Need Help With CS144 Alternator Install
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,441
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Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Ok shafrs3, here's where I'm at, The red coming from The Cs plug is wired directly into the red constant 12v on my si plug.
Is this how you've had it all along?
Last edited by shafrs3; Sep 11, 2006 at 08:36 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Yes. My white wire with switch off reads 0 volts. With key turned on it shows the battery voltage or 12v
Well I know where my problem stems but that doesn't extend to you since you're wire worked. I have wire envy. Man this is gonna be a witch to track down...it's buried in the harness.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by shafrs3
Your small red wire you are using for the S connection is the wire to you original amp meter (pretty sure - 80%). You need to not use this wire for the S lead. You need to connect the lead from that S lead pig tail to either the horn relay power lug or the batt lug (they are the same circuit, just different places in the line). It needs to be wired exactly as shown in your drawing.
Is this how you've had it all along?
Is this how you've had it all along?
I had it like my drawing, but at the suggestion by Batman, I re-wired it to look like the picture from the website, and connected the red to red, and the brown to brown. I ran nothing to the 12V post except the ring terminated 10 gauge red. You're saying I need to run a jumper from the large red to the 12V post?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
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Originally Posted by Durango_boy
I had it like my drawing, but at the suggestion by Batman, I re-wired it to look like the picture from the website, and connected the red to red, and the brown to brown. I ran nothing to the 12V post except the ring terminated 10 gauge red. You're saying I need to run a jumper from the large red to the 12V post?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Mine doesn't charge either. I just started it, and with the tester on the 12V lug on the back of the alt and grounded I showed 12.80V running. No good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Updgate. Put the old 63A alt back in and it shows charging. 13.4v running. 12.5v not running and at idle. We even tried the black wire in the CS plug for laughs. No change. I'm thinking this CS144 conversion is not going to work. Unless there are several different varieties and people don't know how to hook this one up
Last edited by Jclgodale3; Sep 10, 2006 at 09:24 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Updgate. Put the old 63A alt back in and it shows charging. 13.4v running. 12.5v not running and at idle. We even tried the black wire in the CS plug for laughs. No change. I'm thinking this CS144 conversion is not going to work. Unless there are several different varieties and people don't know how to hook this one up
I'm not giving up yet. I have a few other things to check before I give up. Like Batman said, I didn't realize I was doing all this without having my gauge cluster hooked up, which as we know houses the GEN light.
I don't think that would keep the brown wire from showing a charge with the ignition on, but we'll see. I'll plug in the center gauges and then test the brown wire again.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Updgate. Put the old 63A alt back in and it shows charging. 13.4v running. 12.5v not running and at idle. We even tried the black wire in the CS plug for laughs. No change. I'm thinking this CS144 conversion is not going to work. Unless there are several different varieties and people don't know how to hook this one up
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
You sure you have a good CS144 (and good connections to it)? When mine was bench tested it failed once, then the guy got a better grip on the terminals with the test clips and it passed. Bad connection, no function.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Weird. I think I'd have someone else bench test it, see if it still comes up as OK. An 18v spike is certainly enough to fry just about any bit of automotive electronics.
Some info that might help:
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/zma...ternator01.htm
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...649&forum_id=3
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...240&forum_id=3
Some info that might help:
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/zma...ternator01.htm
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...649&forum_id=3
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...240&forum_id=3
Last edited by I'm Batman; Sep 11, 2006 at 05:45 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
J.
When I had my CS144 rebuilt the man who rebuilt it referenced a book that showed many different regulators for this alt. Some like mine had the sensing curcuit built into the regulator internally. That is why I suggested having a rebuild shop check it and advise you on how to hook it up based on your configuration. Chevy really screwed up when they made so many variations of this alt because of guys like us wanting to use it as an upgrade.
Bernie
When I had my CS144 rebuilt the man who rebuilt it referenced a book that showed many different regulators for this alt. Some like mine had the sensing curcuit built into the regulator internally. That is why I suggested having a rebuild shop check it and advise you on how to hook it up based on your configuration. Chevy really screwed up when they made so many variations of this alt because of guys like us wanting to use it as an upgrade.
Bernie
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by BerniesVette
J.
When I had my CS144 rebuilt the man who rebuilt it referenced a book that showed many different regulators for this alt. Some like mine had the sensing curcuit built into the regulator internally. That is why I suggested having a rebuild shop check it and advise you on how to hook it up based on your configuration. Chevy really screwed up when they made so many variations of this alt because of guys like us wanting to use it as an upgrade.
Bernie
When I had my CS144 rebuilt the man who rebuilt it referenced a book that showed many different regulators for this alt. Some like mine had the sensing curcuit built into the regulator internally. That is why I suggested having a rebuild shop check it and advise you on how to hook it up based on your configuration. Chevy really screwed up when they made so many variations of this alt because of guys like us wanting to use it as an upgrade.
Bernie
Do you think there are any reman CS144s out there that were built wrong? Meaning the tech doing that service didn't know to check which regulator to use with the correct components? I mean, that would cause a bad problem huh?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
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From: Florida
Originally Posted by BerniesVette
I just picked up a CS144 140 amp alternator off of a Cadillac Northstar engine. Has anyone installed one of these on their C3? I want to upgrade my '79 alt and got this one for $25.00 and couldn't turn down the price. Do I need to beef up the wiring, are the plugs the same and do I need to get different brackets? Thanks for the help!
Bernie
Bernie
http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...evymain1.shtml
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by noonie
Several pages to read here, but tells you all you need to know to convert.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...evymain1.shtml
http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...evymain1.shtml
Great link...very informative.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
The link for Madelectrical does not refer to the CS144 alternator. Mark is an expert in his field and I have talked with him concerning the CS144 alt. He is the one that told me of all the variations associated with this alt. I am sure that any rebuild shop will rebuild the CS144 to its original configuration and they can tell you how it needs to be wired to your particular application.
Bernie
Bernie
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
Call one of your local auto parts stores or look in the yellow pages. I'm sure there will be one in your vicinity. The serial number that is on the alt is what they go by to determine what wires go where. On your alt plug that should have come with your alt are four letters "S, F, L, P".
S is for the sensing line if it has one. F is for field, L is for load and P is not used. Mine had the F and L wires and the field wire does not get used with my application so I am only using the L or load wire that goes to the wire that went to the #1 plug in the old alt. Did you sensor your avitar?
Bernie
S is for the sensing line if it has one. F is for field, L is for load and P is not used. Mine had the F and L wires and the field wire does not get used with my application so I am only using the L or load wire that goes to the wire that went to the #1 plug in the old alt. Did you sensor your avitar?
Bernie
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by BerniesVette
Did you sensor your avitar?
Bernie
Bernie
A moderator made me take her off my avatar. I started a fun thread about this in General. It's probably still at the top if you want to go join in the fun Bernie.
Thanks for the alt info.