Electric static coming off alternator bracket?
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From: Nashville, TN
Electric static coming off alternator bracket?
I have a couple month old powermaster alternator. I was running the car tonight and noticed a a few sporratic sparks coming off the March alternator bracket ends where it is bolted into the block and the alternator.
I know the engine is grounded and the alternator is wired stock with a 4 gauge wire running straight back to the battery as well. You can see the arm going from the cylinder head to the top of the alternator, that is was is sparking at both ends. Very small sparks, the battery gauge reads fine and battery has plenty of charge. Any ideas?
I was guessing since the alternator housing is grounded with then engine and the arm is mounted with johnny joints and they a greased that the current is jumping accross the joints a little to try and stay grounded.
I know the engine is grounded and the alternator is wired stock with a 4 gauge wire running straight back to the battery as well. You can see the arm going from the cylinder head to the top of the alternator, that is was is sparking at both ends. Very small sparks, the battery gauge reads fine and battery has plenty of charge. Any ideas?
I was guessing since the alternator housing is grounded with then engine and the arm is mounted with johnny joints and they a greased that the current is jumping accross the joints a little to try and stay grounded.
Last edited by King Lear; Apr 19, 2007 at 09:31 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Nashville, TN
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Keizer Oregon
Sparks mean there is a potential between the two locations that are sparking. There must be a bad connection somewhere. Go throught and check all your connections.
I know that my answer is a litle vague, but there is a voltage difference between the 2 location that are sparking. For instance if you connected a wire between the sparking areas, it would equalize the potential. There must be a bad connection in the local area.
I know that my answer is a litle vague, but there is a voltage difference between the 2 location that are sparking. For instance if you connected a wire between the sparking areas, it would equalize the potential. There must be a bad connection in the local area.
Last edited by oregonsharkman; Apr 19, 2007 at 10:04 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Nashville, TN
Yep, stock wires with the additional 4 gauge power wire running back to the pos battery terminal.
I just thought about the ignition wires ground on the VC bolt, the rtv on the valve cover bolt may have prevented them from properly grounding the plug wire shielding. I just diconnected that ground wire and a ran a direct ground wire from the plug wires to the frame ground. It is too late for me to start it up now to see if that was it, but I guess I will know tomorrow.
Thanks for the input guys,
Rich
I just thought about the ignition wires ground on the VC bolt, the rtv on the valve cover bolt may have prevented them from properly grounding the plug wire shielding. I just diconnected that ground wire and a ran a direct ground wire from the plug wires to the frame ground. It is too late for me to start it up now to see if that was it, but I guess I will know tomorrow.
Thanks for the input guys,
Rich
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Nashville, TN
Thats a good point too, if the other fix doesn't work I will run a direct ground wire to the case and see if that solves it. That makes more sense, it will spark at the engine side then a second later on the other, never both side at once, that is what got me thinking it was joints since they never really tighten down as one solid piece.
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Yep, stock wires with the additional 4 gauge power wire running back to the pos battery terminal.
I just thought about the ignition wires ground on the VC bolt, the rtv on the valve cover bolt may have prevented them from properly grounding the plug wire shielding. I just diconnected that ground wire and a ran a direct ground wire from the plug wires to the frame ground. It is too late for me to start it up now to see if that was it, but I guess I will know tomorrow.
Thanks for the input guys,
Rich
I just thought about the ignition wires ground on the VC bolt, the rtv on the valve cover bolt may have prevented them from properly grounding the plug wire shielding. I just diconnected that ground wire and a ran a direct ground wire from the plug wires to the frame ground. It is too late for me to start it up now to see if that was it, but I guess I will know tomorrow.
Thanks for the input guys,
Rich
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,284
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From: Nashville, TN
There should be a black ground wire attached to the case of the alternator where the wire loom bracket is bolted. This goes into the harness and also bolts to the front of the core support on the drivers' side. You can see it with the hood open. It is attached there with a sheet metal screw and usually is a bad connection. I usually redo that. I also run an additional ground from the same place on the alternator down to the frame directly below. It never hurts to have extra grounds.
Last edited by King Lear; Apr 20, 2007 at 06:05 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
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Sparks mean there is a potential between the two locations that are sparking. There must be a bad connection somewhere. Go throught and check all your connections.
I know that my answer is a litle vague, but there is a voltage difference between the 2 location that are sparking. For instance if you connected a wire between the sparking areas, it would equalize the potential. There must be a bad connection in the local area.
I know that my answer is a litle vague, but there is a voltage difference between the 2 location that are sparking. For instance if you connected a wire between the sparking areas, it would equalize the potential. There must be a bad connection in the local area.
