domenad
06-15-2006, 02:39 PM
This week I went through the second alternator I've had on my 85 Grand Marquis. The previous one went quietly. This one decided to go out with more of a show, and shorted internally. The connector cooked down to absolutley nothing. I was pretty scared there for a moment, worried that I had created a short while putting in my Polk DB690 rear speakers, but then I rationalized that I would have blown a fuse before cooking up my alternator.
At any rate, I went to summitracing.com and purchased a 100A chrome-plated to replace the remanufactured turd that I had in it. Imagine my surprise when the two connector, five-wire setup that I previously had was reduced to a single wire! I just ran the thing over to the battery junction on a ring terminal and bolted it on. It seems to work fine, and I removed the connectors and threw them away, including cutting a thin 14 or 16 gauge wire that went under the car.
My question is about my dash Amp light. I've reviewed the manual and wiring diagrams for my car, and I can find no wiring to the dash light that does not come off the battery terminal. The diagram shows the light in parallel with a shunt 15 ohm resistor. Does this mean the light will never come on again? Other than periodically putting a meter on the battery, how can I be certain the alternator is running correctly? Also, should I move the alternator connection off of the batter post and down to the solenoid? They are electrically the same point, but I wonder at any unforeseen consequences.
At any rate, I went to summitracing.com and purchased a 100A chrome-plated to replace the remanufactured turd that I had in it. Imagine my surprise when the two connector, five-wire setup that I previously had was reduced to a single wire! I just ran the thing over to the battery junction on a ring terminal and bolted it on. It seems to work fine, and I removed the connectors and threw them away, including cutting a thin 14 or 16 gauge wire that went under the car.
My question is about my dash Amp light. I've reviewed the manual and wiring diagrams for my car, and I can find no wiring to the dash light that does not come off the battery terminal. The diagram shows the light in parallel with a shunt 15 ohm resistor. Does this mean the light will never come on again? Other than periodically putting a meter on the battery, how can I be certain the alternator is running correctly? Also, should I move the alternator connection off of the batter post and down to the solenoid? They are electrically the same point, but I wonder at any unforeseen consequences.