So I'm having some trouble with the big 3 on my van. Yuli helped me do my 2 grounds, but my alt to battery is proving difficult. My alt is mounted partially behind my engine. Thats already pissing me off. The kicker is that when I finally got it off I wasted 2 terminals trying to get it to fit the post. Even worse is that after grinding it down and crimping it to fit and then getting a crappy solder job (iron too weak to heat the terminal), the guy helping me said that the nut couldn't catch with the factory and new wire.

So then I thought maybe just get rid of the factory wire, but then I checked AllData, and it turns out my factory wire is fused and connected to my starter (I might be wrong, but thats what it looked like to me).

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get this stupid wire connected? I've boiled down to two options, either take the alternator out and take it back to the guy who made it for me and ask him to put a bigger bolt in place of whats there, or just attach the new one and then remove a piece of the jacket and splice the factory one together with the opening in the new one with some solder.

Help me pleeeeeeeeeeease

 

I would explore option #2 - relocate the factory wire to come off the battery instead of off the alternator. I can't see how you can't get a second ring on the alt though. Are you using some overly thick ring?

 

As far as I know everything is standard in size. I had to buy two 0 gauge rings for my power cables and those are noticeably bigger than the 4 gauge terminals I used for the big 3 (power and ground will be 2 guage, but they didn't have any so I gotta crimp and solder really well).

I took a look at my old alt and the bolt seemed to be easily long enough to fit, so I made the assumption this bigger one would be the same size. Thanks for the reassurance Dukk, I was worried I was gonna have to swap them and pay even more money just to have them lengthen this bolt.

I just want to make sure we're clear though, the new wire will go battery to alternator, and the factory will go battery to starter to new wire. Will that work? I figure yes because the terminals would be touching each other at the alternator, which is like the wire touching each other, so letting the new wire be a "start" and then have the factory wire join seems to make sense in my head. Now I just hope there is enough slack in the factory wire to position it properly to solder to the new one.

 

if there is enough slack on the OEM wire..cut the ring off entirely and crimp the OEM +new wire into a 2/0 guage ring and solder the connection.

to answer your next question. There's a make your own ring DIY..or any welding supply shop for the 2/0 ring

 

Your factory cable won't care if it is at the alt or at the battery. The factory likely went from the alt to the starter to make the cable as short as possible for the highest current draw accessory in the car. Just move the terminal on the factory wire from the alt to the batt post.

 

You're the best Dukk, is it ok for me to say you're a hack installer that I HAVE heard of now?

 

to solve the soldering problem:
if you have a small propane torch, it can be used to solder those ring terminals with no problem.
heat the ring terminal than add the wire and solder.. the wire will heat up fairly quick so if you have a friend or wife/girlfriend help it will be easier.
most mistakes when soldering is people trying to heat the wire and it gets cooked in the process..
if you are still having an issue contact me. i can fix ya up. i have a few torches here as im a plumber.

good luck!

 

hey fresh1, how did you reach the alternator back there? i have a '99/'00 dodge caravan and my alt is also tucked nicely in the back of the engine bay. ive wanted to do the big 3 but i havent the slightest idea how to get in there?
thanks

 

oh man it was a mission. the easiest way is probably gonna be to remove one of the brackets, I believe it has 3 bolts on it, or in the case of my friends van, that and another piece of the mounting assembly, then you should be able to reach the post on the alt. the other lame thing you're gonna find is that the post is on the lower part of the alternator. since you're in richmond hill, if you want to meet me on friday near 400 and 7 I can physically point out the brackets I'm talking about and where the alternator would be, but it should be pretty easy to recognize if you pop your hood. the other thing you're gonna notice is that if you're using 4 ga. wire and the terminals to fit, you're probably gonna run into trouble fitting it onto the post with the factory wire, which is hooked up to your starter. like i said, if you're willing to meet in vaughan on friday evening i can also explain how we fit it on the alternators.

 

oh man that would help a lot.. but im going to be in st catharines at brock until around thanksgiving and i will be home for like a week or so, how does that sound?


edit: id love to start seeing other members personal setups as well, i always miss out on the shows