[s-cars] Alternator Cable (was: Dead deer)

[Robert Myers]

I don't think so, Wayne.  This wire contains two conductors and the whole
thing including the insulation isn't more than about 3 mm in diameter.  It
is much smaller than a wooden pencil and is very flexible.  The type of
wire you are talking about would be more or less equivalent to a battery
cable and as stiff as, uh..., stiff.  These are not even close to that
size.  The metal shield is, at most, perhaps 5/8 inch in diameter and it
contains this much smaller wire quite loosely.  There is a rubber boot at
each end of the tube with a large side for the tube and a much smaller side
to fit around the wire.  It looks similar to one of the rubber covers on a
door switch.  Similar size also.

I traced one end of this wire pair up to some sort of sender type device
(my guess is a temperature sender of some kind) screwed into the block up
close under the fuel rail near the top of cylinder #1.  The other end
disappeared into a jumble over under the turbo.  I wasn't able to trace it
in the dark.  I needed more light and a better perspective to even begin to
trace it.  Thus it goes on a rack sometime tomorrow after I take my wife to
her cardiologist's office.

At 12:59 AM 9/27/02, Wayne Dohnal wrote:

>Bob,
>
>This sounds to me like it's the cable that connects the alternator to the
>starter.  There's only one big wire in the tube.  The risk would be if the
>tube were damaged and pierced the insulation, or if the insulation were
>pierced where the wire enters and exits the tube, there could be major
>sparks flying because this is a big-wire, unfused circuit.  When I worked on
>mine I noticed that the subframe floats electrically, so even if the wire
>were shorted to the tube (mine was) there might not be any fireworks, but I
>wouldn't want to take the chance.  When I bought my car the tube had been
>ripped off and kinked.  I straightened it out and fished a generic
>replacement battery cable through it.  I'm glad I did because the insulation
>on the wire had been seriously breached where the tube was kinked.  I would
>imagine you can buy a replacement wire and tube a$$embly from Audi.  Back
>when I was working on it I made a bunch of inquiries to the list about this
>part and the lack of responses led me to conclude that it's something that
>people just don't have any problems with.
>
>
>Wayne Dohnal
>1994 S4
>
>
>Hi Y'all,
>
>Hit a deer this evening in my urS65.  Fortunately, the deer was already
>dead when I hit it and went over it kawhump!  Damn I need better
>lighting!  I was following and preparing to pass an 18 wheeler at 70+
>mph.  He drove right over the top of the deer.  I didn't see it until I was
>almost on top of it.  Very little damage was done.  A couple of scrapes
>underneath the front bumper virtually indistinguishable from the parking
>block scratches already there and a bit of deer hair hanging from a hose
>clamp for the Michelin Man hose.
>
>There is one item I need help identifying, though.  An electrical cable of
>some sort connects to a sensor (temperature maybe?) on the left (viewed
>from the driver's seat) side of the engine near cylinder #1.  The cable
>passes down into a metal tube which provides some apparent road hazard
>protection for the cable and then back up to the other side of the engine
>where it disappears until I can get the car on a lift and search more
>closely.  The metal tube fastens into the subframe (? not sure if it's the
>subframe or not, shoulda looked closer) behind the lower strut
>brace/torsion bar.  This is the same piece the bar bracket bolts to.  The
>brackets for this tube were wiped out as the deer passed under the car.
>
>Other than the impact there was no indication of anything being wrong.  No
>lights came on.  No gauges acted up.  No changes in handling or ride or
>anything else.  The wiring seems to be intact but the tube "protector" was
>hanging down when I got enough light to see under the car.  It is
>jerry-rigged back more or less into its proper position until proper
>repairs can be made.  The car is easily driveable.
>
>Now, my question: what is that electrical loom and what does it do?  Does
>anyone have a replacement piece for sale?
>
>
>Bob
>
>
>
>
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Bob
*****
  Robert L. Myers   304-574-2372
  Rt. 4, Box 57,  Fayetteville, WV 25840 USA   WV tag Q SHIP
  '95 urS6  Cashmere Grey - der Wunderwagen    ICQ 22170244
  http://www.cob-net.org/church/pvcob.htm
*****