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2.0L Pinto Alternator Problems


Guest Martin.stgeorge

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Hi chaps

 

Just going to tag this onto the bottom of here rather than start a new topic.

 

Just doing a bit of head scratching on the Alternator wiring and a little undecided on 2 points.

 

1, I have a similar 3 block connector as above with 2 larger pins on Brown wires, one thicker and the other thinner will be going straight to the Battery. I have a 3rd wire coming out which is Brown and Yellow which is going to the ignition lamp. I have a separate spade connection on the alternator am am thinking that this is for the ignition switch? Is this correct?

 

2. I read above that Alan suggests putting an inline fuse on the Battery Return leads? I'm pretty sure there wasn't one before. Is this necessary?

 

I'm not running an Earth to the alternator as it's running directly off a metal mount from the engine block.

 

I have taken a picture of the alternator if it's needed but cant upload it here.

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Hi the terminals are as follows. Two larger spade ones one goes to battery one goes to fuse box ( key switch ) (fords way) but lots of builders run both to battery the small spade one goes to a light on dashboard to show if it's charging the light should have a 12v feed to it when ign is turned. ( all in a black plug) the other term also spade on its own normally has a suppressor on it. ( a small black plastic rectangle ) that screws to alt body In the days gone by it stopped the motor sound you got through the speakers while driving. Don't connect it to anything else you will damage alternator

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Martin (original poster).

Your car is fitted with a Bosch alternator.

On the back surface you have a square block blob which is the suppressor.

Also on the back you have a black diamond shaped bit held by two small bolts. This is not a regulator but is the brush carrier.

It all appears to be wired correctly. Two big spades are output to battery positive and the third smaller spade in that trio goes to one side of the ignition light. (Other side of ignition light is wired to an ignition live). The suppressor is wired OK.

 

It is usual in problem electrics for bits to get hot when they are carrying too much load for the resistance of the bit they are going through. And they get hottest at the point where the resistance is highest. And they stay cold where the load carrying capacity is adequate. So they give fairly clear indication of the point where the problem is.

 

You need to take another look/feel at the wiring to see if the hot area is related to the terminals and conducting a couple of inches along the wires or the wires are getting hot all along their length from the alternator to the battery. Just looking at your wiring I can see lots of inefficient crimp terminals. If you have used these in the alternator plug they may not be good enough to carry the load and hence heat up. If the terminals in the alternator or plug are heavily corroded they may heat up. (Clean them) The wire used to connect alternator to battery looks a bit thin. If it's heating up all along both lengths that would confirm it is too thin or is carrying too much load. That brings another possible thought. That the alternator output is too high and the regulator has failed. The only way to check this is to use a meter to check voltage across the battery terminals with the engine running at about 2000 rpm. 13.7 to 14.5 is roughly what you should see, give or take the odd point. If you measure more than 15V the regulators bust.

 

And before you start fiddling, fully charge your battery.

 

Nigel

Edited by Longboarder
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Knock-on. What alternator are you running. If it's a Bosch like Martins then that spare terminal is indeed for the supressor. If it's a lucas then Ford did some when they fitted electric chokes and DFTH carbs where they tapped a lower voltage output wire on a separate spade to go to the electric choke. Or if the alternator came from a diesel then it might be labelled W and be for the tacho.

A good question would be 'What's it labelled?.

 

Nigel

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I'm confused now (easy done I know) my alternator had a 6v output to an electronic choke but the terminals look like the Bosch.

My label is unreadable but I researched photos and came to the conclusion it was a Bosch 55amp, if so the 30amp cable mentioned would get hot, mine had burnt through on one of the crimps the previous user had done so it was all running up one of the 2 leads.

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