LK1

Posted this in the general electrical thread but thought I'd get quicker answers here. I'm trying to finish this tomorrow as my alternator seems to have died.

I'm bumping this because I went to do the "Big 3" upgrade and had questions I couldn't find answers to anywhere. Here is what I did:

2 Gauge wire from negative battery terminal to engine block below oil filter (removed and replaced stock wire inside loom)

Cleaned and reinstalled ground from back of engine to firewall. Wiring looked to be 4 gauge.

Didn't see a negative wire directly from my battery to the body

People are saying to upgrade the wiring from the alternator to the positive battery terminal.

In my 4 Runner (98 Limited 3.4) the power wire (white) from the alternator enters the bottom of the fuse box and connects at a junction box on top. There is another wire (white) that exits the fuse box that connects to the positive terminal of the battery (I am asssuming this is the fusible link).

Here are my questions:

Should there be a ground wire from negative terminal of battery directly to the body? (This would be easy since I would just expose some bare metal near the battery and add another ground wire to the negative terminal)

How do I beef up the positive wire from the alternator? There is limited room for the wire that enters the fuse box now and I haven't cracked the fuse box to examine how and where the wire (is this the fusible link?) from the fuse box to the battery is connected.

I am doing this because I have a high output alternator that failed, which I intend to replace with the GM CS-144 140 amp mod.

Should I just run another fused wire (i found a 100 amp circuit breaker) directly from the alternator to the battery?

Does hooking up another wire directly from the alternator to the battery boost the power going to my accessories or am I better off running the larger wire into the fuse box and then out to the positive terminal? (Most of my accesories, lights, power amps, etc. are directly connected and fused to the positive terminal of the battery) If I am running the bigger wire through the fuse box do I fuse it between the alternator and fuse box or the battery and the fuse box?

Sorry to ask so many questions but I searched everywhere and did not find answers that made sense. I love my 4Runner and don't want to see it burn to the ground.

Thanks in advance.

Elton

i ran a wire right off the back of the alternator using a 130 amp inline fuse holder

LK1

So you left the factory wire going into the fuse box in place and added another wire directly to the battery?

Do you have a high output alternator?

Thanks

Elton

i did and yes ive installed a cs 144 also theres a good frame ground right below the battery

mwc0404

there is usually a small ground wire the runs from neg batt terminal over to the body, mine has it as has every vehicle ive ever owned or worked on

Elton

also the fuse holderi have is a anl style for hooking up amps any car stereo store should have something

LK1

Awesome. Did you go OEM on the CS 144 or aftermarket? I have the chance to buy a US rebuilt CS 144 or a chinese version. Haven't found a pigtail connector yet at Advance or AutoZone.

How long have you had your CS 144 installed?

LK1

That's the strange thing. The only ground on mine was the one from the terminal to the engine block.

mwc0404

what year model, also that should be just as sufficient as the body ground as long as the wires are in good conditions

LK1

98 4Runner Limited 3.4 V6

mwc0404

yeah there should be a small ground wire from the batt neg to body (chassis)

LK1

There will be a big one tomorrow

Elton

i got mine at the junk yard its been in there for about a year works fine i dont drive my 4runner anymore though

LK1

Did you have to change the belt? I read somewhere that someone did and then someone else said they didn't.

I'm hoping I don't have to because it's behind two other ones.

Elton

i did not !

LK1

Thanks for all your help. I'm signing off.

mwc0404

Come on man if your not gonna drive it let me get it, ill take great care of it

LK1

Spent today trying to find a pigtail to splice into the cable. Junkyard and several auto parts stores and struck out at all of them.

Broke down and bought the conversion cable for $38! shipped.

Also added a 4 gauge ground wire from the battery to the body and fabbed a lug onto the 2 gauge wire I'll have coming off the back of my new alternator going directly to the battery (with 100 AMP circuit breaker).