97 4.6L GT convertible 200a alternator/electrical problems

[sauce]

So pretty similar to the other thread same part a power master 200a alternator from summit, I got mine bc I’m running a 1200w Max 600w RMS audio system (both amp and 12” sub power rating) this system is ran separately from the stock Mach 460 system which is still in use the only thing connecting the amp and radio is RCA, I have a kill switch ran from the sub amp positive and remote to the little storage pocket underneath the radio. Now prior to the system I had went through some batteries, all advance auto Die Hard 550CCA batteries bc they were still under warranty, I’ve only had the car for 2 years and it has its 4th battery, the life of each gradually increases.

With the stock alternator and a test song the sub would cut out at 24, obv making my battery gauge very active, and obv dimming lights. the 200a alternator did the exact same and actually started making my voltage spike on startup and drop when I used turn signals and all the lights change brightness in sync, it even made the rpm fluctuate in sync with the use of my turn signals (I do have a sequential taillight turn signal kit and halo headlights and I assume the voltage spike is fine and that it’s just the alternator reacting to the rpm jump bc it always goes back to where it was before the spike) I also had upgraded to 4 gauge wire with 250a fuse from alternator to fuse box, 4gauge wire from fuse box to battery, 4gauge ground from battery to driver front side of the motor, I used the stock alternator wire without the fuse link (so 6gauge) as a ground from the passenger side of the motor to the front hood chassis area, and a 4guage ground from the top of the alternator underneath the plug wire bracket to the passenger side of the motor (I can’t get the alternator in the right spot for where they want the ground at , bc the bolt, even shaved down touches the intake and angles the alternator ever so slightly, but there is a ground connected to the case)

Obviously I thought the fluctuation was fishy so I had both alternators tested the stock one wouldn’t spin on the tester and the 200a failed in the light circuit test so I threw the stock one back in while I exchanged the new one, I knew it worked enough when I pulled it and sure enough it worked for the few days I needed to, except the voltage fluctuation with the turn signals was still there.

When the new one came in I cleaned the throttle body (it was bad) changed my battery terminals and added a 0gauge ground wire from the battery to the rear side of the motor mount, I did not remove the factory ground from the battery the the front side of the motor mount. I did not do the iac relearn bc it was late but it put me in gear right after startup and otw home I noticed the voltage fluctuation was still there(I have a Walker brand iac module and ever since I got it if I didn’t do the relearn right wouldn’t be able to shift into a moving gear. if anyone knows the quality of this brand lmk cause I’m sketch ab it, I got it off Amazon if anyone wants to look it was like $45) I have the amp connected to the battery but off via the kill switch and have not turned it on AT ALL with this new alternator, (I’ve started to blow the box apart bc it was already starting, knocked the amp off the box it was mounted to and want to re do the ground terminal and the end of the ground wire I also want to get a capacitor for the system so it’s not pulling as spastically) I know the possibility of me receiving another faulty alternator, although low, is possible but could does anyone have any ideas? Or am I being wrongly skeptical ab the voltage activity, and if I am why is my rpm audibly and visually changing?

Thank you and sorry for the long read between this and my truck I’ve had it

 

[ttocs]

the battery dying problems are probably because your still using the stock amps. They are known to kill batteries, you can test this by connecting an amp meter and pulling the fuses till you see the current drop. As for the low voltage, your not running under drive pullies up front are ya? Get some pics of the wiring when you can.

 

[sauce]

Never heard of under drive pullies so I looked em up I don’t think I have one, to my knowledge when I got the car it was bone stock, but I included a somewhat decent picture of the pullies, and I had get pics of motor mount ground while the car was on the ground but I did what this guy did in this video but with the wires I listed in op

I also decided to record the voltage fluctuation and engine noise as well, this is with headlights on

 

[ttocs]

The turn signal/multifunction switch and harness are known to go bad. There could be some resistance that has formed at the harness or the switch that is causing it to draw a little more current than it should. You can inspect the harness if you take the gauges out and remove the console cover. That is my best guess at this moment, assuming that the car doesn't make some strange beeping noise for 30 secs after you start it?

 

[sauce]

I have heard some stuff ab the turn signal lever. But didn’t think anything of it bc it’s always had voltage drop when rolling the windows, using the convertible, when the a/c kicks on, and when the radiator fan turns on, which I all thought to be normal, which I still do but have had my speculations recently with the turn signal addition, but Is the harness behind the cluster?

The only time I get interior beeps is when I have the running/headlights on and I open the door, some time ago the ignition pin broke and when I replaced it the wire that makes the interior beeps when I had the key in the ignition turned someway and I opened the door kept going off bc it wouldn’t sit back in properly so I just removed it, but never beeping after start

 

[ttocs]

no I don't mean the door alarm, it is just a beeping noise that keeps going to tell you that you have a warning light that is not working. the alt warning light is part of the circuit and with out it you can have issues. Someone else will have to help me remember what year it was that there was a part in the gauges that helped to regulate the voltages that was known to go out as my 94 didn't have that.

 

[sauce]

I see, I never knew that existed, but all the lights come on accordingly with key on engine off, that’s the only time I ever see the battery light, no beeping noise ever tho

 

[ttocs]

one thing I did notice and it is small but it could make a difference is that you only have about half of the 8 awg battery-to-body ground (on the core support) wires going into the battery connection. Between that, old wire, and maybe some corrosion building up under that ring terminal could be just enough resistance to cause small electrical problems. We need to start simple so we don't feel stupid later and if it were me I would replace that connection with a new piece of wire, a new ring terminal and sand down the connection between the ring/body before making sure all the connections are tight and do not wiggle.

 

[sauce]

There’s supposed to be more little ground wires attached to my battery? That could be interesting, another thing I forgot to mention is last year I had a really bad ground issue where the car wouldn’t start unless jumped a certain way, but this was while I was at work so I drove it home and had to stop bc the car didnt want to go past 40 without trying to cut power so I hopped off the highway and as soon as I did it died again then I jumped it once more, made it back but I’m not even sure how, the car would keep trying to shut itself off, rocking ts out of the car bc I’m doing 20 and it keeps coming back, almost how it would feel when someone can’t drive stick but the whole way home, I cleaned up those ground wires with a wire brush and haven’t had that problem since. Didn’t even remember that until you said to clean those wires, and I also did wire brush all the chassis spots where the terminals sit when I did all that

 

[sauce]

one thing I did notice and it is small but it could make a difference is that you only have about half of the 8 awg battery-to-body ground (on the core support) wires going into the battery connection. Between that, old wire, and maybe some corrosion building up under that ring terminal could be just enough resistance to cause small electrical problems. We need to start simple so we don't feel stupid later and if it were me I would replace that connection with a new piece of wire, a new ring terminal and sand down the connection between the ring/body before making sure all the connections are tight and do not wiggle.

So looking at these wires, the short on I can replace, I can also do the redo the chassis terminal, but as for the other wires, I find this extremely strange but those wires look to be going to a connector harness? Which then comes out as black with green stripe and black with white strpe which then goes in the big loom of wiring

 

[sauce]

one thing I did notice and it is small but it could make a difference is that you only have about half of the 8 awg battery-to-body ground (on the core support) wires going into the battery connection. Between that, old wire, and maybe some corrosion building up under that ring terminal could be just enough resistance to cause small electrical problems. We need to start simple so we don't feel stupid later and if it were me I would replace that connection with a new piece of wire, a new ring terminal and sand down the connection between the ring/body before making sure all the connections are tight and do not wiggle.

And I thought they looked a little to small to be 8 found some extra wire that looked similar and it’s a 10 is this right

 

[sauce]

one thing I did notice and it is small but it could make a difference is that you only have about half of the 8 awg battery-to-body ground (on the core support) wires going into the battery connection. Between that, old wire, and maybe some corrosion building up under that ring terminal could be just enough resistance to cause small electrical problems. We need to start simple so we don't feel stupid later and if it were me I would replace that connection with a new piece of wire, a new ring terminal and sand down the connection between the ring/body before making sure all the connections are tight and do not wiggle.

Think ur on to something this is the same wire that goes directly to that harness, I just stripped out a new section and it’s got some corrosion in it, I’m gonna see if I can find that ground harness new

 

[ttocs]

20 year old wire developes resistance slowly, then take into account only 3/4 of the wire was actually in the battery terminal and it could be JUST enough of a limiter to start to make things act strange. All you need is a piece of wire and a ring terminal, you can probably get it at any local car audio shop for a few bucks if you can't find one you like at the autoparts store.

 

[sauce]

So I should be good to just replace the wiring from the battery to just before that connecter and be good, so long as the wiring down there isn’t bad

 

[ttocs]

If by connector you mean the metal ring on the end of the wire, yes. That is called a ring terminal and you can find them at any autoparts store or you can find some nicer brass/copper versions at car audio stores for a little bit more.

 

[sauce]

If by connector you mean the metal ring on the end of the wire, yes. That is called a ring terminal and you can find them at any autoparts store or you can find some nicer brass/copper versions at car audio stores for a little bit more.

Sorry by connecter I meant that harness where those 2 wires end up then come out as white stripe and green stripe, I did some research and ended up finding out that’s the ground for the computer, which makes a lot of sense and explains a few things, I just hope the harness is ok and the wiring after as well is ok too, it looks a little dusty from the outside which is why I have that concern, but I couldn’t even find I replacement harness for that if it isn’t which adds to that concern

 

[ttocs]

you can use a wire brush to clean electrical contacts or look for electrical contact cleaner to clean the harness out.

 

[sauce]

you can use a wire brush to clean electrical contacts or look for electrical contact cleaner to clean the harness out.

That’s what I’m gonna have to do pulled it out to check and it’s gunked up

Today: I typed that up yesterday and took that pic before I cleaned it but forgot to hit reply, I thought I had some wire connectors at the house but I didn’t so I’m going to get those now, but I cleaned out the harness to the best of my ability, and also reorganized some of my wiring while I had the battery out, gonna splice new wire from that harness to battery when I get those connectors

 

[ttocs]

You said it come off of the ground connection correct? Worst case scenario just put ring terminals on all the wires, and then use a nut/bolt to connect them and some heat shrink/tape to insulate it.

 

[sauce]

You said it come off of the ground connection correct? Worst case scenario just put ring terminals on all the wires, and then use a nut/bolt to connect them and some heat shrink/tape to insulate it.

That’s exactly what I ended up doing, my concern was the copper down closer to the harness, when I went to replace the wire it looked way better, I even went a lil extra and loomed the 2 wires and were the heat shrink connectors are bulged out of the loom so I taped it up getting ready to put the battery back in and fire it up, I also have been charging the battery overnight, and the only thing that’s sketch was having to fit two 4 gauge wires in a 0 gauge hole, but I’m sure I got both in there good. Last thing, I pulled a slick one on myself and locked my 10 gauge terminals in the trunk with the battery out, the lock is seized so I cleaned and reused the original terminal for the chassis ground