Official CarAudio.com Big 3 Thread

[smoka 10+ year member]

Anyone concerned about the positive connection of the alt being exposed to the elements after adding a larger wire?

I had to pull of the stock cap to add the 1/0ga terminal. Most big 3 pics I've seen just leave the terminal exposed.

My alt is near the bottom of the engine so I'm a little worried about it getting wet when it rains.

Anyone come up with a DIY cover for their terminal?

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Anyone concerned about the positive connection of the alt being exposed to the elements after adding a larger wire?
I had to pull of the stock cap to add the 1/0ga terminal. Most big 3 pics I've seen just leave the terminal exposed.

My alt is near the bottom of the engine so I'm a little worried about it getting wet when it rains.

Anyone come up with a DIY cover for their terminal?

it won't make any difference if it gets wet....

 

[taintedplay 10+ year member]

how do you tell which is the + and which is the - on the alt casing?

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

how do you tell which is the + and which is the - on the alt casing?

the case is the - and the large bolt on the rear is the +

 

[taintedplay 10+ year member]

ok sweet. thanks!

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

on this one it is the bolt on the top at the rear of the alt.

http://www.densoproducts.com/graphics/cutaway_alternator.gif

 

[Cornbreadxd 10+ year member]

Im gonna be performing this but was told that 0/1 gauge doesn't work well with my car, so would 4awg or 2awg still give me the uprgade benefit? stock alt is 90amp and im have a yellow top right now

 

[taintedplay 10+ year member]

on this one it is the bolt on the top at the rear of the alt.
http://www.densoproducts.com/graphics/cutaway_alternator.gif

kk. the gold/black colored on in that pic. and how do i connect the wire to the housing? is there a different bolt?

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

kk. the gold/black colored on in that pic. and how do i connect the wire to the housing? is there a different bolt?

you can use the bolt that mounts the alt to the block.

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Im gonna be performing this but was told that 0/1 gauge doesn't work well with my car, so would 4awg or 2awg still give me the uprgade benefit? stock alt is 90amp and im have a yellow top right now

if you have 0 then use it...I used 2awg on my 60amp alt.

 

[ljforster701 10+ year member]

I will be doing the big 3 on a 94 Taurus not a SHO. Currently there are 2 wires coming out of the positive battery terminal. One goes into a fuse block and the other to the starter. If I buy a battery terminal that excepts three positive wires, meanining one to the alt, one to the starter, & one to fuse block how do I get power to the amps in the trunk? Can I use a disto block and run the wire from the starter and fuse block to the disto block then to the positive on the battery?

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

get a different terminal. you will have the 2 stock wires, the amp lead, and the big 3 alt->battery wire.

thats 4 total.

depending on the terminal, and the stock wire size... you may be able to fit 2 wires in one hole.

 

[taintedplay 10+ year member]

ojust to make sure, i do batt + to alt +, batt - to alt case, and alt case to frame right?

 

[da12b 10+ year member]

nope...

ok...here it is...

Battery pos. to Alternator

Battery Neg. to Chassis

Chassis to engine

Use a 4 ga. cable wire or bigger.

It does not matter what color it is. Just go with the colors you want.

And THAT IS IT...

simple uh...

Good luck

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

ojust to make sure, i do batt + to alt +, batt - to alt case, and alt case to frame right?

you can do it as you posted and it will do the same thing.

I did it alt case to frame, batt neg to frame(at the same point as the alt case) and batt + to Alt +.