Alternator Cable Broke!!! (the screwed in connector snapped)

[Car Nut]

Like the title says:

I disconnected the alternator and the two plastic connectors. Lastly, I was disconnecting the thickest cable connection going to the rear of the alternator and the round metal ring of the connector broke off.

Does anyone know how to fix this? I don't really have to replace the whole positive cable assembly right?

I'm not great with electrical stuff, but replacing an alternator is usually very simple. Once I followed the thickest wire back to the fuse box and then saw where else it went, I couldn't believe my luck.

I've got an Autozone, Discount Auto Parts, and an Advance Auto Parts all within 2 miles of my house. If anyone knows what I can do, maybe they'll have a replacement connector or something.

Thanks.

 

[cbarr300]

simple, just get another connector and crimp it on in place of the old one.

good luck

 

[Car Nut]

Crimp? Really? Hell, I can do that!

OMG, I thought for sure I had created a monster of a problem.

Thanks.

 

[cbarr300]

yeah, you're talking about that little connector on the end right? where the wire turns into a ring and then goes onto the back of the alternator?

if so then that's all you gotta do, take what's left of the old one off and replace it with a new ring terminal.

Hopefully that's your problem

 

[blksn955.o]

Yeah, a new ring connector will work fine. Mine melted off from a bad alt. actually .

I got a gold plated one from a stereo shop and crimped it on the wire (after I checked the wire out for any other damage).

Even in the worst case were you break the stud that comes out the back of the alt. that is easy to swap out.

 

[Car Nut]

I bought a pack of ring connectors, but the hole for the wire was way too small. The ring itself was perfect.

What guage wire is it? (I mean the thickest cable going to the alternator)

Gonna have to go back to the auto store tomorrow or Saturday morning and find a ring connector that allows for the super thick cable. Not sure what guage the cable is, but it is about as thick as the two cables that attach to the battery itself.

Thanks.

 

[blksn955.o]

Your best bet will prob. be a best buy/circ. city or custom stereo shop. IIRC its 8ga and 99% of the chain parts stores will not have anything for you.

It will be like 15-20$ but the correct size and I think they are sold in pairs so you will have a spare if it happens again.

 

[HISSIN50]

I believe it is actually more like 6 AWG (8 would be very insufficient for 130 amps, but so is 6). I ran a new 4 AWG cable - the stocker is a POS and was fraying right where yours took a dump (as well as dropping 400 mV from the alt to the PDC).

The parts store should have something that will work - either in the elec aisle or you could modify a battery terminal eyelet (in the battery cable section). Been there and done that.

Good luck.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I would do the same and pick up a new ring connector, but get one that you can solder on instead. You'll have less resistance that way. One like this that you can heat with a torch and fill with solder is the best way to go. Just heat it up, fill it with solder, and push the wire in.

View attachment 399933

 

[Car Nut]

I like the soldering option for sure, but don't have any equipment for that.

I'll check Best Buy for the parts and see if I can get it going that way. If not, maybe it's time to get a soldering gun.

 

[1TallMF]

I had this happen to me on the old Dodge. I did 3 car audio places and 4 parts stores before I found a place that had the correct gauge and connector with the appropriate-sized eyelet. Crimping a new connector back on is a good quick and easy fix, but you might want to consider changing that entire cable in the future as it sounds like it might have become brittle/vulcanised if the end just "broke-off". Its really not hard to do, just go to a car audio place and get a length of 4g cable and an in-line 150A fuse, you can even bring-in the old harness and have them do the cutting/crimping/soldering for you. Its a 10-minute deal.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I think i found my eyelet that would fit and crimp to the wire in home depot. Me and my dad also soldered it on to make sure it would conduct properly.

 

[Car Nut]

I found a 4 guage ring terminal that fits, but hell if I can crimp that thing. Found the part at Best Buy.

I tried an 8 guage ring terminal (Circuit City), but it was too small for the wire. Apparentlly, the thickest cable going to the alternator is 6 guage.

I may try home depot, but no auto stores in my area have a crimping tool that can apply the force needed for a stereo-grade 4 guage ring terminal.

None of the stereo shops I tried had 6 guage anything............only 4 and 8.

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll come back to this post once I've found a plenty strong crimper.

 

[HISSIN50]

Though not precise at all, you can use lineman's pliers to get a fairly decent crush on the terminal (note I did not say crimp, but rather crush). I've had to do this late at night and it held up quite well for years, honestly. Not great but in a pinch............

I thought that stock POS was 6 AWG. Another alternative is to fab up a 4 AWG (or have a stereo shop do it).

Good luck.

 

[Car Nut]

Thanks Hissin50.

I found the 6 guage terminal at Home Depot and it fits perfect. Again.........I cannot crimp or crush with basic hand tools, but I got it to slightly hold the wire in place.

Looks like I'll be taking a day off work this week to get a shop to do it. I saw the tools that allow for crimping larger terminals and it was like $80 and up.

Thanks again all.

 

[HISSIN50]

Glad to hear you got it rigged up.
If you have a vice, you should be able to crimp the collar on the terminal (it'd require an assistant to hold the vice while you crimp - that's some real shadetree work with the cable in the car ). Also, I'd put some heatshrink on the terminals.

Should you decide or need to redo things (or it's more economical), Partsexpress.com is where I get my 4 AWG cable and ring terminals. I'd bet they have 6 AWG terminals if needed.

I know I keep rambling: another alternative from taking a day off work is just to have a shop make you a new cable with a fuse. I used an ANL fuse and fuse holder (from Parts Express, though Pep Boys here has them, as do Napas). They'd just make it to your specs and you could pick it up after work. I spent about 20 bucks on my cable, terminals, fuse and fuse holder, if that gives you an idea of what the basic materials cost (retail).

Good luck.