[tamathumper]

The smaller wires aren't the same length as the long wire, in aggregate. They should really be longer so that tension (if any) is taken up by the large cable.



As it happens, on the alternator end the small cable is shorter by about 3-4", and on the starter end it is longer by the same amount (makes sense I suppose as it has to reach over the starter and down to the respective bolt).

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[Lear35A]

Because of MB968's comment I put the 3 wires of the assembly back in place and set everything up just the way I wanted it. Basically the eyelets fall into place on the alternator and starter lugs. I also noted where I wanted the sleeves to end so that the separate wires were free to go where they needed to. I then redid my drawing and sent it off to Robby.

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[MB968]

From your drawing, looks like the alternator wiring comes off the alternator in the direction of the engine block. I didn't take any pictures of my engine before I removed the alternator. Right now I have the wiring coming off the alternator going away from the engine block, then it is wire tied to the engine mount bracket, then to a strap at the bottom of the oil seperator, then to a strap that mounts onto the bellhousing.



What was the routing of the factory wiring after it leaves the alternator?

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[tamathumper]

I know the routing, but I don't know the names of the parts it mounted to. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Cloud9...68]

Tama,



Would you mind posting a picture of how your alternator-to-starter wire is routed? I really messed up by not taking pictures before I disconnected this wire, and it's now just sort of flopping alongside the oil pan. Makes it easy to get to, but I'd like to put it back correctly. Thanks.

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[MB968]

Tama, I know there is some wiring that goes in the open area just underneath the intake. So, in simple words, this other wiring travels along the top of the block close to the area where the head bolts to it. Does the stock alternator wiring follow that route also.



In simple words, my current routing follows along the block just above where the oil pan bolts to it.

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[Cloud9...68]

This is probably a very stupid question, but does anybody understand why Porsche chose to route the alternator wire to the battery via the starter, as opposed to just sending it straight from the alternator to the battery? Seems like this would be a shorter, more direct path, and one more removed from the elements. What am I missing?

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[Lear35A]

Really tough to get a good picture under there. Remember all the outer covering has been stripped off. The wires come along the backside of the alternator and then turn down. At this point they would be together in a sleeve and pass through a cable holder attached at the pan. It runs along the line of the pan gasket, behind the dipstick and through another cable holder attached at the block. It tee's there with the two small wires going up alongside the oil separator and the rest going to the starter.

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[tamathumper]

My cables leave the back of the alternator and travel straight back toward the driver, where they are clipped to a support that attaches to the fender just above the steering shaft, not far behind the alternator itself.



They then bend slightly inboard and go under the intake manifold, where they are clipped again, but I can't tell to what as I did not remove the intake manifold.



Then the two little wires leave the main sheath and are zip-tied around the oil filler tube, and they clip into the harness just above the brake booster.



The main cable continues down toward the starter where it is held to the bell housing by two big metal/rubber rings.

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[Lear35A]

Interesting to hear about this difference in routing. I can't imagine yet another thing under the intake maniold, but why not. I have no reason to believe mine was changed from how Porsche built it. I'm going to leve my routing where it is.

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[tamathumper]

I believed mine to be original as the little orange cable clips were intact, and each was inserted into a seemingly purpose-built hole.



One of them I recovered, (on the mount just behind the alternator), and the other was too crispy to survive and too far buried under the intake manifold for me to re-insert it anyway.

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[MB968]

Lear, my routing is esentially the same as yours except, with the much stiffer (due to larger strand diameter) #4 wire, I couldn't easily bend the wire back to the oilpan without putting undue strain on the wire/connector. So, I just routed it behind the engine mount bracket as shown. After I took these pics a couple of days ago I added a ziptie to attach the wire bundle the engine mount bracket.

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[gbarrier]

yep, best way.

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[Cloud9...68]

MB,



Very helpful pictures - thanks.

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[Lear35A]

Good pictures MB. Much clearer than with engine in car. I haven't heard back from Robby in a couple of days. I may have to make up the cable on my own. I'm dead in the water without it.



I found a piece of AWG #5 cable with finer strand wire. It's from an old welder cable. Should do the job and is very flexible.

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[MB968]

[quote name='Lear35A' timestamp='1342638887' post='129567']



I found a piece of AWG #5 cable with finer strand wire. It's from an old welder cable. Should do the job and is very flexible.

[/quote]



Yeah, in the table I posted, looks like AWG #5 has a crossectionaly area of 16.8 mm squared vs the stock which shows on the electrical diagrams as 16 mm squared. So, the #5 should work great (you probably already knew this, but thought I'd put in the actual numbers from the table and the wiring diagram in case anyone unfamiliar wants to make a similar comparison for future wiring). You might have to go to an electrical supplier to get the connectors, as #5's arean't that common in the retail world.



I was lucky and had a die set for spark plug wires that worked. Had I not, I would have used a small diameter pin laid longways on the connector to crimp on the connector (using a vise). You could probably use the end of a finish nail punch if you don't have any small diam. pins. You don't want to use a chisel point punch, as it could do enough damage to the connector that it might loosen with time.

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[tamathumper]

UPDATE: While installing the firewall brace today, I noted that I had hooked up the alternator wire 180-degrees off, so it was mushing and bending against the engine. Stupid.



I *was* able to get both wires off the back of the alternator without removing it this time, and I was able to turn them around and route them correctly, after applying two more layers of heat shrink and a split loom for good measure. There's at least 8 inches, maybe 12, of positive cable exposed beyond the fiberglass shield, and I just want to make sure it's not going to wear on anything.

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[Cloud9...68]

Could somebody who has recently done this please tell me where the exciter wire ends up? I was able to easily remove the cable/wire from the back of the alternator, and from the starter as well, but the other end of the exciter wire disappears under the brake booster from below, and I can't tell where it's going from above because of all the brake lines and wire bundles blocking my line of sight. I'm guessing it ends up either at the ignition switch, or to some connector on the way to the ignition switch.



Robby wanted me to take some measurements of the alternator-to-starter wires, which is why I need to get it off. Thanks.

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[Cloud9...68]

Robby called me back and told me where the other end of the exciter wire goes - into a little white two-prong plug just on the engine side of the firewall. Very easy once you know where it is, but it was thoroughly hidden from view, so I never would have found it without somebody explaining what it is and where it's located. So, overall, removing the starter-to-alternator wire was a very easy job. Hopefully the others will be just as easy; Robby is working on my kit now, so I hope to have it by next weekend.

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[tamathumper]

You can see the little white two-prong connector just above the brake booster at the top of this picture. It's tucked under the hard line, right where it says "12".

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