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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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 Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:48 pm Post subject: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?
cheers!
(bonus question; the other 10ga red wire that goes separately over to the drivers side is for what?)
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'87 2.1. 125K 4spd Not rebuilt "Red Dwarf" |
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James 93SLC
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2009
Posts: 937
Location: NE Ohio
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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| RadioRental wrote: |
i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?
cheers!
(bonus question; the other 10ga red wire that goes separately over to the drivers side is for what?) |
Wire heading over to the driver side is power for the AC.
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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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| James 93SLC wrote: |
| RadioRental wrote: |
i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?
cheers!
(bonus question; the other 10ga red wire that goes separately over to the drivers side is for what?) |
Wire heading over to the driver side is power for the AC. |
AC is the bonus question wire??
or the wire that's sheathed with the 6ga charging wire to the firewall.. this is the one thats broken. Thanks.
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'87 2.1. 125K 4spd Not rebuilt "Red Dwarf" |
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9936
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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The wires should be smaller than the gauges you are saying. In any case the larger wire goes between the alternator post and the starter post. During starting the battery power flows from the starter to the alt post to provide battery power to the smaller red wire that goes to the engine compartment wiring box and from there it powers the fuel injection. After starting the alternator powers the fuel injection over the smaller wire and powers the battery and dash wiring over the larger wire.
In short, the smaller of the paired red wires goes to the engine compartment wiring box stud.
Mark
| RadioRental wrote: |
i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?....... |
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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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| crazyvwvanman wrote: |
The wires should be smaller than the gauges you are saying. In any case the larger wire goes between the alternator post and the starter post. During starting the battery power flows from the starter to the alt post to provide battery power to the smaller red wire that goes to the engine compartment wiring box and from there it powers the fuel injection. After starting the alternator powers the fuel injection over the smaller wire and powers the battery and dash wiring over the larger wire.
In short, the smaller of the paired red wires goes to the engine compartment wiring box stud.
Mark
| RadioRental wrote: |
i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?....... |
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That makes sense, thanks. I don't know my gauge sizes that well. Maybe it's 4ga and 6ga but I bought replacement wire that's 10ga and it's the same size as the +12v to the engine wiring box. And, I thought 4ga was battery lead size.
Anyway, I'll pull it out of the terminal box and run a new wire to the alternator. Thanks for your help Mark!
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'87 2.1. 125K 4spd Not rebuilt "Red Dwarf" |
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rubbachicken
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004
Posts: 3058
Location: socal
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:16 am Post subject: Re: 2nd red wire off alternator, where's it going? |
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| RadioRental wrote: |
| crazyvwvanman wrote: |
The wires should be smaller than the gauges you are saying. In any case the larger wire goes between the alternator post and the starter post. During starting the battery power flows from the starter to the alt post to provide battery power to the smaller red wire that goes to the engine compartment wiring box and from there it powers the fuel injection. After starting the alternator powers the fuel injection over the smaller wire and powers the battery and dash wiring over the larger wire.
In short, the smaller of the paired red wires goes to the engine compartment wiring box stud.
Mark
| RadioRental wrote: |
i have have a 6ga wire going to the starter and a 10ga wire in to the same factory sheath that breaks out behind the firewall and heads over to the drivers side (I think)
Problem I have is the 10ga wire is broken at the alternator. I've spliced it back 6" but the copper is still rotten that far back. I'd like to run a new wire from source. Can someone point me where that might be?....... |
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That makes sense, thanks. I don't know my gauge sizes that well. Maybe it's 4ga and 6ga but I bought replacement wire that's 10ga and it's the same size as the +12v to the engine wiring box. And, I thought 4ga was battery lead size.
Anyway, I'll pull it out of the terminal box and run a new wire to the alternator. Thanks for your help Mark! |
4 gauge is enormous that size is what the main battery terminal wire is, i've yet to figure the cable sizes here, i think the bigger of the two is 12 gauge and the smaller is 14 gauge, or it'll be 14 gauge then 16 gauge
i used to metric mm sizes and find # gauge very confusing
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lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Don't get me started on US weights and measures. I don't understand how a country prides itself on independence from British empire and then keep hold of this crap.
Anyway, I've been enjoying your restoration thread. Where are you in Boston? we should meetup sometime. Enjoy your trip.
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'87 2.1. 125K 4spd Not rebuilt "Red Dwarf" |
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PDXWesty
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Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6247
Location: Portland OR
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rubbachicken
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004
Posts: 3058
Location: socal
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:52 am Post subject: |
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it is if you want to make it off into a connector that fit into the back of an alternator
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lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 9:00 am Post subject: |
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This is why my flaps hates me. I don't ever bother to try and learn this stuff. My typical interaction with them goes like this.
me 'I need a stainless clamp that's about 2.5" wide'
them 'well, they're not really measured like that.. what's it for?'
me 'I need to fix a 5W resistor to my fuel pump'
They usually stop there, don't even bother to ask what the hell I'm trying to fix on the van now and just fish out something that might do.
So, I usually either eyeball what I need or cut off a piece of the brokenthing and show them. And try to remember that spanners are called wrenches.
thanks guys!
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rubbachicken
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004
Posts: 3058
Location: socal
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| RadioRental wrote: |
Don't get me started on US weights and measures. I don't understand how a country prides itself on independence from British empire and then keep hold of this crap.
Anyway, I've been enjoying your restoration thread. Where are you in Boston? we should meetup sometime. Enjoy your trip. |
we are in mattapan 02126, i hope only here until thursday, a meet, sure we'd be up for that 
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lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
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RadioRental
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2009
Posts: 555
Location: stow, ma
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 9:22 am Post subject: |
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Miles away, nevermind. Enjoy your trip, keep us all updated here on the samba
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