generator alternator conversion

[joe201]

I read in the archives on this site that you could put a alternator on a 3 cylinder ford 1972 and later and use somethig on the oil pump for your tack.Does anyone know if this can be done?
Thanks joe
 

[RodinNS]

Yes, it can be done.... As long as you have the engine block that has the welch type plug below the oil filter. You need to remove that and change the oil pump drive shaft/gear with one for an x600 series engine. Then you need an instrument cluster and tach cable for a 36/4600 tractor. One of the earlier one from before 1979 IIRC....
If you do that then you shouldn't need to change the senders for the temp gauge and fuel.
Then you just add a run of the mill Delco 10si alternator. Make/modify the brackets and get a fan belt that's about 1" longer.

You can also buy the Tisco conversion kit for those tractors that uses a Delco 10si alternator that THEY have modified with a special rotor that has a tach drive. This will allow you to retain your original instruments. That may be cheaper than the alternative.
I've always looked at it this way... if you need new instruments, upgrade the instruments and use the cheap basic alternator. If the instruments are good and you want to keep it as original as possible... get the Tisco kit. That will probably be cheaper IF the instruments are good.
The last one I did... I used the Tisco kit... but it was a '66 and I still need new instruments anyway. It's just that the '66 engine can't drive a tach.
Otherwise I'd have upgraded. I MUCH prefer the lifetime alt from NAPA that I can drop on the counter when it craps out... and get another for free. If the Tisco kit craps out... you get to search for a rebuilder... and don't bugger the rotor in the alt.

Rod
 

[OH - 961]

RodinNS,
Do you have a rough idea what it costs for a whole new instrument cluster?
Mine is kinda ratty, but might be prohibitively expensive to replace.

(Mine is a 4500)

Myron
 

[Sean in PA]

New 2600/3600/4600 instrument clusters can be had for around $100.00 to $125.00 on fleabay. Same with the earlier 2000/3000/4000 clusters.
 

[RodinNS]

You're looking at 300 ish... for a decent one from Sparex. OEM is over 500 IIRC. You can get cheap... like 150 from A&I or Tisco but personally I've not been all that impressed with the quality or how well the tach's work in those. I'm waiting on the Sparex one now wether or not it will be any better.

Rod