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I want to get ERA to fab it up and use their own supply of connectors

If it wasn’t for electrical issues I wouldn’t have many issues. Setting the timing on my car this morning and noticed the orange wire to the alternator had fried insulation.

I started disconnecting wires and found the orange wire was very loose. How it didn’t get tight or loosened I don’t know. I stripped about 2 to 2-1/2 inches of crispy insulation back and that appears to be as far as it went. All the other wires look fine. I’m suspecting that due to the loose connection I was getting arcing across the wire connector and alt terminal that generated the heat to melt the insulation. I’ve noticed lately some jittery movement in the amp gage so I suspect that was from it also. All sound reasonable??

I wrapped the wire back up and put a couple layers of heat shrink tubing over it all, cleaned the terminal and bolted it back tight – this time with a tooth washer for good measure.

You’ll find the ring terminal is not large enough in cross sectional area to carry the current draw requiredbined with a loose nut and/or poor crimp to the wire, and the connection overheats.

I want to get ERA to fab it up and use their own supply of connectors

You’ll find the ring terminal is not large enough in cross sectional area to carry the current draw requiredbined with a loose nut and/or poor crimp to the wire, and the connection overheats.

I think I would have noticed it before. Plus, I’ve noticed some twitchiness in the amp gage the last time I drove it. Pretty sure it just happened.

Patrick – that’s a good thought. I could just overwrap it back into the harness and leave the old wire in it. Interesting – I have an old transister ignition Corvette and when the TI distributor option was ordered they just clipped the old ballast resister wires off in the harness and back tapped them at the factory – then ran a additional harness for the amplifier. Pretty much would be the same thing.

Bob – I’ll call John and see if I can work out something with him to get a new orange wire of correct harness length and connections made up.

I want to get ERA to fab it up and use their own supply of connectors

It’s just a 10 gauge orange wire with a crimped and soldered eyelet on the end. That’s just a trip to Lowe’s.

The wire strands are pretty heavy gage. Even if they are a little leary of finishing the wire on both ends to an exact length for fear of it being off a bit – I can crimp and solder the alternator end with the right eyelet and insulator sleeve. Then it will look as good as new.

I want to get ERA to fab it up and use their own supply of connectors

Looking for thumbs up or thumbs down on my slightly crispy alternator. While waiting for the replacement wire to arrive from ERA, I pulled the alternator out to take a closer look at it. The factory plastic insulator was fried more than anticipated. I removed it (I think it actually extends all the way through the hole in the case but it came off pretty easily).

I rigged up a replacement insulator and set it in a small bed of silicone caulk around the stud and came up with this as a repair. I ran the car after fixing the fried wire temporarily and it runs and charges fine. It does not appear to have actually ever managed to short to the case or anything else. The loose connection just generated a lot of resistance that caused high heat – it even melted a small spot out of the stud.

I put it back on the mount with the intent of running it this way but after reflecting a little I’m having second thoughts. I’m afraid the remaining insulator where the stud penetrates the case may be so crispy that after a few miles it will short through to the case.