I couldn't really find the answer i was looking for in the forums so I took a picture. Anyway, my car is an 84 z28. I have a stock replacement alternator from oreillys. I have a question about the plug in the picture. Is it supposed to have a second wire? And if so where does this wire come from in the harness?

 

I think mine has 2 on the plug, for some reason i think one was a jumper...


Ill check it out when i get home from work if nobody else has replied.

 

thanks, any help would be appreciated

 

Yes there should be 2 wires. The one farther from the big post is the "sense" terminal, which is where the regulator samples the voltage that it's putting out, and adjusts its output accordingly. The one closer to the post is the "warning light" terminal, which needs a small amount of current flowing into it (specifically, about the amount of current that a light bulb passes, amazingly enough) to "start" the alternator charging. Without that wire, the alt will most likely never do anything.

The wire should be brown, and would come out of the harness next to the right valve cover.
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See this post. About halfway down, Merlin scanned the page out of a factory service manual, with the schematic of that circuit.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...verything.html

 

would that affect my choke light or choke in anyway?

 

The choke light is the alternator light (power flows through that light bulb and then to the terminal on that plug), so yes, it might be affecting the choke light.

 

ok, well i found the brown wire, but havent hooked it up. i have another question. the wire shown in the picture goes to the back of the alternator..is that correct?

 

Yes

 

well i finally got it done. i bought a new alternator connector for about a buck fifty and spliced the brown wire to it. choke light was still on all the time. I was pretty sure my alternator was fine so i decided to go out and buy the choke relay. I pull down my convenience center and guess what? The choke relay was completely nonexistent. I put the relay in its place and everything is good. light comes on with key off but goes away when the car is on. perfect! thanks for all that chimed in.

 

My choke light is now on whenever my car is off just after replacing the alternator.... Nathan makes that sound like its normal?? Whats going on PLEASE????