85 Ford Ranger 2.3L Alternator Wiring

[Southernfarmer]

I need help I just replaced my alternator on my 85 ford ranger now my battery won't stay charged. The wires I have is the power which I have it right cause it starts but the other two is where I need help. I have to wires coming out of one plastic wiring cover, one of the wires is orange with blue stripe and the other one is yellow with black stripe. The studs on the back of my alternator say "FLD" and "STA" can anyone tell me where my wires go. Right now I have the orange/blue on the "STA" and the yellow/black on the "FLD"

 

[RonD]

This might help:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/EDiagrams/files/diagram_charging_1983to1985_1.JPG

Orange/blue to Field
White/black to Stator, yellow/black would be the same

So you have them reversed

This system does use an external voltage regulator which is where those 2 wires come from, the voltage regulator controls the voltage coming out of the B connection on the alternator, via these 2 wires.

The alternator will not charge the battery unless voltage regulator tells it to.

 

[Southernfarmer]

The way its hooked up right now is orange/blue "STA" yellow/black to a ground screw looks like and "FLD" is empty, "FLD" is right beside the B and then theres a screw directly under "FLD" thats where the yellow/black is. What about the alternator being grounded?

 

[RonD]

There should be 3 insulated terminals on the back of the alternator.
B-Bat-Battery, red insulator
F-FLD-Field, white insulator<<<Orange/blue wire here
S-STA-Stator, black insulator<<Yellow/Black wire here

And there will be 1 or 2 ground terminals, they can be used if you want but if alternator case is grounded via bolts to engine they may not need to be used.

 

[Southernfarmer]

Thanks I switched them around and now my battery light went off took it to the part store had them test it to make sure everything was working told me my battery was only 50% charged and that with the way I had it wired up first may had shorted the external voltage regulator but he said he tested that and it was getting higher but it was still in the "safe zone", I hope I didn't fry it. Now another question my gas guage isn't working would that just be the floater in the tank? Have to drop the tank to get it it right?

 

[GentleRF]

No to dropping the tank. Six Torx bolts in the bed, the filler pipe bolts behind the fuel door, the wiring harness plug behind the bumper on the left side, and a friend bribed with beer to help you lift the bed off the truck.