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GM SATURN ALTERNATOR

MellowVR4

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
1,662
Location
Milwaukee, Wi
So... I have issues. Just recently I installed a Saturn alternator on my vr4 with the relocation kit. I had the thing rewound to push out more amps( just because )... Anyway I hook up everything, hook my battery terminals back on the battery, as soon as I hook them up I instantly get a very very slight buzzing sound. I track the sound and it was coming from the alternator, I disconnect the connector and the buzzing goes away...... Did I hook up the wires for the connectors WRONG? or whats the deal. Guy at work said their might be feedback and its draining the crap out of my battery after a few days.. BTW the buzzing sound happens when the car is off.... Do I need to put a bigger ground straight to the alternator from the battery?

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks!
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
There should be no power flow with everything powered down, and not spinning.

Bad diodes will draw power. I can't say I have ever had an alternator that made noise in this state.

Put a properly rating volt meter (on AMP setting, likely but double check it is a 10 amp fuse) or safer still, use an amp clamp attachment rating for smaller currents DC, and put it inline or wrap (the clamp style) the wire in question.

As soon as it is connected, if you see current flow and high current, then you have an issue.

ECU's and or clocks in the car are the only thing alive when everything is powered down, to retain learned settings above base Prom info.

Aftermarket equipment may however stay alive and make sounds.

Also, the wire going from the alternator over to the fuse panel, is the (+) side of the equation. Alternator should ground through the case to the block to the chassis via grounding cables.

It is always better to have a thicker cable for power feed from the alternator, and better grounding (and more contact points) than what is provided stock. Helps to normalize things in a better fashion.

If you are sure that the ISC isn't stepping out of line, dash clock isn't ticking away, or fuel pump is staying on, or MPI relay creating a buzz, I'm at a loss for possible scenarios other than yes, the alternator humming away.
 
Last edited:

MellowVR4

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
1,662
Location
Milwaukee, Wi
Yes this problem started when I did this alternator swap, I am going to try to swapping the wires at the connector and see what happens.
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
Confirm what wires should be going where, BEFORE hooking up anything electrica, in the wrong location. Assuming this isn't already the case.

Pop open the GVR4 manual online, and check out the saturn alternator threads for wire coloring/pin locations.
 

MellowVR4

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
1,662
Location
Milwaukee, Wi
Well I may have fixed my problem. I don't here the humming noise anymore, I guess the plug that I cut off a Saturn didn't have a wire that I needed. Did some research and found out that I had the wrong plug. So I bought a CS plug for gm alternators, wired it up, put some heavy gauge for the pos and neg straight to the alternator. Works good now ..
 
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