Frequently Asked Questions

Simply run a charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal on the battery (or battery side of the disconnect switch). The one wire regulator is a self-exciting regulator, meaning that it has sensing circuitry for alternator rotation. As the alternator starts to spin, this circuitry connects the internal voltage regulator to the battery and turns the alternator on. When the alternator comes to a complete stop, this same circuitry turns the alternator off.

Yes and No. As far as function is concerned, the alternator can be connected to the battery terminal on the starter solenoid. This will work fine. To shut the car off, the ignition system should be switched to stop the car.

If this is a race car, the wire or cable should be run all the way to the battery side of the disconnect switch. This means that the alternator and the battery would be on one side of the switch, and the circuits would be on the other side. In the event of an emergency, the disconnect switch could be turned off and the engine would stop. If a one wire alternator is on the circuit side of the switch and the disconnect is turned off, the motor may not stop because current is flowing from the alternator and the other circuits. Usually the tech inspection teams at most racing events will check for this as normal procedure.

Because this is such a long run in most cars (12 ft or so), be sure to use a properly sized cable for the alternators output, typically no less than 4 AWG wire.

The pulley systems and ratios in racing vary widely. Some use a matched pulley setup. Others have custom pulleys made. It is important for reliable alternator operation to establish the right pulley ratios. Typical circle track ratios are 1:1, drag racing ratios are 2:1, and street ratios are 3:1. Because of this, the alternator pulley becomes a separate consideration based on personal application. For pulley choices, please click here.

Not necessarily. The voltage can be low for several reasons. First, make sure that the voltage meter is measuring accurately. Check the voltage with another quality meter. Second, consider where in the system the measurement is taken. If this voltage is at the battery, check the voltage at the alternator. If there is more than 0.40VDC difference, the problem is in the charging or ground path from the alternator to the battery. Upgrade the cables, disconnect switches and connectors. If the voltage is low at the alternator, then the alternator is not able to produce enough amps to satisfy demand at this speed. Either change the speed with different pulleys, or change the alternator to one with more output at this speed. Keep in mind that all alternators have an output curve. Some curves rise abruptly at low speed and level off. This type of winding is more for low speed operation. Other curves rise more slowly but peak at a higher point. This type of alternator is designed to run fast. It is important to tune the alternator speed to the alternators power characteristics and the vehicles amperage requirements.

Yes, they charge in either direction but it reduces Alternator’s cooling ability. Be sure to lock-tite the pulley nut on if running backwards.

Yes. The main consideration is the drive pulley on the crankshaft. Locating the entire alternator and bracket in front of the motor plate is going to move the alternator forward as much as 2 3/4. The drive pulley becomes the engineering consideration.

Simply run a charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal on the battery. The one-wire regulator is a self-exciting regulator, meaning that it has sensing ciruitry for alternator rotation. As the alternator starts to spin, this circuitry connects the internal voltage regulator to the battery and turns the alternator on. When the alternator comes to a complete stop, this same circuitry turns the alternator off.

Some Powermaster alternators will work either way - as a one wire or OEM style. The main difference between a one wire and an OEM is the method used to energize or turn on the alternator. An alternator using the OEM style is turned on with the ignition switch. The one wire design is energized with a special sensing cicuit built into the internal voltage regulator. This circuit senses the rotation of the alternators rotor. The rotor must turn at sufficient speed to trip the circuit, starting the charging process. This turn-on speed is affected by several things and is typically higher with certain high amperage alternators. Once this circuit is tripped, the alternator will charge at all speeds, even very low ones, until the alternators rotor comes to a complete stop. At that point, the circuit will shut off and wait for the process to be repeated.

YES, especially when using a one-wire alternator. Changing the pulley ratio of the alternator by slowing it down will generally keep the one wire regulator from cutting on. This may also produce a low voltage problem at engine idle speed, depending on the amount of reduction. Powermaster alternators are tested with a 3:1 pulley ratio in mind. This is the recommended street pulley ratio, and the ratio used in most OE applications.

The only thing required to electronically hookup a one wire alternator is to run a charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal on the battery. The external regulator can be either totally removed from the firewall or left in place. If left in place, be sure to disconnect the wiring harness from the regulator. The wiring harness has to be disconnected from the regulator or the indicator light on the dash will remain on. NOTE: If the vehicle is equipped with an indicator light, the light will no longer be operative. Please see the following question.

Some Powermaster alternators have an indicator light drive. The indicator light wire from the stock wiring harness has to be connected to this terminal of the one wire alternator. We offer some conversion wiring harness for plug and play.

This could be caused by several things. First, the pulley ratio may cause the alternator to spin too slow for these driving conditions. Using underdrive or power pulleys on a street application can cause this problem because the pulley ratio becomes less than the typical street ratio of 3:1. If the pulley ratio IS 3:1, another possibility is that the alternator is too small or not powerful enough at slow speed for the amp load of the vehicle. Also, the charge wire could be too small or the ground path may have high resistance. The gauge could be out of calibration. Check the voltage directly at the alternator with electrical loads on to determine if the problem is the alternator or the path to the battery.

No. A good rule of thumb is that more amps are not harmful, but more voltage is. If you look at electrical power like water, amperage is equivalent to the volume of water, and voltage is equivalent to water pressure. More amperage is like having a larger pool of water to draw from.

Some Powermaster one wire alternators can be hooked up as a three wire . See your alternator instruction sheet for further details.

The only thing required to hookup the one-wire alternator is a charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal of the battery. The two stock wiring harnesses simply need to be secured out of the way. See your Alternator instruction sheet for further details.

Powermaster recommends increasing the size of the charge wire from the alternator to the battery. Recommendation regarding the proper wire gauge can be found here. Many mounting brackets are powder/clear coated, painted, or plated. The alternator will not ground properly without a ground wire from the Alt. housing to the engine block. (This wire should match charge wire size)

No. There are several different serpentine pulleys available for late model alternators. Typically, the pulley off the stock alternator will fit on the Powermaster high amp alternator, if you prefer using the stock pulley. Powermaster high amp late model alternators come with a small, 6 groove serpentine pulley for a universal fit. If the stock alternator had a 4 or 5 groove pulley, the belt can still be used on the 6 groove pulley.

If you have purchased a Powermaster alternator based on Powermasters application guide, then the alternator should fit in the stock brackets (unless otherwise noted), even though it may be larger in diameter. Powermaster endeavors to provide upgrade alternators that are bolt-on replacements. In many cases, there is a large size alternator that will work in the factory brackets.

It is not necessary, but it is not a bad idea. Please do not wrap Powermaster Starters.

The starter circuit pulls a lot of amperage, up to 500 amps depending on the starter, the engine load, and battery condition. This kind of amperage stresses all of the components in the starter circuit, including the battery, battery terminals, the battery disconnect switch, the cables including the ground path, and any remote solenoids. Problems with these components are hard to find because they appear fine at rest or under a light load, but generate high resistance under heavy amperage draws. The result will be low voltage to the starter during cranking, resulting in heavier amperage draw and increased internal heat in the starter. Over time, this will cause starter failure. Voltage measured at the starter during cranking should always be above 11VDC.

In early original wiring harnesses, the "R" circuit was a ballast resistor bypass. This terminal is no connection when the starter is at rest, and is +12VDC while cranking. This circuit provided +12VDC to the ignition coil during cranking for easier engine starting. Cars that do not have a ballast resistor (i.e. HEI, MSD, or other aftermarket ignition systems) should not need this connection. In most cases, this wire can be eliminated. If the engine has no ignition during cranking, then the wiring of the coil is going to require an "R" terminal signal. To accomplish this, connect a 10A/400PIV diode (or Powermaster part # 600 ) in line with the MOTOR SIDE of the solenoid. (Note: This is the terminal on the solenoid which has the cable from inside the starter motor connected to it. It is opposite the BATTERY terminal on the solenoid. The cathode or banded end of the diode goes away from the starter. This allows current to go from the starter to the coil and yet not from the coil to the starter.)

The 9000 and 9004 starters have a block on the front that mounts the starter to the engine. Between this block and the starter are two shims. To remove these shims, remove the block from the starter by removing the three socket head bolts, remove the shim on the block and the one in the bearing bore, and reassemble the block and starter. This will increase the pinion's depth of engagement by 1/16" approximately.

If the starter pinion is being damaged in this way, the gear meash is too sloppy. The pinion needs to be closer to the ring gear. If there are no shims installed, then material needs to be machined off of the mounting surface of the starter. Optionally, shim the outboard starter mounting bolt only. This will roll the starter towrd the ring gear, tightening its engagement.

Another possiblity is that the ring gear itself could be out of round, egg-shaped. This is especially possible with new, inexpensive ring gears. Check the pinion to ring gear engagement dimensions in at least six places 60 degrees apart on the flex plate.

It is normal for a gear reduction starter to hang in the ring gear when the engine is cranked, and yet does not start. Direct drive starters do not do this because they can rotate the small amount necessary to retract the pinion. Gear reduction starters do not retract in this situation because of the resistance of the gears. The tiny amount of rotation necessary to retract the pinion is amplified in the gear ratio inside the starter, requiring four to five times the rotation inside the starter. All of this gear movement results in the pinion remaining in the ring gear until the engine fires.

This is a common complaint on Ford permanent magnet starters, although it can occur on any permanent magnet starter in the right conditions. This situation develops when the ignition terminal on the starter is "jumpered" to the battery terminal on the starter and a remote solenoid is used. Permanent magnet starters can actually produce power if they are driven from an outside source (i.e. the starter will act like an alternator once the engine fires and starts spinning). The current produced in the starter for this second or so will flow from the starter's battery terminal to the starters ignition terminal and hold the solenoid in. This will cause the one to two second delay in the solenoid release and an irritating noise. The solution is to wire the starter per the instruction sheet, which will ensure that the ignition switch terminal goes dead the instance the key is released.

The locating circle on the face of a Ford starter is made to different dimensions for manual and automatic transmissions. This keeps a person from mixing the two starters up since they look similar. If the starter does not fit in the hole in the intermediate plate, this indicates that a person either has the wrong starter or the wrong intermediate plate. Do not enlarge this hole or grind on the starter to make it fit, instead change the incompatible part. (Please note: Part # 9172 is for pre-1975 (auto) and pre 1980 (truck) manual transmissions ONLY. Part # 9162 is for automatic and 1975 and later (auto) and 1980 and later (truck) manual transmissions.)