About to do the 3g upgrade, can I just use the stock 3g wires?

[StreetDreamsGT]

So I was looking over jrichkers information on the 3g swap, seems easy enough. I made sure when I pulled my alternator (pulled from a 96 cougar), I grabbed all the wiring also. From the looks of it I'd only need to run the one connector in the alternator wiring to a 125amp fuse, and the other plug should get spliced into the green/red wire. I'm just asking if the wiring that came with it should be sufficient enough, I mean if I recall the wiring that goes to the fuse is only 6 gauge which most people upgrade to 4, but would it be good enough for now?

 

[HISSIN50]

The wire is probably old, thus it would drop a good bit of voltage. As an example, many 94-95 Mustang folks have replaced their stock charge cable because it was no longer up to par.

I suppose you could use it in a pinch but I really would try to just use a new fine-strand 4 AWG cable from the start.

Good luck.

 

[charged9250]

Does it matter if the 3g alt is from a v6 or v8 mustang? (voltage different?) Also are the caugar, crown vics, etc the same alt?

 

[HISSIN50]

The 94-95 Mustang 3G's are all the same but I don't know about the cougars. I'd have guessed that they had a newer generation yet.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

Does it matter if the 3g alt is from a v6 or v8 mustang? (voltage different?) Also are the caugar, crown vics, etc the same alt?

Here is a list of vehicles that have the 3G alternator, most are 130A, but some might be 110A:

94-96 Mustang 3.8 V-6
94-95 Mustang 5.0
94-96 Thunderbird 3.8 V-6 (non SC)
95-96 Windstar 3.0 V-6 (most are 3.8's)
93-96 E/F series Trucks/Vans 4.9 L6*
96 Sable 3.0 V-6
94-96 Cougar 3.8 V-6

*Probably the best one if you can get it (should be easy to find, too) is off the E/F series...this series uses a threaded top ear like the stocker on the Mustang....E/F series with threaded ear uses metric bolt. ALSO, make sure the E/F series is 130 Amps and NOT 95.

This site was provided by jrichker with info on how to do the swap and what years had 130 amp 3gs... supposedly it was everything after 94.
http://www.geocities.com/smithmonte/Auto/3G_130A_Alternator_Upgrade.htm

Thanks HISSIN, yea i'm going to upgrade the wire to a 4 guage, I know that some people have done the swap without using the 3g harness though and I figured it would keep it clean and looking nice.

 

[HISSIN50]

Here is a list of vehicles that have the 3G alternator, most are 130A, but some might be 110A:

94-96 Mustang 3.8 V-6
94-95 Mustang 5.0
94-96 Thunderbird 3.8 V-6 (non SC)
95-96 Windstar 3.0 V-6 (most are 3.8's)
93-96 E/F series Trucks/Vans 4.9 L6*
96 Sable 3.0 V-6
94-96 Cougar 3.8 V-6

*Probably the best one if you can get it (should be easy to find, too) is off the E/F series...this series uses a threaded top ear like the stocker on the Mustang....E/F series with threaded ear uses metric bolt. ALSO, make sure the E/F series is 130 Amps and NOT 95.

This site was provided by jrichker with info on how to do the swap and what years had 130 amp 3gs... supposedly it was everything after 94.
http://www.geocities.com/smithmonte/Auto/3G_130A_Alternator_Upgrade.htm

Thanks HISSIN, yea i'm going to upgrade the wire to a 4 guage, I know that some people have done the swap without using the 3g harness though and I figured it would keep it clean and looking nice.

You got it. You can loop the stator circuit (from the S terminal on the reg to the lone stator port). The A terminal can be run to the alternator's charge post if the charge cable is kept in immaculate condition. I would fuse this wire, though some kits dont. Then you know to do the I terminal connection. If using non-stock wiring, be sure to include a 500 ohm resistor (and/or indicator light in parallel) on the I circuit.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

So i'm just getting around to putting in my 3g now.... on the install from the page I included it says I need to take the stator wire from the 2g harness and splice it into the wire that goes to the stator in the 3g..... I thought I just leave the stator wire alone?

Also... the green/red wire that I need to take from the 3g and splice to a "hot in run" source. Where's the easiest to run it to? I considered just running it to the starter solenoid on the fender...

Thanks guys.

 

[HISSIN50]

So i'm just getting around to putting in my 3g now.... on the install from the page I included it says I need to take the stator wire from the 2g harness and splice it into the wire that goes to the stator in the 3g..... I thought I just leave the stator wire alone?

Also... the green/red wire that I need to take from the 3g and splice to a "hot in run" source. Where's the easiest to run it to? I considered just running it to the starter solenoid on the fender...

Thanks guys.

The stator needs to loop from the S terminal on the regulator plug to the lone stator plug on the side of a 3G. You can either cut the stator wire in the regulator plug and loop it to the lone-port, or you can leave the reg plug alone and splice into the stator wire in the rectifier plug and run that to the lone port.

If you already have a 2G and stock 2G wiring, you dont need to worry about the green/red wire. The regulator plug for a 2 and 3G is the same, and it's part of that plug. You take care of it when you plug the regulator in.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

The stator needs to loop from the S terminal on the regulator plug to the lone stator plug on the side of a 3G. You can either cut the stator wire in the regulator plug and loop it to the lone-port, or you can leave the reg plug alone and splice into the stator wire in the rectifier plug and run that to the lone port.

If you already have a 2G and stock 2G wiring, you dont need to worry about the green/red wire. The regulator plug for a 2 and 3G is the same, and it's part of that plug. You take care of it when you plug the regulator in.

This is the wiring I have it setup right now.... this is the way I got it (aside from me running the yellow wire to the stud). The 3G S terminal already loops to the lone plug... or are you referring to the 2g wiring? Sorry i'm not totally understanding what you mean.

When I did this in the past in my Rx7 I wired it just like this, ran the green/red wire separately to a hot in run source and used a 2 gauge from the stud to the battery with a 125 amp inline fuse. I'm just checking to make sure that's the way everyone did it in their mustangs...

Keep in mind I wasn't planning on using any of the 2g wires except what was absolutely necessary...if I don't have to use any of it i'd rather upgrade the wiring.

 

[HISSIN50]

This is the wiring I have it setup right now.... this is the way I got it (aside from me running the yellow wire to the stud). The 3G S terminal already loops to the lone plug... or are you referring to the 2g wiring? Sorry i'm not totally understanding what you mean.

When I did this in the past in my Rx7 I wired it just like this, ran the green/red wire separately to a hot in run source and used a 2 gauge from the stud to the battery with a 125 amp inline fuse. I'm just checking to make sure that's the way everyone did it in their mustangs...

Keep in mind I wasn't planning on using any of the 2g wires except what was absolutely necessary...if I don't have to use any of it i'd rather upgrade the wiring.

The FFI method like you have works fine. That plug in the pic is the regulator plug, and in *stock* form, it is the same on a 2 and 3G. Yours obviously is modified for a 3G with an impeccable charge cable.

The way that stator circuit is done is exactly what I was talking about. So if yours looks like that, you should be golden.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

The FFI method like you have works fine. That plug in the pic is the regulator plug, and in *stock* form, it is the same on a 2 and 3G. Yours obviously is modified for a 3G with an impeccable charge cable.

The way that stator circuit is done is exactly what I was talking about. So if yours looks like that, you should be golden.

So my only question now is... do I take the light green/red "I" terminal wire out of the 2g harness to connect it to my green/red wire on my 3g?

 

[HISSIN50]

So my only question now is... do I take the light green/red "I" terminal wire out of the 2g harness to connect it to my green/red wire on my 3g?

The 2 and 3G reg plugs are the same. So yes, you have to reconnect the I terminal to the green/red switch wire on your body harness (just as if you were replacing the 2G regulator plug with another OEM version).

Your kit probably came with something like a bullet connector for the connection.

 

[67coupe]

Be sure to add/upgrade the engine block to chassis ground as mentioned in jrichker's write up. It is absolutely necessary with a 3g upgrade.

 

[DocG]

Be sure to add/upgrade the engine block to chassis ground as mentioned in jrichker's write up. It is absolutely necessary with a 3g upgrade.

Can this 4 gauge ground replace the "strap" that is already there? I have a strap that connects block to firewall and another to frame I think.


I just completed a 3G install this past weekend. I pulled mine from a junk yard for $30. I cut the harnesses and stole the bolts too. I actually spent as much on the 4 gauge wire and fuse/fuse holder as I did the alternator. I simply cut off the un-needed harness and spliced the stator wire to the original 3G plug. Ran the 4 guage power wire to the Solenoid and golden.

I have yet to do the ground wire, but have only run it a little. All our checks on the grounds on my car using a good MM have come back solid. I also have a rear battery with no ground coming up front.

Hope my car doesn't burn up anytime soon.

 

[67coupe]

Not to hi-jack the thread....

Check out this link.

http://forums.stangnet.com/646825-3g-alternator-install-how.html

Some add the 4 gauge ground or replace the factory ground strap with a 4 gauge cable. Since it was easiest, I just added mine as jrichker mentioned in post# 20. Runs from the power steering bracket to the driver side fender (see picture in post #20).

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

Nice, thanks for all the help guys. After this in goes the Mark VII fan

 

[DocG]

Not to hi-jack the thread....

Check out this link.

http://forums.stangnet.com/646825-3g-alternator-install-how.html

Some add the 4 gauge ground or replace the factory ground strap with a 4 gauge cable. Since it was easiest, I just added mine as jrichker mentioned in post# 20. Runs from the power steering bracket to the driver side fender (see picture in post #20).

Yeah, sorry. Didn't mean to hijack, but didn't want to start a whole new thread for such a simple question.

Thanks for the link! For some reason all the searches I did didn't bring up that thread, and its the most comprehensive. Sounds like it'll be much easier to run the ground that way than replacing the strap which is tough to reach.

 

[stykthyn]

what cars had the 6g on them???