Wednesday, July 12, 2006
How to upgrade an ammeter
I'm starting to wonder just how well that 45 amp alternator on my Dart is going to work driving two fuel pumps, six injectors, and maybe an electric fan and stereo upgrades that I might put in sometime down the line. Bolting in a larger alternator is not hard, but the rest of the electrical system is not designed for such things, either. I've got a wiring diagram and can figure out which wires to replace with larger ones, but '60s era Mopars have one big bottleneck. They have an ammeter that carries all of the current between the battery and the alternator. While you could disconnect it and put in a voltmeter, I want to stay with the factory dash.
So, I decided to ask for a little help from the gurus at Slantsix.org. I got some great responses, including K. Beard's step by step guide for adding a set of diodes that protect the ammeter. This one first appeared in Octane Magazine. Big thanks to Dan Stern, K. Beard, and 440 Magnum.
So, I decided to ask for a little help from the gurus at Slantsix.org. I got some great responses, including K. Beard's step by step guide for adding a set of diodes that protect the ammeter. This one first appeared in Octane Magazine. Big thanks to Dan Stern, K. Beard, and 440 Magnum.
Labels: Dodge Dart
