alternator wire melted have ?

[themoneypit]

(bang) hey everyone NEWBIE HERE and just had my first problem with my 03 P5. last night, the car started dying on the way home. i got it home barely (with the headlights off) and the battery was dead.. i charged it last night, it took a charge no problems.

this morning i jack it up, and get underneath (hoping the alt plug came unplugged...) but it was actually melted and the wires snapped.. not the plug in the side of the alt, but the one on the rear with 2 wires and an eyelet connector, held on with a 12mm nut.. my question is, is this common on these? and if so, to fix it, can i just crimp a new connector to the two wires and use the end of a battery cable (hole size is identical) i figure, once i get it back hooked up, ill have the whole system checked at advance auto to see if the alt is smoked or not.

 

[flash75]

I would remove the alternator and have it checked before hooking up the melted wiring. Something caused the wiring to melt. I suspect you may have a bad alternator. The two melted wires should have 12 volts on them with the battery hooked up, they go to the engine bay fuse block to a 100 amp fuse on the engine side of the fuse block, from the fuse to the positive battery cable. Check for 12 volts on the wires at the alternator, if not there look at the 100 amp fuse. A ring terminal will work but crimping with a low cost crimper isn't adequate because the circuit carries lots of current. It should be soldered or crimped on with a good quality crimper. It should also have an insulator on it.

Clifton

 

[P-Funk!]

^yep. What he said.