badman 0 Report post Posted September 16, 2008 after reassembling the 318is i have come to a hickup. the car runs but im not getting any charge from the altinator. to be honest i don't know where the wire goes now there are the two terminals, D+ and B+. i have direct power to B+ and to D+ i have a smaller blue wire running to. now i have a red thicker wire that comes out the back at the bottom of the altinator but i have no idea where is goes. could this be the reason i arn't getting any charge? dose any one know where it goes or if i have wired the wiring backwards? it isn't an earth as i tried it and it kills the whole system and i don't get any reds on the dash. the battery is fine, and was told by the previous owner that everything ran fine before it was dismantaled Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted September 17, 2008 Cant exactly follow what you mean but ultimately you should have the large red "battery" wire connected to B+ & the small blue "charge light" wire connected to D+. There should only be these two wires in the loom for the alternator. It may (not sure) have a large brown wire, if it does - this is earth & connects from alt housing to earth. If it does & you had these two connected in reverse you would have big sparks when connecting the battery Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted September 17, 2008 If it does & you had these two connected in reverse you would have big sparks when connecting the batteryand possiblyt some $$$$ signs in the smoke.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badman 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2008 i have these wires connected just as you said direct battery to B+ and blue wire to D+. but the wire that comes out of the alternator is more like orange but maybe once it was brown. would it help if i put up a picture. also the orange wire that comes out the alternator is live. as i found out when it touched an earth and it sparked. to add to this note even though i'm not getting any charge there is no light coming up on the dash showing the alternator is not working. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badman 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2008 i followed my wiring back and the blue wire goes into the loom and i cant follow it past the big plastic box that all the wired run into sitting above the engine. the red wire goes from the battery to the starter motor, connect to that then continues to the alternator. i have pulled it out and taken a pic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted September 18, 2008 Orange/brown wire - will be brown which is earth. Looks like it is connected directly to alternator housing as it should be - is it infact (not insulated)? Other two wires you have correct. Do the alternator mounts have rubber inserts in them - if they do this insulates the alternator housing from earth - hense the earth wire. Possibilities for sparks when touching brown to earth: -- Faulty alternator - did you connect these wires in reverse at all? -- Cant see in pics - are there insulators under B+ & D+ studs to insulate from housing? -- You didn't try connecting the earth while the engine was running? -- No alternator light - if no earth circuit for alternator - light won't go. With ign on touch the blue wire to earth - light should go - if it does you could have one of the above faults in alternator circuit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badman 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2008 (edited) no i didnt try to conect the wires in revirse. and did not try earthing the alternator while the engine was running. if i have B+and D+ hooked up and battery all connected then just touch the brown (earth) on the chasse it will spark with out the engine running. there are no insulators under the B+ or D+ just little copper nuts. yes there is rubber on the brackets thet hold the altinator as well. Are there ment to be plastic washers or something under where the wires connects? I think my next step if i have no luck soon will be to take the alternator to an automotive sparkie to have checked. Edited September 19, 2008 by badman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badman 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2008 problem fixed. i feel like an idiot. after reading the previous reply asking if there were rubber bungs under the studs i decided to double check and what did i find.really thin nuts on the studs wound right down so they were touching the housing. simple brought them off the housing and connected the wires and wolah. now the battery charges. after having to buy a new battery its all fixed. well mostly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted September 20, 2008 problem fixed. i feel like an idiot. after reading the previous reply asking if there were rubber bungs under the studs i decided to double check and what did i find.really thin nuts on the studs wound right down so they were touching the housing. simple brought them off the housing and connected the wires and wolah. now the battery charges. after having to buy a new battery its all fixed. well mostly. Suspected that - couldn't see any insulators in the pics. However no good the way you have fixed it - both studs should have fibre (not rubber or plastic) insulators under the nut to insulate studs from housing. The nut needs to then be properly tightened up against the insulator (particually the battery stud) otherwise you risk creating a bad connection inside the alt & will cause heat & failure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
