Alternator wiring?

chrisfball12 · **Alternator wiring? -** 11-11-2008, 05:54 PM

I just wanted to double check if my wiring for my alternator is right.

I checked my alternator with a new voltage regulator at kragen and it passed. I went to install it and it didn't work. Maybe i just wired it wrong.

The alternator wires are the 2 thick white wires and the single white wire that goes to the cross screw.

Did I wire it right?

danwatt · 11-11-2008, 06:35 PM

Looks fine to me. When you say it did not work, how did you determine that?

chrisfball12 · 11-12-2008, 01:33 AM

I have a mobile jumper unit. And when i disconnect it the car will lose power as shown on the voltage gauge in the 16V and soon after die. But when i reconnect the jumper unit the car runs fine and shows voltage on the gauge.

danwatt · 11-12-2008, 03:33 AM

The big wire is connected to the B+ terminal on the alternator and the smaller one is connected to the D+ terminal for the warning lamp, correct?

Clean the hell out of the battery terminals, sand off any corrosion (avoid breathing the dust). Back when I worked at an auto parts store I saw many people replace alternators or their battery when they just had bad contacts all along. Also try bolting the alternator terminal into the same post as the battery terminal on your distribution block. If that does the trick than that metal plate that conducts between the two terminals has a break somewhere.

A continuality tester will be your best friend.

dan_189 · 11-12-2008, 06:42 AM

On my car the white cable from the alternator is on the 2nd bolt and the red is on the first.
Dont think it would make any difference though

Dale315 · 11-13-2008, 04:18 PM

what i remember is that on my car, the second and third connections were in opposite order, meaning the alt wires were in the middle and red wires were last. but i also dont see why it would be any different.

chrisfball12 · 11-13-2008, 05:45 PM

Any1 got a picture of their car? It will solve my problem.

chrisfball12 · 11-24-2008, 09:18 AM

Bump Any one got a picture of their car so i can use it a reference.

dan_189 · 11-24-2008, 09:26 AM

dan_189 · 11-24-2008, 09:27 AM

The extra wire is a 4awg wire following the stock harness

chrisfball12 · 11-24-2008, 04:46 PM

I guess i need to flip them.

dan_189 · 11-25-2008, 12:51 PM

How did you go, did that help?

OJ's DNA · 11-25-2008, 02:45 PM

How many bolts to get that alternator off - 2? I have to change mine this weekend...

chrisfball12 · 11-25-2008, 06:30 PM

I tried like the picture and it didn't work. I'm try another way this time.

And yeah its two bolts to remove the alternator one in the front for the top bolt and one in the back for the bottom bolt. Just be sure it doesn't fall on you when you remove it.

danwatt · 11-25-2008, 07:50 PM

Switching the wires will not make a difference because they are both attached to that same copper plate. As in, it's the same circuit. If swapping them DOES make a difference than you may have some bad contacts.

It's entirely possible that your alternator is still bad. If you are referring to that bench tester that Kragen uses than run it through that 4 or 5 times. I used to work there years ago and you really need to run the test several times to make sure it's good. If you have any access to another known good bosch alternator than put it on there to see what results you get.