Power Master 8-37101 User manual

7501 Strawberry Plains Pike
Knoxville, TN 37924
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INSTRUCTION SHEET
Ford Upgrade One Wire Alternators
8-37101, 8-37141, 8-47101, 8-47106, 8-47141, 8-47146, 8-57101, 8-57141, 8-67101, 8-67141
INS306 RevisedJanuary2006
The box contains: (1) alternator, (1) adjusting bolt
140A alternators also contain (1) upgrade charge wire
INSTALLATION
These instructions are provided as supplementary
information to the factory service manual instructions for
alternator replacement.
DISCONNECT THE BATTERY.
REMOVE THE OLD ALTERNATOR. See the factory
service manual for more details.
INSTALL THE NEW ALTERNATOR.
♦Mount the alternator and check for interference
with the brackets or
other engine components. Start the bolts but do not tighten them at this time.
♦Check for proper belt alignment. Proper alignment is critical.
♦Adjust belt tension and tighten belt tension bolt as illustrated in Figure 1. Do not use heavy tools
to pry on alternator case; hand pressure is adequate. When an automatic tensioner system is not
installed as is common with “V” belts, tension the belt to the engine manufacture’s specification.
This is typically half an inch of deflection.
♦Tighten all other bolts.
♦Run a new 10AWG stranded wire suitable for automotive use from the alternator to the positive
post of the battery or the battery side of the starter relay. Be sure this wire is secured in the engine
compartment and out of the way of moving parts. Your speed shop has Powermaster charge wires
for this purpose. The 140A Powermaster alternators come with an upgraded battery output cable
and this should be used in place of the OE. If the vehicle has an external voltage regulator, this
should be unplugged.
Note that this Powermaster alternator is a “one wire” alternator. This means that it only requires the battery cable to operate.
Additional wires connected to the alternator provide optional features such as charging system indicator light function but are not
required.
FIGURE 1
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND...
• ALWAYS wear eye protection when working around batteries.
• ALWAYS disconnect battery ground terminal and cable assembly before
replacing electrical components.
• NEVER disconnect a battery cable or alternator cable and wires when
engine is running. Transient voltages (spikes) are produced when this
occurs and some of these voltages exceed 200 volts. This can cause alter-
nator voltage regulator or engine computer failure.
• AVOID short circuits. When working with live circuits, never jumper
between terminals or from terminals to ground, nor try to trouble shoot by
"sparking" terminals. Always use a quality voltmeter to check the operation
oflive circuits.
• CHECK the battery. Alternators and batteries work together. It is important
that the battery be in good condition and fully charged when replacing the
alternator. Do use an alternator to charge a dead battery.

Connect to green
wire w/red stripe
F
S
A
I
CONNECT THE BATTERY.
SYSTEM CHECK
♦Apply a moderate load to the charging system (i.e., high beam headlights and A/C for example) and
bring the engine to 1,500rpm. Using a digital voltmeter measure the DC voltage from a metal point
on the case of the alternator to the negative battery terminal. Readings higher than 0.10VDC indi-
cate a poor ground connection. Check the ground path including any paint or anodizing on the
brackets, the engine ground strap, and the ground cable from the frame to the battery. (See figure 2).
♦With battery fully charged and engine running at 1,500rpm, measure
the voltage at battery positive post (+) and the ground post (-). Voltage
should be 13.8~14.5VDC. Readings above 15.5VDC indicate a defec-
tive alternator and readings below 12.7VDC indicate that the alternator
is not functioning or cannot supply the present amperage needs of the
vehicle at this engine speed.
♦Using the voltmeter, measure the voltage drop between the batty positive post (+) and the alternator
output post (See figure 3). Voltage should be less that 0.40VDC. If voltage is higher that 0.40VDC,
check for poor connections between the alternator and the battery. Possible causes are under sized
battery cables, loose or improperly crimped terminals, and corroded connections.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
1966~1985 WITH EXTERNAL REGULATOR
AND FACTORY VOLTMETER
1986~1993 WITH INTERNAL REGULATOR
AND FACTORY VOLTMETER
#1 pin
Batt. post
#1 pin
Batt. post
A Word About “Indicator Lights”...
Some Fords came OE with an indicator light on the dash to signal the alternator’s state during
operation. Undernormaloperation the light should comeon any timethe ignition switchis on andthe
engine is stopped. When the alternator is not functioning and the engine is running, the light will
come on to warn the driver of this condition. OE alternators require that this circuit function for
properalternator function whereasPowermaster alternators donotrequirethis. The light willsimply
be off at all times.
Optionally this indicator light function can be used on a Powermaster alternator in vehicles with a
factoryvoltmeter byremoving theblackrubber cover onthe sideofthealternator andconnecting the
indicator light circuit to the #1 terminal of the Powermaster alternator. Vehicles with a factory
ammeter cannot use this function.
Need to change a pulley?
To remove the alternator pulley, use
an air impact wrench to loosen the
nut with one hand, while holding the alternator
pulley with the other. It is recommended that
protective gloves and eyewear be used. If an air
impact wrench is not available, a 5/16” hex bit
socket and ratchet can be used to hold the alterna-
tor shaft, while a typical 15/16” boxed-end wrench
can be used to loosen the nut. The pulley nut uses
standard, right-hand threads. So to remove, rotate
in a counterclockwise direction.
Install the replacement pulley, lock washer,
and nut by hand.
Torque the pulley nut to 70 ft. lbs. and be
certain the lock washer is completely
closed. Do not over tighten.
Why is my voltage low when I’m cruising around at a show or sitting at a traffic light?
All alternators have an output curve that increases with RPM. In other words, your alternator cannot provide as many amps at idle as it can at higher speeds. If you car
demands more amperage than the alternator can supply at idle, the remaining amps must come from the battery thus a decrease involtage results. Any after market
pulleys that slow the alternator relative to the engine [i.e. power pulleys] can greatly magnify this problem.
Why does my voltage test good at the alternator but low at the battery and fuse box?
Any resistance in the electrical path will decrease voltage. This includes all positive and negative conductors and connections between the alternator and the second test
point. All connections must be secure and free of corrosion. All ground points must be free of paint and rust. Charging wires must be of adequate size for the amperage
capabilities of your alternator. Improving any weak points in the electrical paths should bring voltage readings to within 0.5 volts of each other.
So what is the difference between a one wire and a “three wire” hookup?
The difference is the way the alternator is switched on. With one wire operation the alternator internally senses its rotation and switches its self on. With “three wire”
operation an external exciter wire switches on the alternator. Three wire operation is as your vehicle’s original manufacture intended and assures that the alternator is
switched on anytime the engine is running. “Three wire” is an industry term that describes a situation that in most cases can be accomplished using only two wires [the
exciterwire and thecharge wire].