Got some alternator problems. A few years back I put in a rebuilt alternator. Worked fine and never caused the GEN light to come on. However, I've had a battery drain problem for a few years as well. (Should keep better notes. Hell, any notes) I fixed this by disconnecting the two-wire plug at the alternator. Otherwise it wouldn't start after three days or so. Got tired of that and decided to fix it. Pulled the alternator, and being me, opened it up to look. The diode trio was burned with one corner of the plastic gone. Took it out and it crumbled into dust. The voltage seemed good and no GEN light was lit previously. So I pull out a back-up alt from an Olds. Had been sitting on a shelf for 10+ years but passed a test at the FLAPS earlier this week. Put that in and connected it up. Oh wait, there's SMOKE coming out of it. Gotta wonder if I swapped the two wires in the plug as the plastic had fallen off during the operation. So, got a few questions: Which wire goes to the "1" and "2" connections? Fat wire to 1? Any idea on why there'd be a voltage drain through the Alt? Screwed up that wiring years back? Gotta get a rebuild kit. I know that.
Solved the question. I had those connections backwards. The fat wire, which is red or red/black, and is hot with the car off goes to terminal #2. The thin wire, brown or brown/stripe. which is off with the car off goes to terminal #1. Makes sense since terminal #1 is grounded through 40 ohms. Putting the hot wire there causes a battery drain. Certainly helps to open the chassis manual. Helps to remember that I had a '74 version in print and didn't have to look at microfiche.
