Alternator trouble shooting
- Thread starter TokyoJoe
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Please list whatever aftermarket equipment that uses electrical power. That includes things like electrical fans, high wattage stereo systems, etc.
Do you have a 4 gague ground wire from the engine block to the body?
2.) The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges.
Any car that has a 3G or high output current alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects. The 3G has a 130 amp capacity, so you wire the power side with 4 gauge wire. It stands to reason that the ground side handles just as much current, so it needs to be 4 gauge too.
The picture shows the common ground point for the battery , computer, & extra 3G alternator ground wire as described above in paragraph 2. A screwdriver points to the bolt that is the common ground point.
The battery common ground is a 10 gauge pigtail with the computer ground attached to it.
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
Correct negative battery ground cable.
What happens when you have the alternator bench tested? What is the failure mode? Bad regulator, bad diodes, etc?
For the correct way to install a 3G alternator, see Stangnet 3G install sticky http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/646825-3g-alternator-install-how.html#post6673702
Alternator wiring
Starter solenoid wiring 86-91 model cars
Connect the fused 4 gauge wire to the alternator and the battery side of the starter solenoid.
Starter solenoid wiring 92-93 Model cars.
Do you have a 4 gague ground wire from the engine block to the body?
2.) The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges.
Any car that has a 3G or high output current alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects. The 3G has a 130 amp capacity, so you wire the power side with 4 gauge wire. It stands to reason that the ground side handles just as much current, so it needs to be 4 gauge too.
The picture shows the common ground point for the battery , computer, & extra 3G alternator ground wire as described above in paragraph 2. A screwdriver points to the bolt that is the common ground point.
The battery common ground is a 10 gauge pigtail with the computer ground attached to it.
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
Correct negative battery ground cable.
What happens when you have the alternator bench tested? What is the failure mode? Bad regulator, bad diodes, etc?
For the correct way to install a 3G alternator, see Stangnet 3G install sticky http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/646825-3g-alternator-install-how.html#post6673702
Alternator wiring
Starter solenoid wiring 86-91 model cars
Connect the fused 4 gauge wire to the alternator and the battery side of the starter solenoid.
Starter solenoid wiring 92-93 Model cars.
Thanks jrichker...just the man I was looking to post up.
Car is carb'd, A1000 fuel pump, water pump 35g, puller fan, MSD Digital 6, gauges, lights, wideband. Kind of a race car, no acc's stereo etc.
The wierd thing is they have been working fine but the alt that came with the car (160amp) had a really small small pulley on it and when I would take the car to 7k rpm it would blow the lead off the rotor. I put a bigger pulley on after I had it rebuilt, still smaller than stock. Ran for a couple WOT pulls, put it back in the garage and when I went to pull it back out...no deflection on the voltmeter at all to indicate it was working. Went out and bought a stock 94 3g and hooked it up...still nothing.
The car does not have the rewire so that will be my first order of buisness without a doubt. The battery is also located in the trunk, do I need to run an entire cable from the block to the trunk?
Thanks again...electrical is definately my weak point....give me a motor to rebuild lol
Trey
Car is carb'd, A1000 fuel pump, water pump 35g, puller fan, MSD Digital 6, gauges, lights, wideband. Kind of a race car, no acc's stereo etc.
The wierd thing is they have been working fine but the alt that came with the car (160amp) had a really small small pulley on it and when I would take the car to 7k rpm it would blow the lead off the rotor. I put a bigger pulley on after I had it rebuilt, still smaller than stock. Ran for a couple WOT pulls, put it back in the garage and when I went to pull it back out...no deflection on the voltmeter at all to indicate it was working. Went out and bought a stock 94 3g and hooked it up...still nothing.
The car does not have the rewire so that will be my first order of buisness without a doubt. The battery is also located in the trunk, do I need to run an entire cable from the block to the trunk?
Thanks again...electrical is definately my weak point....give me a motor to rebuild lol
Trey
For a battery cut off switch, see Moroso : Category Display
is the switch http://www.moroso.com/catalog/images/74102_inst.pdf is the installation instructions.
Use the super duty switch and the following tech note to wire it and you will
be good to go.
Use the Moroso plan for the alternator wiring and you risk a fire. The 10 gauge wire they recommend is even less adequate that the stock Mustang wiring.
There is a solution, but it will require about 40' of 18 gauge green wire.
Wire the battery to the two 1/2" posts as shown in the diagram.
The alternator requires a different approach. On the small alternator plug there is a green wire. It is the sense lead that turns the regulator on when the ignition switch is in the run position. Cut the green wire and solder the 40' of green wire between the two pieces. Use some heat shrink to cover the splices. See Ford Fuel Injection » How To Solder Like a Pro for some excellent help on soldering & using heat shrink tubing.
Run the green wire back to the Moroso switch and cut off the excess wire. Try to run the green wire inside the car and protect it from getting cut or chaffed. Crimp a 18 gauge ring terminal (red is 18 gauge color code for the crimp on terminals) on each wire. Bolt one ring terminal to each of the 3/16" studs. Do not add the jumper between the 1/2" stud and the 3/16" stud as shown it the
Moroso diagram.
How it works:
The green wire is the ignition on sense feed to the regulator. It supplies a turn on signal to the regulator when the ignition switch is in the Run position. Turn the Moroso switch to off, and the sense voltage goes away, the voltage regulator shuts off and the alternator quits making power.
The fuse & wiring in the following diagram are for a 3G alternator. The stock alternator uses a dark green fuse link wire that connects to 2 black/orange wires. Always leave them connected to the starter solenoid even if you have a 3G alternator.
See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring
Mustang FAQ - Wiring & Engine Info Everyone should bookmark this site.
Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif
Fuel, alternator, A/C and ignition wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif
Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-91 Mass Air Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif
Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg
Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.
One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.
One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.
The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars
Note: The quick disconnect may have fallen victim to damage or removal by
a previous owner. However, it is still of utmost importance that the black/green
wires have a high quality ground..
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.
is the switch http://www.moroso.com/catalog/images/74102_inst.pdf is the installation instructions.
Use the super duty switch and the following tech note to wire it and you will
be good to go.
Use the Moroso plan for the alternator wiring and you risk a fire. The 10 gauge wire they recommend is even less adequate that the stock Mustang wiring.
There is a solution, but it will require about 40' of 18 gauge green wire.
Wire the battery to the two 1/2" posts as shown in the diagram.
The alternator requires a different approach. On the small alternator plug there is a green wire. It is the sense lead that turns the regulator on when the ignition switch is in the run position. Cut the green wire and solder the 40' of green wire between the two pieces. Use some heat shrink to cover the splices. See Ford Fuel Injection » How To Solder Like a Pro for some excellent help on soldering & using heat shrink tubing.
Run the green wire back to the Moroso switch and cut off the excess wire. Try to run the green wire inside the car and protect it from getting cut or chaffed. Crimp a 18 gauge ring terminal (red is 18 gauge color code for the crimp on terminals) on each wire. Bolt one ring terminal to each of the 3/16" studs. Do not add the jumper between the 1/2" stud and the 3/16" stud as shown it the
Moroso diagram.
How it works:
The green wire is the ignition on sense feed to the regulator. It supplies a turn on signal to the regulator when the ignition switch is in the Run position. Turn the Moroso switch to off, and the sense voltage goes away, the voltage regulator shuts off and the alternator quits making power.
The fuse & wiring in the following diagram are for a 3G alternator. The stock alternator uses a dark green fuse link wire that connects to 2 black/orange wires. Always leave them connected to the starter solenoid even if you have a 3G alternator.
See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring
Mustang FAQ - Wiring & Engine Info Everyone should bookmark this site.
Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif
Fuel, alternator, A/C and ignition wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif
Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-91 Mass Air Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif
Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg
Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.
One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.
One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.
The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars
Note: The quick disconnect may have fallen victim to damage or removal by
a previous owner. However, it is still of utmost importance that the black/green
wires have a high quality ground..
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.
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