Big 3 upgrade on VW Jetta

[killa101 10+ year member]

I am going to do the big 3 on my 03' Jetta GLI and was wondering where the engine mount to chassis wire is located. Also, has anyone upgraded the alternator to battery cable? From what I can see it looks like the only way would be to take of the bumper to access the alternator.

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[sleazebagger 10+ year member]

Firewall/chassis to engine ground

 

[Yellow20thAEGti 10+ year member]

I am going to do the big 3 on my 03' Jetta GLI and was wondering where the engine mount to chassis wire is located. Also, has anyone upgraded the alternator to battery cable? From what I can see it looks like the only way would be to take of the bumper to access the alternator.

Their is a motor mount under the power steering reservoir. When I did my big 3 I just ran my wire from the top of the engine to the passenger side of the car to one of the bolts. However, if you look in the back near the passenger side strut tower above the intercooler pipe there is a ledge there with holes in it. You could always just get a nut and bolt and run it there, remembering to sand off the paint. As far as the alt to the battery, you don't have to take the bumper off. you should be able to unbolt the nut and run the cable to the battery. I left the stock wire in place.

I have a 20th AE Gti, so we have the same AWP engine.

 

[killa101 10+ year member]

Their is a motor mount under the power steering reservoir. When I did my big 3 I just ran my wire from the top of the engine to the passenger side of the car to one of the bolts. However, if you look in the back near the passenger side strut tower above the intercooler pipe there is a ledge there with holes in it. You could always just get a nut and bolt and run it there, remembering to sand off the paint. As far as the alt to the battery, you don't have to take the bumper off. you should be able to unbolt the nut and run the cable to the battery. I left the stock wire in place.
I have a 20th AE Gti, so we have the same AWP engine.

Thanks. I don't have a jack at my current location so I haven't been able to look there to find it yet. I have the VR6 engine but hopefully it is in the same area. Hopefully I will have better access to the alternator from underneath too. I can't get to the alternator from above but I will get my car jacked up and then see what I can do.

 

[OmegaBunny 10+ year member]

I just had my car up this wekend and you can get to it from underneath. I was going to do the upgrade butdidn't have any wire. The mechanic I was workign with said it didn't look hard at all to run the new wires and there seemed to be plenty of places to ground.

 

[Yellow20thAEGti 10+ year member]

Thanks. I don't have a jack at my current location so I haven't been able to look there to find it yet. I have the VR6 engine but hopefully it is in the same area. Hopefully I will have better access to the alternator from underneath too. I can't get to the alternator from above but I will get my car jacked up and then see what I can do.

You should be able to get to the alt from above, at least I can. Have you removed all the trim? The black strip is just 2 spring loaded clips that you turn with a phillips.

 

[Yellow20thAEGti 10+ year member]

I didn't have to remove the alt or jack up the car. Are you trying to hide the wire or follow the path of the stock? If trying to follow the path of the stock it runs to the tranny.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Nice info for me, i just got me an 04' and looking to get some work done on it soon...

 

[killa101 10+ year member]

You should be able to get to the alt from above, at least I can. Have you removed all the trim? The black strip is just 2 spring loaded clips that you turn with a phillips.

I didn't have to remove the alt or jack up the car. Are you trying to hide the wire or follow the path of the stock? If trying to follow the path of the stock it runs to the tranny.

I didn't try to remove the engine trim yet. I can look at that tomorrow and see if I can reach the alternator then.

I found the chassis wire I was looking for. It was right there the entire time I just didn't realize it. The way it was connected made it look like the connection to the body was just holding the wire. I noticed that it was actually the connection to the chassis.

 

[OmegaBunny 10+ year member]

I am pretty sure you have to get to it from below. Even it you take the engine cover off, the alternator is hard to get too. It looks like it is much easier to get to from underneath

 

[killa101 10+ year member]

I am pretty sure you have to get to it from below. Even it you take the engine cover off, the alternator is hard to get too. It looks like it is much easier to get to from underneath

Yeah, u r right. Taking the cover off wouldn't do anything now that I looked at it. I just have to try and get to it from underneath.