Has anybody done the "Big 3" upgrade? If you don't know what that is, you haven't done it. Reason I ask is because I am going to be doing it this weekend but I don't know where the wire at the top of the alternator is connected to on the other end.



Obviously it's in the wire loom, and obviously it's about an 8ga wire. The wire loom breaks off in two directions, to the left the loom ends at a multi-pin molex plug with many 18 or 20ga wires connected to it. To the right it goes to the airbox and then continues down to somewhere else, not to the positive terminal of the battery as I expected. The chassis to engine block wire looks easy to replace, as does the negative battery terminal to chassis, but the alt one has me stumped.

 

Ohy! I thought it would have just went to the battery, but when you find out, please let me know. I can however suggest a website that would help. If you goto www.the12volt.com they have a whole section just for the big 3. Check it out, someone there will know.

 

Yeah, I'm a member there but figured I'd be better served hitting up the Monte Carlo boards since most of us are Monte owners. And actually, it panned out!! I found out that the alt wire runs to the main harness, at or near the airbox. I also found out that the alt rewire kit offered by ZZP runs from the alt to the positive terminal on the fusebox. So i'm just gonna run my own wire just as the ZZP would be run, and hopefully that terminal is fused so I won't have to fuse it. If it's not, i'm gonna fuse it 10-20 amps below the max amperage capacity of the 2ga wire used to run that connection that way if there's a short, my car won't burn to the ground.

 

Good luck with it. Let me know how easy or hard it is, I am interested in knowing. Thanks!

 

I have done this on at least 50-60 vehicles locally.I have got nothing but good feedback.Its a ground and charge wire upgrade. Chassis to block, block to frame,alternator to battery +. Using 4 ga. or bigger if you want.Them little ground straps are a joke.This and an overdrive pulley usually cures any voltage sag at idle, unless you have a ton of stereo/amp draw.

 

so what exactly is the big 3?

 

Larger grounds and charge wire for a faster more efficient way to charge the battery.Large cable= less resistance. Less resistance= less heat,Less heat = more amperage. and alows the alternator to charge your battery at max amperage,not just the amperage your charge wire and grounds can currently carry. No"bottle necking" of current.Your battery will love the amperage, and you alternator will enjoy its time off.LOL

 

oh ok thanks

 

Excellent. I have never heard of that. Sounds worth-while for those audio fiends out there.

Great posts, gentlemen.

 

I'm in the process of the big 3 upgrade. Got the grounds done but also am stumped by the alternator positive that runs through loom by airbox then I believe it goes 2 the positive post of the starter motor. I believe so cuz I traced positive from battery post 2 the positive post of the starter motor. Can any1 say 4sure whether or not this wirfrom starter goes straight 2 the alternator & if.possible 2 by-pass that wire and go dirrectly from battery positive to positive bolt on the alternator. HHEELLPP MMEE PLZ. THANX