Trilogy Alternator Wire Fail

[JohnE]

The other night my battery light came on and the voltage dipped to about 10 volts. Pulled into a parking lot and discovered that the heat shrink on section of the alternator wire had vaporized! There was nothing left covering the wire coupling at all. To make matters worse, the coupling was also grounding to the alt bracket.

The Trillogy kit has the alternator wire cut and lengthened. It uses two screw couplings to do this. (I bought my car after the Trillogy was installed.) They did have high quality heat shrink covering both of these connections at least. Apparently corrosion set into one of these so bad that only 8 strands were left to carry all of the current from the alternator. Well, that caused a LOT of HEAT to occur.


I replaced the alt wire with a beefier pre-made battery cable and reduced the joint to only one coupling. Also liberally used dialectic grease in the connection. Sealed the joint with self sealing high temperature silicon wrap. My voltage with the engine running is better now than it ever was.


Sharing for other Trillogy owners. Might be worth checking on your cars.

[Comin' in Hot]

That's what happened to my trilogy when I bought it in non-running condition. I only remember 1 splice..... When I rewired it, I got a splice block from Home Depot, put tons of dialectic grease around it and then shrink wrapped it.

[Zack]

This has been happening for 10 years

I always apply dielectric, then heat shrink then tape

[fastblackmerc]

I can make up the correct length of 4 gauge wire with the appropriate terminals soldered on each end.

[justbob]

This has been happening for 10 years

I always apply dielectric, then heat shrink then tape

I was jussstt about to say welcome to 2005!


Builder Of Badassery

[slickster]

Yep a beefy ground is mandatory.

[03blackvegas]

I can make up the correct length of 4 gauge wire with the appropriate terminals soldered on each end.

I'll take one, seriously.

[fastblackmerc]

I'll take one, seriously.

What color, how long (from terminal to terminal) and what stud diameter terminals on each end?

[fastblackmerc]

What color, how long (from terminal to terminal) and what stud diameter terminals on each end?

I can also supply convoluted tubing.

[03blackvegas]

I can also supply convoluted tubing.

I'll check details this weekend, thanks for your response.

[Badass_forever]

yeah, just seeing that gives me the creep. you NEVER use that kind of cheap fix when dealing with a power wire, that could have easily set the car on fire let alone wipe out the ECU and/or the ALT.

[O's Fan Rich]

I installed my Trilogy myself and helped on a couple of others. I do not recall that type of connector in the Trilogy kit, and I don't see it in the install manual.
Guess someone did that themselves, or as a repair after the swap.
Corrosion sucks.

[03blackvegas]

I installed my Trilogy myself and helped on a couple of others. I do not recall that type of connector in the Trilogy kit, and I don't see it in the install manual.
Guess someone did that themselves, or as a repair after the swap.
Corrosion sucks.

Actually, Corrosion eats.