Ehhh... BIG THREE help please!

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

so i was going to start and do it today.. well lucky me.. i cant distinguish the alternator positive and negative. i enclose a few pics. it looks like its a bunch of clips? WTF?

its in a 2000 celica gt if that helps.if you need any aditional pics, let me know.

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[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

Use a multimeter to see which wire has power or just follow the ends to see where they lead to. Some cars are hard to see what goes where. It was simple on my Chevelle but a nightmare on my MR2.

 

[mikelaubach 10+ year member]

Yeah, some cars can be more of a pain than others. Picture 3 of 5 above does not even have the alternator in it. The alt is the round-bodied device with cooling vents all around (just in case there was confusion).

In picture 5, the wire is under a plastic covering to prevent short circuits. There is also a ground wire on the left in picture 1, but that is not likely the main ground. The power line coming out of the alternator on my Bronco is only about an 8ga line. That's tiny compared to the stock battery cables even! And those are tiny compared to the 1/0.

Good luck.

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

Picture 3 is showing a few grounds. I know what an alternator is..

I just cant find the power and grounds for it.

 

[GAMEOVERCCA 10+ year member]

the + from alt will normaly be the largest of the wires, i have seen them in black which is confusing.. normally it will be the only one help on by a nut just jump it from there over to your batter with a 0gauge wire. you can leave the stock wire there to make it easier for you, i have the big 3 done on my explorer, but the stock stock is there also. 1 day you might wanna remove it to sell or somthing eles, this will make that day easier for ya.

 

[JEFFakaMAX 10+ year member]

 

[orphe 10+ year member]

ground to your engine block if you can. remove a bolt and attach a ground wire using an O-ring terminal.

The last pic. see that wire thats covered up with a rubber/plastic housing cap? most likely thats your positive to your battery.

Use a multimeter to help you make sure it is.

put red lead on the wire under the cap and black wire on neg battery.

With the engine running you should read 12-14 volts

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

Alright. need a multimeter. Ill go buy one tonight.

As for where the positive i see the clip. The negative no clue

 

---------- Post added at 03:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:59 PM ----------

 

Alright. need a multimeter. Ill go buy one tonight.

As for where the positive i see the clip. The negative no clue

 

[JEFFakaMAX 10+ year member]

Most alternators do not have a designated NEG on them. They are grounded to the block when you bolt them down. Find a convenient CLEAN spot on the block or accessories and ground there. You can use an alternator bolt if it makes your wire run easier.

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

I m refering to where the neg spot on the alt is.,

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

ttt

 

[BigSix 10+ year member]

the case itself should be ground(neg) on the alternator

 

[Dirtrider4eva 10+ year member]

ahh sheet... just re read his comment above, im dumb. alright i get what your saying. thanks alot guys.

 

[JBar1976]

Alternator is grounded by where it mounts. Only has one positive connection, in the bottom pic the wire that has the plastic shield on it. Just pop that cover off with a small pick or pocket screwdriver, should be a 10mm nut securing the wire. Hope this helps

 

[JBar1976]

Alternator is grounded by where it mounts. Only has one positive connection, in the bottom pic the wire that has the plastic shield on it. Just pop that cover off with a small pick or pocket screwdriver, should be a 10mm nut securing the wire. Hope this helps

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

You don't need to ground the alt. Just 1)Alt Positive to battery positive 2)engine block to chassis and 3)Battery to chassis

 

[mikelaubach 10+ year member]

You don't need to ground the alt. Just 1)Alt Positive to battery positive 2)engine block to chassis and 3)Battery to chassis

Engine block to chassis (or a separate battery to block like I did on my truck to prevent the potential corrosion at the chassis connection point) IS "grounding the alternator." On many new cars, there is just not adequate room to get to, and replace, the stock engine block ground. I know for a fact that on my wife's Audi, I would not want to replace that wire until it was time for a timing belt change, as that job's step 1 is "remove front of car." So leaving the stock ground to the engine in place, and grounding to some place more convenient is often times, well, more convenient.

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

Engine block to chassis (or a separate battery to block like I did on my truck to prevent the potential corrosion at the chassis connection point) IS "grounding the alternator." On many new cars, there is just not adequate room to get to, and replace, the stock engine block ground. I know for a fact that on my wife's Audi, I would not want to replace that wire until it was time for a timing belt change, as that job's step 1 is "remove front of car." So leaving the stock ground to the engine in place, and grounding to some place more convenient is often times, well, more convenient.

No. You do not "replace" any wires. You add a new wire from the block to the chasis. Leave the original alone. Very easy on any car. Nothing could be simpler. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

No. Not block to battery either. Block to chassis, and battery negative to chassis.

You add 3 new wires. That's it.

 

[silvercookie 5,000+ posts]

You ave a girls car.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

That last pic has the positive I believe. They usually have that complete cover over it so that nothing grounds out on it.