Slogging through the wiring portion of my S3/S5 hybrid, and I've stumbled across a part I can't seem to find in the FSM. Here it is, on a stock GSL-SE:


You can see it to the left of the idle control valve.

What is it, anybody know?

 

No sign of it in the FSM.
Cant speak for the crappy B/W photos,but the fairly accurate mechanical drawings dont show it at all.Checked the EFI,engine electrical and chassis electrical chapters.

My guess would be either a breaker/fuse for the main alt. lead,or a noise suppressor.

 

I know, I tore the FSM and wiring diagrams apart trying to find it.

Due to it's design (it's not inline, it just...exists), it's not a breaker or a fuse. I suspect it's not a noise filter, either, but that's something I hadn't thought of.

Mazda went through a lot of trouble to stick this thing on the manifold, it's got cast-in bumps to hold it in place and everything.

 

Maybe its just there to allow for strain relief of the main harness, when adjusting the alternator belt tension.....move the alternator,not the wiring.

 

Bingo^

 

Brilliant.

 

You can also use it to hook up things that require 12 volts all the time. It's cleaner than using the battery terminal but it can't carry nearly as much current so I wouldn't hook up some 1000 watt amp's power line to it (or an MSD's either) although a car alarm should be OK.