WTF was Ford thinking... *UPDATE* More crappy wiring...

[Insane3D]

I'm in the process of installing a 120A alternator upgrade in the Mustang, and I'm rewiring the stock setup to handle the increased power output.

This is what Ford uses for the main power lead from the stock alternator. They run two ~6" 10ga leads, which are joined to one 8ga lead. The 8ga lead is barely adequate for the stock alternator and it's a wonder there aren't more fires. Anyhow..check out this genius wiring scheme...

Nice!

I was like WTF?

It's even cheesier where the 8ga lead meets the starter solenoid...more on that later...heh.



Update:

Added pics for the signal wire/power lead to solenoid junction...

 

[Heisenberg]

Well, it is a ford.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Well, it is a ford.

Good point!

(Saw that coming from a mile away)

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Well, it is a ford.

Good point!

(Saw that coming from a mile away)

Yeah, I figured I'd just get it out of the way right at the start. That way the thead could then proceed normally.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Well, it is a ford.

Do you really believe any other car mfg. would have done it differently? It's all about economics. Toyota, Honda, etc. will all try to save a buck just like Ford will.

 

[MikeMike]

man, 8 ga wire can handle a decent amount of current. i dont get what you are so worried about. 8 ga can handle quite a bit depending upon length. im not sure how many amps stock was putting out (80?) but that really isnt that much.

MIKE

 

[Insane3D]

Here's the new power lead for comparison (10ft. of 1862 strand 4ga)

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
Here's the new power lead for comparison (10ft. of 1862 strand 4ga)

How are you going to hook that to the alternator? Do you have another connector that will accept 4ga wire?

Edit: N/m - read through the link to the upgrade kit.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
man, 8 ga wire can handle a decent amount of current. i dont get what you are so worried about. 8 ga can handle quite a bit depending upon length. im not sure how many amps stock was putting out (80?) but that really isnt that much.

MIKE

Ok, first off, the stock alternators were either 65A or 75A. The 75A put out 24A @ idle (900RPM), and a max of 80A max @ 3KRPM.

Check out the table here.

Looks like max amps is 74...so they are cutting it close. It's about 9 1/2 ft long.

The main gripe I have is why not just have one 8ga lead off the alternator? Why two 10ga for 6in, then just twisted together and heatshrunk to a 8ga lead?

Here's a table for the output comparison between the stock 75A 2G alternator output, and the 95A (120A) 3G upgrade I'm putting in.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Insane3D
Here's the new power lead for comparison (10ft. of 1862 strand 4ga)

How are you going to hook that to the alternator? Do you have another connector that will accept 4ga wire?

I am taking the stock unit out...it's going on 13 years old. It's probably on it's way anyhow..

The one I'm putting in is linked in my previous post, and it doesn't use the spade connector style of the stock 2G. I picked up some nice platnium coated crimp on's that I'm going to solder on and HS.



Edit:

Here's a guide for the installing the bigger 130A (160A) model, but you can see how it hooks up. I didn't need anymore output than the 120A, and I don't need to grind down the stock bracket like you have to with the 160A and 200A models.

Link

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
I am taking the stock unit out...it's going on 13 years old. It's probably on it's way anyhow..

The one I'm putting in is linked in my previous post, and it doesn't use the spade connector style of the stock 2G. I picked up some nice platnium coated crimp on's that I'm going to solder on and HS.

Yeah, I looked at the link after I posted. I'm surprised they had only 75A alternators on the mustang. My firebird has the stock HO option that's 110A. The standard one was somewhere around 80A IIRC.

 

[Insane3D]

Yeah, not sure on that. From what PA Performance told me, most of the fox bodies came with 65A models unless they were a convertable.

Oh, here's the platnium coated fuseholder and fuse I'm putting on the power lead.

Fuse Holder

Edit:

Once the SN95's came out in '94, Ford started putting 130A 3G units in. A lot of people go the route of just getting a new alternator for a SN95 and rewiring it.

I liked the PA Performance model better than what I might get in a parts store, it's all new, and has a lifetime warranty. It was very reasonable @ $150 too.

 

[TallBill]

This thread might as well be in Chinese. I know so little about cars!

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: TallBill
This thread might as well be in Chinese. I know so little about cars!

Terriyaki!! Karate!! Moo Goo Gai Pan!

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
Yeah, not sure on that. From what PA Performance told me, most of the fox bodies came with 65A models unless they were a convertable.

Oh, here's the platnium coated fuseholder and fuse I'm putting on the power lead.

Fuse Holder

Wowwwww, platinum. That'll be good for a 20A gain just by itself.

 

[Insane3D]

Nah, I realize it has no effect on power transfer, I got it mainly for color. I hate gold plated stereo components...they look tacky to me. Silver is a much nicer look.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Insane3D


Nah, I realize it has no effect on power transfer, I got it mainly for color. I hate gold plated stereo components...they look tacky to me. Silver is a much nicer look.

Closet Ricer

 

[Insane3D]

/puts Type R sticker on alternator

 

[Subzero]

AT FORD QUALITY IS JOB ONE .....:roll:


:laugh:

 

[MichaelD]

OK, it's obviously for a stereo hookup. What are you running that you require a 130amp alt? :Q

I have an 80-amp stock alt and 600W RMS of amp power in my truck. I also have a 1-Farad cap. I get no headlight dim at all.

Well?

*edit*

Read the upgrade link...OK, maybe it's not for a stereo. That IS a "car stereo" fuse holder though.

 

[Insane3D]

Nope..I just have entry level stuff now except for the head unit (Pioneer Premier). I actually picked up the alternator because I had a problem that I thought was the alternator, but it turned out to be a bad positive battery lead. A rebuilt, stock amperage rebuilt was about $100 ~ $125, and a new Bosch was $200. It made it an easy choice.

That is the great thing about having a popular car like the fox body 5.0's...you can usually get brand new, higher quality HP parts for less or about the same as rebuilt or factory parts.

Case in point...I needed new axles. Ford wanted $325 for one stock axle shaft. I got a set of Superior (brand name) racing axles for ~$175.

However, the upgraded power setup is also being put in with a eye to the future and possible upgrades. As of now, I'm not really considering it as I have already had all my stuff stolen twice.

There is a couple other part to this project too....after this I move on to the new battery lead I'm making.

Hmmm...is 1/0ga too big?

Oh noes, I needed to use gold ring terminals!



Michael, you're from Texas right? You know the whole bigger is better syndrome right?

 

[Insane3D]

Read the upgrade link...OK, maybe it's not for a stereo. That IS a "car stereo" fuse holder though.

Yes, it is. I'll tell you why I went that route. PA performance sells a upgraded power lead "kit". It's basically about 9.5ft of 1600 strand power wire, with a 200A fuse in a ugly black plastic holder.

Here it is.

Two problems...the 200A fuse is a bit overkill for the alternator I'm putting in, and might not blow when it needs to, and they wanted $60 for that kit.

I got 10ft of 1800+ strand 4ga (for noise supression), that fuse holder and fuse, and four stereo grade platnium ring terminals for about $35.

<--always looking to save money

 

[bugsysiegel]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Well, it is a ford.

That's not really a viable response. Granted you might dislike Ford products, but, realistically, every vehicle I've ever owned has had a very poorly designed electrical system (including 2 Chevy's, 1 Honda, 1 Mitsu, and 6 Fords - I admit, I love Ranchero's )

My current vehicle, an 02 Mitsu Diamante has such a lame system, if I turn on the heater at night when I have the lights on, you can see them dim about 10-15%. Sweeet. The Chevy's were pretty bad too, I burned up wires often in my Nova, and completely cooked the electrical system in my Vette. Required a complete electrical harness replacement. Well designed.

The bad thing is, to me, that the Diamante and the Vette are/were both higher-end vehicles. You would think that the manufacturers could have spent the extra $10 on better components.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: bugsysiegel
That's not really a viable response. Granted you might dislike Ford products, but, realistically, every vehicle I've ever owned has had a very poorly designed electrical system (including 2 Chevy's, 1 Honda, 1 Mitsu, and 6 Fords - I admit, I love Ranchero's )

My current vehicle, an 02 Mitsu Diamante has such a lame system, if I turn on the heater at night when I have the lights on, you can see them dim about 10-15%. Sweeet. The Chevy's were pretty bad too, I burned up wires often in my Nova, and completely cooked the electrical system in my Vette. Required a complete electrical harness replacement. Well designed.

The bad thing is, to me, that the Diamante and the Vette are/were both higher-end vehicles. You would think that the manufacturers could have spent the extra $10 on better components.

Alright, as you're the second person in this thread to completely misinterpret me, let me be clear. I was KIDDING. Sheesh people, lighten up.

 

[Insane3D]

What's the old saying? If you want something done right...

I could have just left that orange/black power lead as it was. They tell you to just connect it to the new alternator with the new power lead, but that just seemed retarted to me. I mean it seems silly to put in a better power lead, and still keep the old lead. That's why I undid all the bundles and followed the lead to the solenoid so I could make sure I didn;t leave anything disconnected.

The PA guys warned me that just pulling out the old power lead causes the car to not work. I figured out why this is after I pulled the whole lead out. The yellow wire that is a sensing switch ties into the main power lead @ the solenoid.