will be different than what is required for either an HEI or points setup. The correct wiring of a Uni-Lite distributor is determined by the model number of the unit. Please refer to the Mallory instruction sheets, or Mallory technical support for the correct way to wire your particular distributor. In most cases, all that will be required to make a Uni-Lite distributor will be the inclusion of a ballast resistor in the ignition circuit, but this really needs to be confirmed with Mallory. Although American Autowire technical support strives to be on the cutting edge of the various offerings from the automotive aftermarket, the sheer volume of the available ignition systems on the market requires us to defer to the instructions provided by the appropriate manufacturer.
Tags: distributor, lite, mallory, uni, uni-lite, unilite
In all “points type” ignition systems, the OEM manufacturer installed a resistance wire or a ballast resistor to reduce the voltage to the ~9.6 volts for long term ignition performance. During normal engine operation, the points open and close allowing the resistance wire to discharge voltage to each spark plug at the timed increments, thus, minimizing the heat (warm to touch) build-up on the resistance wire. Common reasons for the resistance wire to become very hot to touch is the ignition key left “ON” for long periods of time during harness installation, when the ignition point contacts are closed. This unique ignition points position will not allow the resistance wire to discharge voltage and excessive heat (very hot to touch) will build up on the resistance wire.
A second reason for excess heat build up on the resistance wire is when an aftermarket HEI (12 volt) ignition system has been installed. The newer performance HEI ignition system is demanding excessive voltage through the resistance wire due to the HEI ignition system’s 12 volt operational requirements. In this case, the resistance wire will have to be removed and replaced with a piece of 12 gauge wire.
Tags: coil, engine, factory, fit, harness, HEI, hot, ignition, OEM, points, resistance, warm, wire
If you are installing one of our American Autowire 1964-66, 1967-68, 1969, or 1970 Mustang Classic Update kits, and are using your stock instrument cluster, you will need to use your original Ford OEM constant voltage unit. The constant voltage unit is normally mounted on the back of the instrument gauge cluster (we have shown a typical 1967 Mustang instrument cluster and harness below). As listed in our installation instructions (510056, page 3; 510126 page 3; or 510186 page 3) the AAW “Brown” accessory feed wire (4E) located in with the instrument cluster wires will be attached to the (Ford color code) “Black with Light Green Stripe” wire that feeds the constant voltage unit in the stock Ford OEM original instrument cluster. If you are making your own male/female gauge disconnect harness using our supplied gauge harness connectors, you will need to take the brown (4E) wire and connect it to the Ford OEM constant voltage unit input side. On the output side of the constant voltage unit, you will attach a feed wire that will be run to each of the factory gauges that requires constant reduced voltage.
Tags: cluster, constant, gauge, gauges, harness, instrument, mustang, regulator, striped, voltage, wire
Q: Why would my battery die in a day or two?
A: There are a few things that can do this. The first and most obvious is the condition of the battery. If a battery is old, or is in a car that seldom gets used and is stored for great lengths of time, the internals can sulfate and go bad. When this happens, the battery will appear to take a charge, but will not hold it. You’ll want to recharge you battery on a slow setting and try to bring it back up and see how it reacts. A good battery will generally read between 13.6 and 14.6 volts at rest. Once completely charged, do a draw test (if you have that capability) and see how the battery reacts. If the battery drops below 9-10 volts on a heavy draw and stays below where it was before you performed the test, there’s a good chance that you need a new battery. Generally, if a battery is over about 4 years old and continues going dead, it’s safe bet that the battery has outlived its useful life. This can happen almost overnight in the fall or winter. A batter that has given you no indication that it has any problems will appear to die “overnight”. As the days and nights get colder, the useful cranking amps of a battery begin to diminish as the electrons move more slowly in the cold and you can actually get a break in the internal cells of the battery as well. When this happens, it’s time to buy a new battery.
Tags: battery, dead, drain, draw, fuse, light, recharge, short, test
THE WORKINGS OF AN ALTERNATOR
ALTERNATOR WARNING LIGHT
What does the little red light that says ALT, GEN or sometimes CHARGING mean when it comes on? Without being scientific, it means that either the alternator output voltage is lower than the battery voltage, or the battery voltage is lower than the alternator output voltage. If the light gets dimmer as you rev the engine up, then you most likely have a problem with the alternator. If the light gets brighter, then the battery is most likely the problem.
ALTERNATOR ROTOR
The rotor consists of a coil of wire wrapped around an iron core. Current through the wire coil – called “field” current – produces a magnetic field around the core. The strength of the field current determines the strength of the magnetic field. The field current is D/C, or direct current. In other words, the current flows in one direction only, and is supplied to the wire coil by a set of brushes Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: alternator, battery, Diodes, field current, light, regulator, rotor, stator, warning
Q: Only two of the lamps on either side of the car had two wires going into the lamp sockets while the third socket only had a single wire. My original has 2 wires going into each of the 6 lamp sockets. Why?
A: Great question! We almost always build any of our Factory Fit® harnesses to the latest revision of the GM Engineering drawings. Your car is likely an extremely early production unit. GM actually changed the design of those 1966 Impala and Caprice rear body harnesses very early in production. The original configuration included 3 totally functional stop, turn, and tail lamp bulb sockets per side. The problem was that the wiring on those circuits was not capable of handling all that current (as the front to rear flat ribbon cable on those cars was only an 18 gauge trace or feed) when both the tail and break lights were applied at one time and left on for any extended duration. For that reason, it was not uncommon to blow the tail or stop lamp fuse on those early production cars. The natural customer reaction was to install a larger or more powerful fuse. By doing that, the wiring then became the weak link in the circuit. When those circuits became overloaded, instead of the fuse blowing as it originally did, in many instances, either the rear body harness or the flat ribbon cable would melt and create a short when the bare wiring touched the sheet metal.
GM’s fix for this was to stop the heat and overload by reducing one of the turn and stop feeds on each side of the car. The lower, or tail lamp filament inside the bulb did not create as much heat, nor did it draw as much amperage as the stop/turn filament did, therefore, they were left as is. In the new configuration, strictly the inboard and outboard lamps on either side of the car now functioned as stop and turn lamps, while all 3 on either side contained tail lamp circuitry.
Tags: 1966, body, caprice, chevrolet, chevy, factory, fit, impala, lamp, rear, signal, stop, tail, turn
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