Re: [xj-s] Alternator Charging, a Quick Fix

[dmeadow@juno.com]

On Wed, 08 Jul 1998 14:37:12 -0700
sean.straw+Jaguar@mail.professional.org (Sean Straw) writes:
>At 16:52 08-07-98 +0000, Kirbert wrote:
>
>dmeadow@juno.com wrote:
>>> Where is the ground?  On my '88 there is a black plastic shield 
>covering
>
>There are several.  One important electronic one is up at the (LHD)
>passenger side of the radiator - pop the bonnet and walk to the 
>passenger side and look down at the bolts which hold the plate above the

>radiator to the frame on either side.  The engine-side bolt should have
a pile of 
>wires coming to it.  Clean 'em.

Thanks for the info, I'll go after those as well.

>As for the alternator itself though, I believe that is simply grounds
>through, well, ground - the alternator chassis is metal, and so is the
>mounting plate and engine and frame, ...  Recollection of the 
>alternator diagrams (not in front of me right now, but I was looking at
them a 
>few months ago), seemed to show that the alternator went to frame ground

>rather than through any other wiring.

Yes, I believe you are right.  However, the alternator itself being
grounded isn't really the issue.  The problem was that the current was
not properly flowing through to ground after going through the systems
that the alternator supplies.  In order to jump the corroded ground
wires, current required was in excess of that supplied by the alternator
and therefore came from the battery, draining it.  I lost my Electrical
Guide last week (along with my print-out of Kirby's book, it's been a bad
week) or else I could be more precise.

>You know of course that the SAME thermal symptom could be 
>representative of the HOT leads too - they're just electrically isolated
from the 
>vehicle frame, but the nuts and washers might be lose, or there may be 
>corrosion.

Good point!  But why is it that it is usually a ground connection that
causes these problems?  Is it because most ground connections are
connected to the chassis and thus are more likely subjected to dirt and
vibration?  I dunno.  I do remember cleaning up some corrosion from the
hot lead off the alternator when I replaced it, but it didn't seem to be
as bad as the ground connections.

>>Somebody tell me this guy wasn't cleaning up the HOT terminal on the 
>
>No, from the description, it sounds as if he was cleaning off the 
>ground on the bracket which holds the starter relay, right alongside the
wiper
>reservoir.  Over the rear edge of the wheelwell, not on the firewall,
>crammed down behind the head.

Exactly right.  Although, as I said in another post, I wouldn't be
messing with it with the battery connected, anyway.

David Littlefield
Houston, TX
'62 MGA MkII
'51 MGTD
'88 Jaguar XJ-S

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References:

• Re: [xj-s] Alternator Charging, a Quick Fix
• From: dmeadow@juno.com
• Re: [xj-s] Alternator Charging, a Quick Fix
• From: sean.straw+Jaguar@mail.professional.org (Sean Straw)

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