1956 Fairlane regulator wiring

[Ron44]

Can anyone tell me if there is a wire in the regulator harness that attaches to the front crossmember? Thanks

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Ron44

Can anyone tell me if there is a wire in the regulator harness that attaches to the front crossmember? Thanks

Would it be a ground wire that attaches to a regulator mounting screw?

[dmsfrr]

One of the 3 wires between the generator and regulator is a ground wire, usually attached to one of the regulator mounting screws on the inner-fender.

The wire colors in the 1st image aren't the same as a '56, but the wiring connections are.

The 2nd and 3rd images are 'before' pictures from a work-in-progress '55 that was previously converted to 12v and charging correctly. The wire colors may be very close/the same as in a '56. The color stripes on the black Field and Ground wires don't show in the photos, IIRC one is white and the other is purple (?)
.

[Ron44]

Thanks for the responses guys. I got a rotten crossmember, a wire that looks like it was attached to the rotten section and a generator light that won't go out so I figured they might be all tied in together. I'll check out the wiring in the a.m.

[dmsfrr]

If the Ground wire from the generator that normally goes to a voltage regulator mounting screw isn't actually grounded, the Gen light being on could be correct, because the system may not be charging. It's part of the circuit that sets up a magnetic 'field' around the armature of the generator, creating an electrical flow thru the armature wiring to the voltage regulator.

After you've got any potential charging system wiring problems fixed and...
"... before you start the engine, remove the field wire from the voltage regulator and strike it (draw an arc) to the battery terminal of the voltage regulator in order to properly polarize the generator then reconnect the field wire to it's position on the voltage regulator."

https://www.ctci.org/gilsgarage/6to12.php

[paul2748]

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The three wires from the generator go to the regulator as follows:

Black with red tracer - to one of the regulator mounting screws

Black with White tracer - to the battery post (B) on the regulator

Yellow with a black tracer - to the Field (F) post on the regulator

This is the way the TBirds are wired - the sedans should be the same.

[dmsfrr]

Attached is a photo of the voltage regulator end of the new/reproduction 'B6S' ('56 T-bird) wiring harness I bought for my '55 project.
The black/red wire with a loop terminal goes to a Ground(ed) mounting screw for the regulator,
black/white is for the Field terminal on the regulator, and
the large yellow/black wire goes on the Armature terminal.

Not sure why the Field and Ground terminals on the generator aren't marked. I've got a guess but...
.

[Ron44]

Thanks guys. That wire I was talking about turned out to be a ground wire from the cross member to the front support. A new regulator and generator got her charging.

[My Old Blue]

Funny I'd see this post tonight. I was poking around under the hood and saw a sheet metal screw that rattled out sometime in the last 30+ years and wedged between regulator and body on my 56 wagon. I had to laugh and pause with a perplexed look...should I remove it or not? Afraid if I do, ol' wagon won't run anymore! I took it out and ran wagon around the block, no joke ran better than it had in a month! Was it the quick carb adjustment for flooding or the sheet metal screw? Question now is...what is that terminal for? I'll use this post to figure out, thanks for the post Ron44.

[My Old Blue]

Originally Posted by Ron44

Thanks guys. That wire I was talking about turned out to be a ground wire from the cross member to the front support. A new regulator and generator got her charging.

Mine had been hanging off for years I found out, what bolt does the other end connect to on the engine support from the front cross member? A large thick copper stranded wire.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by My Old Blue

... Question now is...what is that terminal for? I'll use this post to figure out, .....

Ok, obviously the screw wedged under the regulator terminal should be in that empty hole to hold the regulator in place.
Look back to the first two images I posted in comment #3 above.
The terminal it's stuck under is for the "B" / Battery connection. The 2 large discolored yellow wires on that terminal send power to the starter solenoid, battery, ignition & headlight switches.

That out of place screw may have been slightly welded in place from being a dead short between the battery '+' wiring and grounded base of the regulator.
.

[My Old Blue]

Originally Posted by My Old Blue

Mine had been hanging off for years I found out, what bolt does the other end connect to on the engine support from the front cross member? A large thick copper stranded wire.

Looks like I found my answer here in my shop manual, must have missed this page. An engine bond to top of engine support.

[My Old Blue]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

Ok, obviously the screw wedged under the regulator terminal should be in that empty hole to hold the regulator in place.
Look back to the first two images I posted in comment #3 above.
The terminal it's stuck under is for the Battery connection. The 2 large (faded/discolored) yellow wires on that terminal send power to the starter solenoid, battery and the ignition and headlight switches.

If it was really stuck under there it was likely slightly welded in place from being a dead short between the battery '+' wiring and body of the car.
.

That is what is so crazy. I disconnected battery and it lifted the screw out, no apparent arcing. Your post helped lead me to same conclusion for that terminal screw was under. Wagon ran for years like this as I have no idea when it fell in there.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Ron44

Thanks guys. That wire I was talking about turned out to be a ground wire from the cross member to the front support.

Originally Posted by My Old Blue

Looks like I found my answer here in my shop manual, must have missed this page. An engine bond to top of engine support.

Look for other Ground wires from the frame to body and body to engine block.
Ford put them in different places in different years and models.
The other end of the battery minus (-) ground cable may be fastened to the engine block in '56.
IIRC Ford moved it to the body in '57 ???
They all need to have clean solid connections at each end and be in good shape.
.

[Ron44]

Originally Posted by My Old Blue

I'll use this post to figure out, thanks for the post Ron44.

Lol no problem but I think all the credit should go to the others who replied