So I had a vacuum leak in the yj today, an when I popped the hood to see where it was coming from I noticed the hot wire going to the alternator was red hot, well i fixed the vacuum leak and the wire cooled back down. Could anyone tell me how the vacuum line had an effect on the alternator? thanks.
noob question
- Thread starter daka12
- Start date
buckshot500
New member
That is some weird chit! Almost to the level of twilight zone weird.
Don't know what the relation is, but you might want to check those connections to see if any are loose at the terminal, or where the wire crimps into it's terminal end.
Check all the battery wires too.
Jeeps also need to have some extra ground straps installed.
Battery to tub, battery to block, block to frame & alt case to block.
Ground straps & fire extinguishers are cheap, service call from the fire dept not so cheap.
Don't know what the relation is, but you might want to check those connections to see if any are loose at the terminal, or where the wire crimps into it's terminal end.
Check all the battery wires too.
Jeeps also need to have some extra ground straps installed.
Battery to tub, battery to block, block to frame & alt case to block.
Ground straps & fire extinguishers are cheap, service call from the fire dept not so cheap.
buckshot500
New member
Can you tell me where the vacuum line was connected to?
Not that I would really know any better what to tell you, but it might shed some light on the matter.
The ground strap thing is important BTW, goes for everyone. The factory cut some corners in that department.
Not that I would really know any better what to tell you, but it might shed some light on the matter.
The ground strap thing is important BTW, goes for everyone. The factory cut some corners in that department.
buckshot500
New member
OK, that's for the front axle disconnect. It has to do with locking the front axle when in 4WD. Shouldn't have anything to do with your alternator wire getting hot. Gotta be coincidental.
Maybe you bumped a wire while working on the vacuum line & that wire then made a better contact.
88Wrangles
New member
The 2 have nothing to do with each other. 2 separate problems
That what I thought to, but when I fixed the leak, the wire stopped getting hot, an when i took the tape off the line ( quick fix ) the wire got hot again, its crazy...Also my jeep has the automatic transmission, Which fluid do I use? I know that some trucks that have automatics use a manual fluid..
buckshot500
New member
The output stud has a locknut, this is what needs to be tightened. The output wire is between two nuts, & you need to hold the stud while tightening the nut that is closer to the alt.
Be sure to remove the wire while doing this, & disconnect the positive battery terminal before doing anything.
This will be tough if there has been any arcing, that caused thread damage.
If the stud is long enough, you can lock (jambnut) two nuts together at the end of the stud.
So there will be three nuts, & you use the center on to hold the stud still while tightening the nut closest to the alt
Be sure to remove the wire while doing this, & disconnect the positive battery terminal before doing anything.
This will be tough if there has been any arcing, that caused thread damage.
If the stud is long enough, you can lock (jambnut) two nuts together at the end of the stud.
So there will be three nuts, & you use the center on to hold the stud still while tightening the nut closest to the alt
buckshot500
New member
I did not know that, my YJ only has heat. Plenty of it too, but it stays off when it's supposed to.
I did toss the vac ball when I got the posi-lok. It wasn't connected to the heater in my junk.
buckshot500
New member
Yeah, but it's connected to manifold vacuum. I think the factory might have done it that way on A/C delete vehicles.
