Dim headlights

[Zs-ondabrain]

Give me a call, you know the number and I AM at home. Any word from gary or is his head still up his A$$. give me a ring.

[pparaska]

pparaska, thank you very much, and I usually protected the scraped area w/ a dielectric grease, ( just a little bit) and no rust so far. And as for your short-cut to the alternater, you're actually putting more stress on the wire that goes from the alternater to the battery. direct from the battery is always a better idea. By going thru the alt rather than the battery, your asking your STOCK wiring to do more work. sounds weird but true.

Dave.

I forgot to mention that I ran a new 8 gage wire from the 130 amp GM CSIO alternator on my engine to the battery. Well, actually the Ford-type "contactor" that I have on the firewall near where the battery usually is. My battery is relocated behind the right seat up on the package shelf. A 2 gage wire runs from the Ford contactor to the battery, as well as a 2 gage ground cable from the battery to the engine block near the firewall. I have an 8 gage wire running from that point to the headlights (as well as a bunch of other grounds through other wires).

I'm going to have to disagree with the premise that the lights get current from the battery (while the engine is running and the alternator is providing current, anyway).

The alternator provides the high current for the loads while the car is running. It also provides more voltage than the battery (or else the battery wouldn't charge). More voltage means brighter headlights. Measure the current in the alternator wire with the headlights off and on (with the engine running above ~1500rpm) and it becomes apparent that the alternator is providing the current for the headlights. If the alternator is turning fast enough to be turned on (an OE 240Z alternator is not turned on at idle, IIRC) then it will provide the lion's share of current for the headlights. The battery serves two purposes - starting the car, and acting as a large capacitor to even out the voltage fluctuations when the alternator isn't turned on (idle for some cars) and when it is and is charging. While the engine is running and the alternator is turning fast enough to produce current (be turned on), the alternator provides the electricity for the vehicles electrical circuits.

So my headlights get voltage (more of it) straight from the 130 amp GM CSI alternator than it would from the battery (due to a small voltage drop through the new 8 gage wire from the alternator to the battery. If the alternator is not providing current, then it goes to the battery through the alternator to battery wire. The nice thing about the CSI alternators is that they put out alot of current at idle.

[pparaska]

I usually start at the local wrecking yards when I only need a couple of plugs. If I know i'm going to need a whole bunch, then I go to the local automotive electrical shop or alternator/starter repair shop. Trying to find the exact plug on-line can be a pain in the arse, trust me been there, done that, hated it.

When I get used plugs I start by removing the old wires and connectors to acess the damage and see if I need new terminals. then I clean em up and load new wires into the plugs.

Gotcha - I thought you had found a source for new ones. Shucks!