First of all, let me say this. Yes i know this is the millionth FD alternator thread. Yes I did search. Yes I do feel sorry for myself for opening a new thread. Shame me as you see fit.

My issue is as follows:

Car will not crank. Like, at all. I'll turn the ignition to the run position and crank it. I'll get one loud click, then nothing. All the lights go off in the car, won't crank again. Almost like the battery is dead, but it's not. If I leave it sit for about 5-10 minutes and try again, lights come back on like normal. But, when I crank, i get the click, and then the lights go dead again.


For reference here is how i wired the new alternator in:

-terminated the factory R wire (my car is an S4)
-Kept the L wire the same (white with black stripe)
-S terminal on the new alternator to a fused constant 12V
-B post feeding the battery THROUGH the main fuse (4 gauge)


Any insight here would be much appreciated.

 

Tighten/Clean your battery terminals.

 

They're all brand new, cables and battery (it's relocated to the cargo bin)

It's weird. If I come back after 2 minutes, the idiot lights will come on VERY faintly, and my aftermarket gauges go nuts. They'll go all the way to the max then come back down, then jitter then do this on repeat

 

Check your grounds too, all of them. Especially the ones on the engine.

 

Grounds should be good. I didn't touch any of them before doing the swap

 

What gauge wire used for the battery relocation up to the front? I see you mentioned 4 gauge so just checking.

I believe most relocation kits come with 0 or 00 gauge, something like that.

where are you grounding the battery to?

sorry, I’m assuming you relocated the battery at the same time the way I’m reading the thread..?

 

It's 2 gauge running from the battery all the way up to the front. Battery is grounded to the chassis.

Again car was running fine and cranking fine before the alternator swap. As far as I can tell, i wired everything correctly. Not sure what could have happened

 

Usually in instant power down when you turn the key is indicative of a loose connection. Recheck all of your connections, if you have a multimeter you could also monitor the battery at crank to see if its sagging.

 

I'm pretty sure everything is buttoned up, but I will double check. It's just odd because again, I get one loud click, then nothing. Everything goes dead. Then the longer I let it sit, the idiot lights will come on with ignition; dimly at first, then like they should

 

Back to basics? Disconnect alternator and start the car?

 

Probably not a bad idea. I'll try that as well

 

Grounding to the chassis, especially in the rear, won't be enough. Try using some jumper cables and attaching the ground to the engine block or starter.

 

The car would start and run just fine before the alternator swap. I didn't touch the grounds in the process. Still think it may be a grounding issue?

 

Tried this, still nothing. Alternator completely disconnected, and not enough power to crank the car. Idiot lights come on very faintly, but that's it

 

Check the FE-01 connector near the underhood fuses - single black wire on both side of the connector, about 10-12 gauge IIRC. Gave me similar issues like 20 years ago.

 

You mean the one that branches off of the stock alternator wire?

If so, i did mess with that one. Spliced it into the new alternator wire and plugged it back in. Was I not meant to?

 

Just want to clarify this is the connector you're speaking of? I spliced it into the new wire going to the main fuse and plugged it back in. What should I be looking for to see if this is my issue?

 

That's definitely the wire/connector, but I don't recall it having any connection to the alternator. To my knowledge, it goes between the 80A fuse and the ignition switch and cabin fuse box.

 

When I pulled out the stock alternator wire that goes from the B post to the main fuse, this was spliced into that wire. I cut it off, as you can see in this picture, and spliced it into the new wire i had run. Any idea what its purpose is?

 

Originally, that wire provided constant 12V to the 2 circuit breakers in the cabin fuse box, and constant to the ignition switch.

When I had the issue, VERY few things functioned, like maybe the headlights at best, probably not even those. I just cut the connector off and crimped on a butt connector (very corroded).

If that circuit isn't complete anymore, I can see how you'd be having some major issues. The wire provided power to pretty much everything inside the car.

 

Got home from work and did some tinkering with that wire. You were exactly right. That was my issue. Crimped on some new connectors, and she starts right up, no problem!

 

Good to hear!