Hi guys, I got a new alternator(free under warrantee) and battery(old one was a crystler type with side terminals, which were exposed and I think shorted on the battery box frame!) recently for my 85' 3Y 2 wheel drive, but the alternator still isn't putting out charge(though when swapped into my 1986 van, it does).

With engine running, I volt metered from the plus/junction box to ground, got 12.2 V, then straight from the to-battery terminal on the alternator to ground, and also got 12.2 V. Rev the engine and this value stays the same. Nothing blown in main fuse box(haven't checked fusible links yet though)... thinking that this is a alternator wiring harness issue(based on reading older threads, and the fact that alternator and battery are good).

I have compared to my 1986 4Y van (both are 2 wheel drive), and one difference I have noticed between the two vans, is that the 1986 van has three wires coming out of the plus/junction box, while the 1985 only has two, and it is clear that the alternator->plus/junction wire isn't original in the 85'(not built into the harness like on the 1986, and made of red insulated wire, same gauge as the original on the 86'). Should the 85' van have three wires coming out of the plus/junction box, or is 2 the norm?

Before I get into the wiring harness, I figured I'd check to see if anyone knew immediately which wire/connection might be bad...or what else might be the culprit?


Cheers and thanks,

Alex