Got her out of storage after 18 months.

[Vroomer]

When I was recalled to the Army, I put my coupe in storage. Finally got her out after closing on a new (to me) house.


Now, she needed a new battery. So, I dropped a new one in. Positive to RED and negative to Black... and Voila! SMOKE!! Reversed the battery and, she started right up after some starte fluid. Who makes red the ground?!?!

So, I smoked something.

Talking with Alex from the 2002 boards (And Debra) on a recent trip to San Fran, he suggested I replace the Voltage regulator. Start small and work up. Had Rob Torres Jr. send me out a new OEM regulator and to (what should not have been) my surprise, there appears to be an alternator upgrade on this car. Something one of the previous owners did.

Here are the pics.

No OEM voltage regulator...

The upgraded stuff:

Is this a 5 series alt or what? Part #'s I can read are on the black box attached to the alternator:
(9 190 087 009) on the side

30 062
(0 192 052 004) on the face plate of the black box.


Thanks for your help and thanks in advance!

 

[30csl]

There is always something romantic to me about pulling a car out of storage for a while when she starts up. And then the first drive where a lot of the storage induced probs melt away. Call me a fool!

I can't believe any battery would have the terminals with those colours!

If its a later alternator it will have the regulator inside the housing I believe.

 

[bill]

Perhaps you got one of those cars made for England with "positive earth" wiring?

Hopefully the diodes in the alternator were not damaged with the incorrect connection...if they were the alt. will have reduced or very little output voltage.

I replaced my alternator 2 years ago with a Bosch rebuild..it came with a built-in regulator, so the voltage regulator and its connections are no longer needed. Don't know why there is a red wire plugged into your connector...perhaps the PO was trying to tap into the alternator output to power some accessory?

 

[Bill Riblett]

Is this a 5 series alt or what? Part #'s I can read are on the black box attached to the alternator:
(9 190 087 009) on the side

30 062
(0 192 052 004) on the face plate of the black box.


Thanks for your help and thanks in advance!

Can't help you with the source, but that is definitely a later alternator with the little black box in the lower left of the picture being the internal regulator/brush pack.

 

[Vroomer]

Thanks for the responses. I have an apb out on this one. :|

 

[KHB]

Perhaps the red wire connects to the lead going to the idiot light?

 

[Honolulu]

it's good

looks like you have the later internally regulated alternator. I'd call that a good thing, even though the oversize red wire to the plug is kind of a kludge.

Normally when one does this, the idiot light function is retained, but it's only one of the little bitty wires on the plug.

Suggest you have a study period with the wiring diagram, noting where the red goes to down the line. It's possible that it's just the idiot light.

Otherwise, seems you will soon be gaining some familiarity with your car. Having apparently been lacking, this will be another good thing.

 

[jhjacobs]

The red wire is the idiot light. You can see from my photos that it is plugged into the idiot light connector (just like mine).

 

[HB Chris]

Alternator

You should have a large 10 gauge red wire from battery + post to back of Alt to B+ terminal post (can't see this in your pic though). The red wire in your picture must be hooked up the former regulator harness's blue wire which leads to the warning light in the dash. Confirm that it is blue and leaves the other end of the 3 wire harness towards the firewall and you should be OK.