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Is this a W terminal alternator?
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 28 Nov, 2012 15:44
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I snapped this pic of the alternator p/n 175 903 023P on my 81 Caddy before it got dark and didn't have time to investigate further. There is a plug with 3 wires going to the alternator, there are no screw terminals or spade lugs like the alternator on my 92 Eco. Having 3 wires suggests it is a W terminal alternator: One wire to the battery for charging, one wire for the excitation. I am hoping the 3rd wire is the W terminal and I hope it runs all the way up to the correct pin in the cluster connector. I just modded a gasser tach to diesel per regcheesman's writeup and looking forward to installing it and see if the tach works.
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#1
by
CarlosA
on 28 Nov, 2012 16:08
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Don't you own a flashlight? lol
I have a very similar alternator with only a few digits different in the numbers. Mine has a W terminal and the photo below shows where it is (right side of the back of the alternator when sitting in its mounted position).
And here is the tag on mine:
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#2
by
JamesT
on 29 Nov, 2012 01:54
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The three wires in that plug are B+, B+, and D+. The two fat red ones go to the battery (sometimes by way of the starter motor) and the other one, usually blue goes to the charging light.
My alternator has a terminal that looks like the W on the second one posted, but isn't a W signal.
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#3
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 29 Nov, 2012 05:29
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The three wires in that plug are B+, B+, and D+. The two fat red ones go to the battery (sometimes by way of the starter motor) and the other one, usually blue goes to the charging light.
My alternator has a terminal that looks like the W on the second one posted, but isn't a W signal.
Thanks for the info! Looks like I'm gonna have to pull the alternator, solder a wire onto a diode and make it a W terminal unit. At least it looks easy compared to my 92 Eco with AC, one belt and it's off!
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#4
by
RabbitJockey
on 29 Nov, 2012 12:01
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Autozone alternators have w terminals and cost about 60 bucks
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#5
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 29 Nov, 2012 14:16
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Autozone alternators have w terminals and cost about 60 bucks
Good to know! What year and model should I ask for? Note that mine makes the connection to the alternator via one 3 prong molded rubber plug (with 3 female spade terminals in it). No AC.
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#6
by
RabbitJockey
on 29 Nov, 2012 18:25
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My car is an 81 Rabbit pa with ac
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#7
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 29 Nov, 2012 19:21
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My car is an 81 Rabbit pa with ac
Does "Autozone alternators have w terminals and cost about 60 bucks " still apply to my Caddy?
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#8
by
RabbitJockey
on 30 Nov, 2012 04:44
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My car is an 81 Rabbit pa with ac
Does "Autozone alternators have w terminals and cost about 60 bucks " still apply to my Caddy?
yes, the only difference is the ac. just go order one, if it shows up with out the w terminal tell them you don't want it, it doesn't cost you anything. i ordered 4 alternators through napa, the first one i just hope it was right, then the second one they actually called the warehouse and told them specifically not to send it unless it had the w terminal, they did that 3 more times, then i just went to autozone. i work for napa and get an employee discount so i was trying to go there first.
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#9
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 30 Nov, 2012 08:29
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My car is an 81 Rabbit pa with ac
Does "Autozone alternators have w terminals and cost about 60 bucks " still apply to my Caddy?
yes, the only difference is the ac. just go order one, if it shows up with out the w terminal tell them you don't want it, it doesn't cost you anything. i ordered 4 alternators through napa, the first one i just hope it was right, then the second one they actually called the warehouse and told them specifically not to send it unless it had the w terminal, they did that 3 more times, then i just went to autozone. i work for napa and get an employee discount so i was trying to go there first.
Autozone only has the AC alt ($59). The non AC alt is $79 but not available from their supplier so I', SOL. I already have my alternator out and will take the cover off to get to the diodes and bring the W terminal out. This Motorola alternator has the regulator in a separate module from the brushes, unlike the Bosch which is in one assembly. Did 81 Caddy w/o AC come with Motorola alternators exclusively or did it also come with Bosch?
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#10
by
srgtlord
on 30 Nov, 2012 08:48
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The truck my cousin has sitting in his yard has the the motorola alternator, so I am goin out on a limb and saying yes.
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#11
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 30 Nov, 2012 09:54
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The truck my cousin has sitting in his yard has the the motorola alternator, so I am goin out on a limb and saying yes.
Motorola alts were junk.. i just scrapped a big pile of them.
i always replace them with bosch units. ive found that the early-ish rabbits had the moto..
but the motorolas were interchangable with the bosch unit, and cheaper, so people often times bought the moto as a replacement for the bosch.
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#12
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 30 Nov, 2012 12:07
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The truck my cousin has sitting in his yard has the the motorola alternator, so I am goin out on a limb and saying yes.
Motorola alts were junk.. i just scrapped a big pile of them.
i always replace them with bosch units. ive found that the early-ish rabbits had the moto..
but the motorolas were interchangable with the bosch unit, and cheaper, so people often times bought the moto as a replacement for the bosch.
Why are Motorola alt junk and what fails in them? Do you have a good Bosch non AC alt with a W terminal you want to sell?
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#13
by
92EcoDiesel Jetta
on 30 Nov, 2012 12:22
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I've soldered a wire to the diodes to bring out the W terminal (shiny solder spot at 10 o'clock in the pic). Next reinstall then test and see if the tach works.
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#14
by
RabbitJockey
on 01 Dec, 2012 09:10
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i hope you have put it in the right spot, other wise you could potentially be supply the tachs w terminal with un regulated voltage, to create a w terminal i believe you want to tap into just one of the three black wires.