Wiring 4 wire alternator with external voltage regulator with Dakota dash and painless wiring harness

Geostang · Nov 21, 2024

1971 mustang coupe 302 alternator wiring
I need some help folks. I for the life of me cannot figure why the brand new alternator and voltage regulator will not charge. I have the Dakota digital dash and painless harness installed. I’m working on it after someone else installed it all so I didn’t start from scratch. I need to figure out how to make the 4 wire alternator with external regulator work. What wires go where and all that. Thanks for your input.

Hemikiller · Nov 21, 2024

How is the regulator wired at the moment? Are you using the factory harness? The Painless harness throws a wrench into the works, but it can be handled.

Geostang · Nov 21, 2024

Hemikiller said:
How is the regulator wired at the moment? Are you using the factory harness? The Painless harness throws a wrench into the works, but it can be handled. factory harness.

Hemikiller said:
How is the regulator wired at the moment? Are you using the factory harness? The Painless harness throws a wrench into the works, but it can be handled.

I don’t not have the factory harness. I have the pigtail/plug for the regulator. It’s pretty much not wired up now so I’m at square one now. I have a wire to all 4 terminals of the alternator(batt, ground, field, stator) I just don’t know where to run those and or the 4 wires of the regulator.

Don C · Nov 21, 2024

The diagrams in post #5 of this thread should help you:
https://7173mustangs.com/threads/alternator-and-regulator-wiring.40107/#post-409306

Geostang · Nov 21, 2024

Don C said:
The diagrams in post #5 of this thread should help you:
https://7173mustangs.com/threads/alternator-and-regulator-wiring.40107/#post-409306

I’ll give those a look and try tomorrow and report back. Thanks.

Hemikiller · Nov 22, 2024

Assuming the Dakota dash doesn't have an alternator warning light, IMO, the cleanest installation would use a factory gauge package alternator harness available from the various Mustang parts suppliers. You'll only need to hook up ignition switched power to the Green w/Red stripe wire at the regulator connector. The black ring terminal connects to the Batt (+) side of the starter solenoid, and the Yellow wire with bullet connector is for the radio noise choke, which you likely don't need.

https://www.npdlink.com/product/wire-loom-alternator-feed/102024/202878?year=1971

Regulator diagram for an earlier car, but the functions are the same

Geostang · Nov 22, 2024

Getting that harness isn’t likely to happen for me unfortunately. Also im not sure if I mentioned or if it matters that I have an HEI distributor?
If I built that harness where does the other end of the black wire go? Thanks

Hemikiller · Nov 22, 2024

The black wire is the power feed from the alternator BAT lug

Wiring 4 wire alternator with external voltage regulator with Dakota dash and painless wiring harness

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Wiring 4 wire alternator with external voltage regulator with Dakota dash and painless wiring harness

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