Trouble with wires

[Roger214]

I recently bought a Cutlass and started trying to fix some wiring issues,, im having trouble figuring out where this "Y" split cable goes to on the starter

I have 4 wires coming from the fuse box
1.. Pink goes to dis cap
2...purple to S terminal on starter
3.. Big red wire to main power terminal on starter

4th.. Is the wire that has a "Y" split

I had put the wires where i thought they went but i didnt notice the 4th wire had a " Y split ,, and im guessing thats why my alternator isnt working to keep the charge on new battery

Any help would be appreciated
Or a diagram showing wires
Thanks in advanve

 

[Bonnewagon]

The alt wiring is wrong. A 10 gauge wire should be bolted to the "batt" terminal and then goes to battery. The diagram shows the rest. Get more here: http://www.maliburacing.com/wiring.html

 

[Roger214]

Thanks for the help..

So my red wire on the pigtail of the alternator should be where i have the negative connected?

So what would go to the pigtail?

 

[Bonnewagon]

Whoa! You have that red wire connected to the negative battery terminal?!? Get it off of there. The "batt" terminal is the little stud with the nut and that wire goes directly to your battery positive terminal. That is how the battery gets charged. The two-wire plastic clip is the "sensing" and "field" wires. The red one is spliced into the car's main positive wires (field) and may well be the spliced wire you are wondering about. Lazy folks just run it to the "batt" terminal but that is not correct. The other wire is usually brown and goes to the "gen" idiot light or gauge. When the ignition is turned to "run" that wire energizes the alternator. Without it there is no charging.

 

[Roger214]

No i have the red wire coming from the alternator to the positive battery terminal, the negative is connected to the back of the alternator as i believe it to be ground..

I think in the picture its hard to see but the negative cable is just to the side there..

So is it still wrong?

 

[Roger214]

The wire that im wondering about is the rusted Y ran wire from the harness..
From the fuse box i have 4 wires coming out , but then its cuts into a Y wire that i dont know where those wires go to. And thanks for the halp once again

 

[Bonnewagon]

Ok I see what you are saying. A better ground would be any bolt on the engine block. The red wire you have going to the battery should instead go on the "batt" terminal. Looks like you can cut it at that yellow butt connector, add a closed crimp connector, and place it on the "batt" stud. Then take the pigtail end and splice it to your "Y" splice. It is supposed to sample the electrical draw on the entire system, that is why it is spliced in that spot.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I see another red wire with a yellow butt connector way down in that picture. If it is 12 volts positive when in "run" then that would be a good place for the red field wire.

 

[Roger214]

I see now ..
Thanks again