1st gen pu alternator help.... with a twist ...toy/ford/sami

[bleakhorizon]

ok...
So i have a known good and tested externally regulated alternator from a 76 hilux, regulated by a ford solid state regulator, installed in a 88 sami

Anyway i get er all in there and the thing is charging from 14.8 to 15.2-6ish. ok good. so i go get in the truck to test drive it. notice that the tach/stereo/dome lights are going from bright to dim - bright to dim - bright to dim, if i turn the headlights on, they stop surging....  

Its very strange to me, i have some experience with electronics but have never ran into this before, and it does it when it charges normal (14.8 ) and a lil high (15.2-6)....  i also have a very nice Fluke multimeter and it does not show a voltage spike at/when the lights are flashing...

can anyone here help me lol..   i dont want to blow this alternator up or melt down the sami.....  


on a side note.... i have done conversions like this before just never with a toyota alternator...

[emsvitil]

Sounds like the regulator.

14.8+ is too high.   

The regulator may do a complete shut off because it gets that high (thus the surging)

Does the regulator have a good ground?

[bleakhorizon]

wow, fast lol......  yea i was thinking reg too. its a brand new unit but that means nothing now-a-days, and yes good low ohm from batt neg to reg body..... i will try a older non solid state regulator tomorrow...

[emsvitil]

Check the wire inputs to the alternator.    There's a couple of different ways they are wired.