Installed Alternator Now Battery Sparks
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Teching In
Joined: Dec 2008
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Installed Alternator Now Battery Sparks Hi Guys,
I bumped another thread regarding installing alternators, but haven't had a response, so I'm posting in a separate thread. I pulled my alternator a few weeks back to have it tested and it failed. I ordered a 160 watt alternator and installed it today. I bought the car used and the previous owner relocated the battery to the rear of the car. I connected the cable that runs to the starter to the alternator with the bolt on the top of the alternator on the drivers side - is this right? Also, I got everything installed, but I couldn't remember what connected to the 13 mm bolt in the rear of the alternator (near the bottom).
I have a cable (same gauge as the cable running to the starter) running from the fuse box that wasn't connected to anything, I couldn't remember if that connected to the 13mm bolt, so I connected it there. When I tried to connect the battery I got massive sparks. I then disconnected it from the 13 mm bolt and tried grounding it to the block. But I still got sparks when I tried to connect the battery.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!
Mike
I bumped another thread regarding installing alternators, but haven't had a response, so I'm posting in a separate thread. I pulled my alternator a few weeks back to have it tested and it failed. I ordered a 160 watt alternator and installed it today. I bought the car used and the previous owner relocated the battery to the rear of the car. I connected the cable that runs to the starter to the alternator with the bolt on the top of the alternator on the drivers side - is this right? Also, I got everything installed, but I couldn't remember what connected to the 13 mm bolt in the rear of the alternator (near the bottom).
I have a cable (same gauge as the cable running to the starter) running from the fuse box that wasn't connected to anything, I couldn't remember if that connected to the 13mm bolt, so I connected it there. When I tried to connect the battery I got massive sparks. I then disconnected it from the 13 mm bolt and tried grounding it to the block. But I still got sparks when I tried to connect the battery.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!
Mike
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
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well, i connected the starter and fuse wires to the stud at the back of the alternator and when I attached the battery there were no sparks, but when i tried starting the car i got one click, the radio and instrument panel worked, but the car didn't start. The battery was charged just before and had around 13 volts when I tried to start the car. I changed the starter just before I changed the alternator and it started fine, so i'm pretty sure my issue is still with the alternator. any thoughts?
Thread Starter
Teching In
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OK, I'll pick up a test meter this week. had the battery checked and it's fine. I checked all the cables - no exposed wire and all connections seem fine. anything else I should check along with using a test meter?
That battery that was hanging in the wind was probably the original power lead from the alternator to the fuse block. It sounds like you have connected it to the rear case bolt hole where there used to be a bracket connecting the alternator to the block. This will create a dead short to ground, and I hope you didn't cook anything important.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Florida
This is what U need, it's a ground finder with arrow to show the location of the ground. U may find 1 at radioshack
Or U may go old school buy removing all the ground wires than put a light blub in series between the battery and other components. it will stay lit until you find and clear the ground.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_459tiin6fe_b
Or U may go old school buy removing all the ground wires than put a light blub in series between the battery and other components. it will stay lit until you find and clear the ground.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_459tiin6fe_b
Last edited by Tramminc; Jul 6, 2011 at 08:40 PM.
