91 caprice alternator question...

[YankeeHick]

i'm using a 305 from a 91 caprice in my 78 Grand Prix. i'm ready to connect all the wires, but i've got this problem.... which wire on the main connecter is which? there's 2 wires coming off of the pigtail. i'd rather not short it out, ya know? thanks!

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by YankeeHick

i'm using a 305 from a 91 caprice in my 78 Grand Prix. i'm ready to connect all the wires, but i've got this problem.... which wire on the main connecter is which? there's 2 wires coming off of the pigtail. i'd rather not short it out, ya know? thanks!

Delphi CS series alternator? i.e. CS130 ... The big red wire is the charge wire, and the brown wire is the field wire (runs your idiot/warning light). The red wire on the terminal in the back goes to the battery, similar to the older 10/12SI alternators.

[YankeeHick]

not sure what series of alternator is in there. all i know for sure at this point (car's not here) is that there is a small, 2-wire plug that goes into the top, and has 2 wires. i think there's a label on it that says something like FS and something else. does this make sense, or am i on crack?

[PeteA216]

I think if anyone knew if you were on crack or not, it'd be you. It makes perfect sense, my '89 GMC has the exact same thing... Anyway, I'd check this with silicon, but couldn't you just run the red (main) wire as the normal charge wire to the battery, and simply cap off the secondary brown wire?

[silicon212]

You could even wire these, as with the older 10SI units, to run as single-wire, the red wire to the battery only. The main reason for that brown wire IMO is the alternator light on the dash.