After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

[Stuart F.]

Attended our October Vettefest at Old Town Kissimmee, Florida - about a 12 mile trip for me on the greenway (417) - and noticed during the drive over that my Ammeter was showing a slight dicharge. I turned off my fresh air blower (which augments my 40/2 or top down air conditioning system) which brought the needle back to a just slight discharge position. At the show I did a voltage check with my little on board LED light meter and it showed only 2 lights of 4 so I new my battery was low. I carry a portable jumper unit with me on such trips where I know I will have to shut down, and thought I just might have to use it in order to restart for the cruise and trip home.

Now for the meat of my post; I checked the Alternator connections and found one was loose and actually pulled out of the plastic connector. It's a square connector with 2 female fast ons encapsulated in it. I looked through several catalogs this morning, but the nearest thing to it would be a complete engine wiring harness. These 2 wires are of very light gauge wire and are not too flexible any more. They come from the wire harness on the pass side fender panel. My motor mounts were changed in about 1992, and no doubt my little L-76 torquer can still test their limits. I was able to make an infield fix and the engine did start w/o a jumper. The Ammeter showed a good charge, but half way back home and it was back to discharge again as my fix apparently could not handle a couple WOT bursts out of the toll booths (that's another story as I was only following my son there instead of using my E-Pass).

Does any one know where I can get such a connector? I can replace the fast ons ok, but the plastic connector is broken. Suppose I need to start re-wiring the car as my 50 year warranty has no doubt expired.

Stu Fox

[Gene M.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

The "Help" parts rack in out auto parts store has a "pigtail" with that connector on it. The wires are only about 8" long. But you only need the connector, unless you want to splice it back in the wrapping. Also I thought I seen one on Rock Auto Parts on line.

[Dan B.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

I've seen them in the past under the "HELP" lable at the local auto parts. NAPA also carries a line of electrical replacement plugs. It's deffinately available. Dan

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Thanks for the good advice Gene and Dan. We have an Advance Auto parts store near by so I will check them today. If that fails, I'll go to the NAPA store tomorrow. Funny that that never occured to me. I know in the past they have surprised me as to what they have, and then again they have disappointed as well.

Think I will splice further into the loom in order to use the new wire flexability. Those old wires are stiff and probably brittle, to say nothing as to how small they are.

Thanks again fellows.

Stu Fox

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Checked at our local Advance Auto Parts, but with out luck. It's not the kind of thing that "close" will do. Salesman there suggested I try the "Summit Racing Parts" catalog as he was from their home base near Akron, Ohio (Summit County). He said their warehose there had everything, but I'm afraid their catalog does not. I'll try out our local NAPA tomorrow.

Stu Fox

[Edward J.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Stu, I have a old engine harness from a 63, I will check the condition of the plug and get back to you tomorrow. Ed

[Paul D.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Is this what you need? If so this is from rockauto.com, but should be available from your local parts house. They may have to order one.

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Thanks Ed for the offer. The item that Paul is showing looks like the animal all right (Thanks Paul).

This morning I pulled the plug out of the alternator and was able to push the wire with faston back into the connector, and then hold it together well enough to get it connected back into the alternator. it seems that a little plastic tab that holds the faston in the connector broke out. I don't know how long it will stay together as it may shake out again with engine movement. It seems the wires have become stiff (taunt) and brittle with age. They don't flex very well.

At least I have learned one good thing with this episode and that is that my ammeter works very good. In the past it seemed the needle hardly ever moved, but it sure showed me the discharge condition on the road, and then again the charging when I got it re-connected.

Thanks again

[Bill M.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Look at Corvette Central 662043 if you can't find one locally.

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

Thanks Bill. That's one catalog I did not look in. I'll check it out.

Stu Fox

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

I finally picked up a pig tail at my local NAPA store yesterday that I ordered from their warehouse. It sure looks like the right animal except that I believe the wires were installed transposed, or at least they are in comparison to my original on the car and my schematic. The "blue" is on the left and the "black" is on the right. Now I know I can install it "left" to "left" and "right" to "right" and it will work correctly, but the wire insulation colors are not right for the picky eye.

If I am right (thinking back), I can switch the wires in the connector by releasing the little tab on the faston inside with a wire pick. Has anyone ever run across this situation?

I probably should tell NAPA, but perhaps the wires are transposed on some other applications.

Stu Fox

[Bill M.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

The Corvette Central connector has blue on driver side, black on pass. side. I found I could use the original terminals that connect to the regulator; looks like new.

[Stuart F.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

I found I was able to switch the wires around using a wire pick tool as I suspected. I too considered just re-inserting the old wires with fastons back into the new plastic connector, but I figured they found their way loose before, whether it be the fault of the wires or connector, so I will go with all new and make an end to end splice with solder and heat shrink tubing, then re-tape. The new wires, if I do this right, should be a little longer (more slack) and more flexible. The old ones are very taughnt (or is it taught).

Thanks for your help and interesting replies.

Stu Fox

[Bill M.]

Re: After 50 years and 3 months, alternator connector failure

I found I was able to switch the wires around using a wire pick tool as I suspected. I too considered just re-inserting the old wires with fastons back into the new plastic connector, but I figured they found their way loose before, whether it be the fault of the wires or connector, so I will go with all new and make an end to end splice with solder and heat shrink tubing, then re-tape. The new wires, if I do this right, should be a little longer (more slack) and more flexible. The old ones are very taughnt (or is it taught).

Thanks for your help and interesting replies.

Stu Fox

Stu:

I used the new wires and plastic connector, but used the original terminals that are in the regulator connector; no wire soldering or heat shrink tubing. I did solder the wires into the regulator connectors just because I didn't trust that I would get a good connection by crimping the old terminals.

Bill