[Vwdiesel] alternator/tach wire colors etc.

James Hansen jhsg at sk.sympatico.ca
Wed Sep 17 02:51:56 EDT 2003 

Have you had the car worked on lately, as in someone changed the alternator
out with one that had no 'W' terminal, and snipped the wire?
Bluegreen one is for the dash idiot light/ exciter circuit.
Red one you know. (Big sparky one.)
Red/ black trace is the tach.
If you shiny up the back of the alternator casting with a wire brush you can
see it better. if it's there. You are looking for a spade terminal that is
flush with or just below the level of the casting, about 80 degrees
clockwise from the bolt terminals.
-James

> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-admin at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-admin at vwfans.com]On
> Behalf Of Michael Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 9:36 AM
> To: 'vwdiesel at vwfans.com'
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] alternator/tach wire colors etc.
>
>
> Hi guys,
> Just sent this to Nate, but decided to CC you all on it to. I'm stumped !
>
> [>]
> > Busy on my lunch hour but had another quick peek.
> > THere are 2 wires coming from the alternator that are attached.
> > LARGE RED (we know about this)
> > Small bluish-green-turquiose colored one. (goes to a very small stud)
> > On the harness leading up to the alternator there is also a
> small red with
> > black tracer that looks like it's been cut, but may have been
> attached to
> > the alternator at one point in time.  I missed it initially as it was
> > flush with the sheathing the wires are in. I can't see anything on the
> > alternator AFA "W" goes, or any extra connections that this red wire
> > might've been attached to.
> > I'm stumped !
> >
> >
> > Mike Smith, CET
> > Clinical Engineering Dept.
> > River Valley Health, NB, Canada
> > Phone (506) 452-5091
> > r3mismith at health.nb.ca
> > Fax (506) 447-4320
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Nate Wall [SMTP:natewall1 at yahoo.com]
> > Sent:	Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:44 AM
> > To:	Smith, Michael
> > Subject:	RE: [Vwdiesel] FW: TACH stopped-88 Jetta Turbo Diesel mini
> >
> > Oh, there is another single thin wire that goes to the
> > back of the alternator too, its the wire that supplies
> > voltage to the regulator and rotor to magnetize it. It
> > has a ring connector and is held on by an 8 MM nut.
> > Its either blue or red w/ a white stripe. (I forget
> > which is which color for those 2 wires!). Then there
> > is the thick red wire that is directly connected to
> > the battery that is the alternator output wire.
> >
> > --Nate
> > --- Michael Smith <r3mismith at health.nb.ca> wrote:
> > > Thanks NAte---I'll check the back of the alternator
> > > at lunchtime today.
> > > I had heard from different folks that they thought
> > > it was a mechanical
> > > tach....but now that I know it runs from a sensor in
> > > the alternator, it
> > > gives me a better idea what I'm up against !
> > >
> > > -Mike
> > >
> > > Mike Smith, CET
> > > Clinical Engineering Dept.
> > > River Valley Health, NB, Canada
> > > Phone (506) 452-5091
> > > r3mismith at health.nb.ca
> > > Fax (506) 447-4320
> > >
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From:	Nate Wall [SMTP:natewall1 at yahoo.com]
> > > > Sent:	Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:21 AM
> > > > To:	Smith, Michael; 'vwdiesel at vwfans.com'
> > > > Subject:	Re: [Vwdiesel] FW: TACH stopped-88 Jetta
> > > Turbo Diesel mini
> > > >
> > > > A good bet is a break near the female connector in
> > > the
> > > > "W" wire. A real easy fix. Its the single thin
> > > wire
> > > > that plugs into the back of the alternator and
> > > there
> > > > is a "W" stamped on the alternator case next to
> > > it.
> > > > Its the tach RPM signal wire. (I think its red w/
> > > a
> > > > white stripe) The diesel vibration over the years
> > > can
> > > > cause the wire to break, sometimes internally, so
> > > you
> > > > can't see it. In my case I had enough wire left to
> > > cut
> > > > the break out and resolder the same connector in
> > > > place. Next bet would be a loose connector
> > > connecting
> > > > the instrument cluster (wiggle the connector(s)
> > > with
> > > > the engine running while watching the tach) or a
> > > break
> > > > in the thin flimsy circuit board in the instrument
> > > > cluster (pull the cluster to check. Finally, I'd
> > > swap
> > > > out the tach if it still does not work.
> > > > --Nate.
> > > > --- Michael Smith <r3mismith at health.nb.ca> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > re:  Jetta Turbo Diesel
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hi All !
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sending this from my work account, so if you
> > > > > reply, please hit "reply all"
> > > > > > or include ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca in your reply, so
> > > > > I'll see it at home too!
> > > > > > I'm too cheap to buy a Bentley manual (at
> > > least
> > > > > until I decide I'm going
> > > > > > to keep the car or not) so I need your folks
> > > help.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > My tach finally quit after being intermittent
> > > > > since I bought the car in
> > > > > > March.  Sometimes it would go months w/o any
> > > > > problems and other times it
> > > > > > would "act up" for the first 15-20 minutes of
> > > my
> > > > > daily commute for 1-2
> > > > > > weeks, then work 100% for many weeks
> > > afterwards.
> > > > > Problem is, I don't know
> > > > > > what to look for.   Obviously, there's no coil
> > > to
> > > > > check wires on.  I
> > > > > > really don't "need" a tach, but it sure is
> > > nice to
> > > > > have.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > What circuit should I be looking at, or is it
> > > a
> > > > > mechanical tach running to
> > > > > > some gear off the crank or whatever??
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 1988 Jetta GL, 1.6L Turbo Diesel Canadian Car.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks much folks !
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Maybe I'll ask Santa for a "Bentley" (the
> > > manual,
> > > > > not the car, lol) if
> > > > > > it's still on the road @ Xmas time.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Mike Smith, CET
> > > > > > Clinical Engineering Dept.
> > > > > > River Valley Health, NB, Canada
> > > > > > Phone (506) 452-5091
> > > > > > r3mismith at health.nb.ca
> > > > > > Fax (506) 447-4320
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > vwdiesel mailing list
> > > > > vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > > >
> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > >
> > > >
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