SnoDrgn

OK.. well last fall my alternator went so I'm going with a new unit. Here's my question though. On my alternator I have something on the positive output which looks like a big resistor. I have gone though all my manuals and have found nothing about it. I have scoured old magazines and car show pics and have not even seen one of these before. Anyone else? Since I don't see these on any others, does anyone know the purpose of it? I'd appreciate any help. Thanks.

78pace

I was looking at my corvette world catalog today and there is a radio noise suppressor that attaches to your alternator could be what you have :confused:


[Modified by 78pace, 3:45 PM 1/13/2002]

Wrecked82

Aftermarket noise filter for radio?

74-Roadster

Just checked mine, nothing like that? Can you check voltage on each side to see if it's doing anything to the voltage?

SnoDrgn

forgot to mention my car is a 74 with an L48

everything is torn down up front for my winter projects :D so I can't take any voltage readings. I checked the resistance and it's only 0.2 Ohms. I think it might be for noise supression since it does have a ground wire coming out of it.

Rexx

It looks like it might be an inductor. An inductor would, as the other members have theorized, limit interfering noise in the electrical system. At least that's the theory. :D

You might use trial and error. Use it in circuit, and then out of circuit. You might take the alt to a local alt/starter shop. They could tell you what it is. They might also offer to rebuild the alt for less than the cost of new. When alts go out its usually just the 50-cent rectifier that burns out. Also, they make noise suppressors that hook to the power lead of the actual stereo/radio. Rebuilding the old alt would keep you car more original. :chevy

-Rexx

Dalannex

My alternator has a resistor in it as well. It is soldered in between the two spade connectors that connect to the alternator. I have always kind of wondered what it's for as well.

ROD NOCK

Well, I think Rexx was right in his discription. It sure is a big sucker! You'll know if it served a purpose if you remove it.
The factory solution to radio noise was to install a .5 mfd capacitor at the rear of the alt. It looked just like the capacitor inside a points style distributor. I support the above posts concerning rebuilding your existing unit! It'll cost you much less, and you won't wind-up with some cheap or counterfit unit.
Good Luck -Rod-

Rockn-Roll

That would probably be a radio suppression device. It probably helped the AM radios, but won't do anything for FM radios. I would leave it out of the rebuild and maybe have it encased in glass for nostalgia.

vettfixr

Believe it or not, I have one of those in the garage somewhere. It's an old noise suppression device that was used in the days of CB radios. It was probably put there to suppress noise for either a CB or aftermarket stereo. You can lose it and not do any harm. If you start to get noise on the radio there are much better devices today. I have a suppressor from Ecklers that mounts out of sight under the driver fender and the wires go to the alternator through the wire loom. It's unnoticable unless you point it out and it works pretty good at reducing whine on the stereo.