Serpentine conversion - few questions

[apgttu]

I’m about 80% complete with the Explorer serpentine conversion and I have a few questions. And I have read for hours on previous threads to get me to this point, just looking for some clarification.

I’ve removed the voltage regulator from the firewall and plan to repurpose the Green w/Red strip wire (904) and tie it into the green wire on the 4g alternator.

I’m installing a Carter P4070 fuel pump and utilizing the painless fuel relay for wiring.

Question – can I splice into the Green w/Red strip wire 904 (currently tied to the alternator) for the switched power to the fuel relay? I don’t want to overload the circuit, but I understand the relay isn’t pulling much power.

I also have a 2150 carburetor with electric choke, with no stator wire on the 4G alternator, some in previous posts have suggested utilizing the Green w/Red strip wire 904. I’m assuming that if I am already wiring the alternator and fuel relay off the Green w/Red strip – I need to find another source? Or is the draw low enough from all 3 that there is no issue?

Others have suggested a blue wire (on in run) that comes out of the middle of the firewall behind the engine as a good source for the electric choke wire – would that be a better source?

Last question – I’m using the crank shaft pully from Wild Horses along with my original balancer for the serpentine conversion. To get the pully’s lined up, I had to use 2 washers behind each of the 3 bolts. It lines up perfectly now, but the pully is pushed out past the centering ring on the balancer – is there an issue with using the washers here? I understand it’s not ideal, but I don’t see any other method for lining up the pulleys.



Thanks in advance for your guidance.

 

[ntsqd]

Any reason that you're not using the Explorer balancer? They can be had in either imbalance. Balancer Dudes in Anderson, CA used to be, and may still be the best source for those.

The pulley should have some method for centering it. Either a lip that fits tightly on an ID of the balancer, or a precision hole that fits over a lip on the balancer. As long as that lip is still fully or mostly engaged the pulley should still be centered. Next will be how consistent the thickness of the washer stacks are. If they aren't, the pulley will wobble, which you do not want.

There used to be some spacers that were sold that would go between the balancer and the timing gear that were made specifically for this sort of problem. I've no idea where to find one or if they're still made. Were I faced with this I'd just make one by having sendcutsend cut it out for me.

 

[DirtDonk]

Question – can I splice into the Green w/Red strip wire 904 (currently tied to the alternator) for the switched power to the fuel relay? I don’t want to overload the circuit, but I understand the relay isn’t pulling much power.

I would have to say that it's OK here. Better the Green w/red, than the Red w/green from the ignition coil.
Sounds like it's all stock wiring otherwise?

I also have a 2150 carburetor with electric choke, with no stator wire on the 4G alternator, some in previous posts have suggested utilizing the Green w/Red strip wire 904. I’m assuming that if I am already wiring the alternator and fuel relay off the Green w/Red strip – I need to find another source? Or is the draw low enough from all 3 that there is no issue?

I would not. Yes, it might be ok, but that's a lot of splicing, and I don't really know just how much current the choke coil pulls.
The Blue wire (what year is your truck again?) is probably for an anti-dieseling solenoid for the carburetor. I don't see any reason you could not also use that for the choke.
Do you still have the solenoid?

Last question – I’m using the crank shaft pully from Wild Horses along with my original balancer for the serpentine conversion. To get the pully’s lined up, I had to use 2 washers behind each of the 3 bolts. It lines up perfectly now, but the pully is pushed out past the centering ring on the balancer – is there an issue with using the washers here? I understand it’s not ideal, but I don’t see any other method for lining up the pulleys.

I would call it less than ideal!
The ring lends not only a helpful bit of alignment accuracy, but a LOT of extra strength. I would guess that a serpentine belt, with it's tensioner and more "belt wrap" around the pulley, probably puts less stress on a pulley than does a tightly tensioned V-belt. But I don't know this for a fact.
If there is no other alternative, such as a deeper ring, I would make sure that, once it's all settled in and you know you're done, you have thread locking compound on the bolts, and that they are torqued to factory spec.

So, is this the original engine to your Bronco? What year is it? Looks like a '74 with the small cap Dura Spark. Has to still be a 3-bolt, of course, because our adapter pulley is for 3-bolt only.
And is your original an outie, or an innie? I can't remember if all Early Broncos got one style or the other for all years, but I know Ford used both types over the years. Should be an outie I would think.
Have you run the engine yet, and is it equally spaced out? In other words, no wobbling of the pulley?

(edit: or what ntsqd said!)

Paul

 

[apgttu]

I would have to say that it's OK here. Better the Green w/red, than the Red w/green from the ignition coil.
Sounds like it's all stock wiring otherwise?

yes - 75 bronco with stock 302 and stock wiring

I would not. Yes, it might be ok, but that's a lot of splicing, and I don't really know just how much current the choke coil pulls.
The Blue wire (what year is your truck again?) is probably for an anti-dieseling solenoid for the carburetor. I don't see any reason you could not also use that for the choke.
Do you still have the solenoid?

Yes - still has the original starter solenoid, but i also bought a new motorcraft as a back up - or replace as the original looks pretty roached next to the new battery wires from wild horses

I would call it less than ideal!
The ring lends not only a helpful bit of alignment accuracy, but a LOT of extra strength. I would guess that a serpentine belt, with it's tensioner and more "belt wrap" around the pulley, probably puts less stress on a pulley than does a tightly tensioned V-belt. But I don't know this for a fact.
If there is no other alternative, such as a deeper ring, I would make sure that, once it's all settled in and you know you're done, you have thread locking compound on the bolts, and that they are torqued to factory spec.

So, is this the original engine to your Bronco? What year is it? Looks like a '74 with the small cap Dura Spark. Has to still be a 3-bolt, of course, because our adapter pulley is for 3-bolt only.

yes - 75, 3 bolt balancer - i would consider it an outie - but the washers do push the pully past the ring on the balancer

And is your original an outie, or an innie? I can't remember if all Early Broncos got one style or the other for all years, but I know Ford used both types over the years. Should be an outie I would think.
Have you run the engine yet, and is it equally spaced out? In other words, no wobbling of the pulley?
(edit: or what ntsqd said!)

I have not run the engine since the conversion - need to sort out the fuel pump wiring and plumbing - but i'm getting close.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

In the previous statement, I was referring to the anti-diesel solenoid at the carburetors throttle linkage. Got a picture of your carburetor you can share?

But heck, that original starter relay/solenoid on the fender is probably as good or better than a new one! Ugly perhaps, but still working is a good state of being.
But I’m glad you did buy what sounds like a good quality one as a spare.
Just don’t toss the old one as long as it’s working.

 

[apgttu]

Any reason that you're not using the Explorer balancer? They can be had in either imbalance. Balancer Dudes in Anderson, CA used to be, and may still be the best source for those.

That is an option, but the kit I bought from Sandman did not come with the balancer to send out for rebalance, so i figured the next best option was this pully. I'll look into it now - i think you are referring to Dampener Dudes https://www.damperdudes.net/

The pulley should have some method for centering it. Either a lip that fits tightly on an ID of the balancer, or a precision hole that fits over a lip on the balancer. As long as that lip is still fully or mostly engaged the pulley should still be centered. Next will be how consistent the thickness of the washer stacks are. If they aren't, the pulley will wobble, which you do not want.

There used to be some spacers that were sold that would go between the balancer and the timing gear that were made specifically for this sort of problem. I've no idea where to find one or if they're still made. Were I faced with this I'd just make one by having sendcutsend cut it out for me.

 

[apgttu]

In the previous statement, I was referring to the anti-diesel solenoid at the carburetors throttle linkage. Got a picture of your carburetor you can share?

But heck, that original starter relay/solenoid on the fender is probably as good or better than a new one! Ugly perhaps, but still working is a good state of being.
But I’m glad you did buy what sounds like a good quality one as a spare.
Just don’t toss the old one as long as it’s working.

I'm not aware of any additional wires tied into the carb currently.
Full transparency - this is a Chinese 2150 repop from Amazon - but it works as it should.

 

[DirtDonk]

Got it. Thanks for the pics.
Your solenoid is MIA at this point, so if you still have 12v on your Blue wire when the key is switched, go ahead and use it.
The factory type choke is not expecting to see the full 12v (the stator wire is somewhat less) but I know a lot of people who use 12v and have not reported any issues.
We'll see if the new replacement can handle it, but I'm hopeful.

If you're not running the charcoal canister anymore, then make sure to cap off that angled hose fitting on the top of the float bowl. It's an EVAP port and would originally have been connected directly to the mid-size port on the canister, going through a 1-way disc valve thingy. Not sure what they were called, but I'm sure there's an acronym/abbreviation for them on a chart somewhere.
On a '75, that might have gone to a "T" fitting instead of directly to the canister. The '76 models had a plastic canister with a mid-sized port, but the earlier steel canisters mounted to the frame might not have had but two size ports.

Paul

 

[apgttu]

Got it. Thanks for the pics.
Your solenoid is MIA at this point, so if you still have 12v on your Blue wire when the key is switched, go ahead and use it.
The factory type choke is not expecting to see the full 12v (the stator wire is somewhat less) but I know a lot of people who use 12v and have not reported any issues.
We'll see if the new replacement can handle it, but I'm hopeful.

If you're not running the charcoal canister anymore, then make sure to cap off that angled hose fitting on the top of the float bowl. It's an EVAP port and would originally have been connected directly to the mid-size port on the canister, going through a 1-way disc valve thingy. Not sure what they were called, but I'm sure there's an acronym/abbreviation for them on a chart somewhere.
On a '75, that might have gone to a "T" fitting instead of directly to the canister. The '76 models had a plastic canister with a mid-sized port, but the earlier steel canisters mounted to the frame might not have had but two size ports.

Paul

done - thanks for the advice

 

[ntsqd]

Yes, DamperDudes, sorry for the wrong name.

I'm struck by the idea that there IS a Stator wire in the wiring of my '96's alternator. I'll need to review that wiring to recall which it is, but assuming that the Explorer alternator plug has it too I wonder if that would work for the choke?

 

[DirtDonk]

There is a stator wire in a 3G alternator connector. If you’re using a 3G connector on a 4G, then there is still a short stator wire coming out of the connector.
However, since on a 3G, it is normally connected directly to a terminal in the side of the alternator, I don’t know which is the business end.
I’m only assuming that the white with black striped wire in the middle of the 3G connector is dead, and it relies on the voltage signal coming from the port in the side of the alternator.
However, if it’s the other way around, and you do still have a functioning 3G connector, then you could probably make that work.

 

[rocknhorse76]

You can buy a brand new 28 oz Explorer balancer from DamperDudes. Guaranteed to line up perfectly.

FO3024EX28OZ

www.damperdudes.net

 

[apgttu]

Thanks for the link, didn't find that on my initial search of their website - i did reach out today via email and they responded they have what i need. Fingers crossed i can return the crank pulley i bought