2001 Cavalier, Big Three upgrade

hello, i have a bit of a problem, i was in the process of trying to upgrade the big three in my 2001 cavalier, and i was trying to locate where the alt cable runs to when it leaves the alt, and i lost it in the main engine harness, and at the battery, the cables only go from the underhood fuse panel to the battery and from the battery to the starter.. what should i do? is it safe in a newer car to run a seperate 2-1/0 awg cable straight to the batt from the alt?? im not sure, if anyone has had this problem please help, my amps shut off when im at a stop light and the air is on, and someone told me to upgrade the big three.. please help

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Vincent Torrez

you can run a new wire. just remember to fuse it as close to the alt as possible just in case something happens. as you should also know run it and cable tie it to areas which you can install and forget meaning. you donthave to worry about anything spinning etc. you dont have to remove factory wire you can add to it. when your air is on and amps are on you should check your voltage. if you dropping really low. you should try to change how much power your drawing. for example you can decrease the strain on your amp by using a higher ohm setup. or like parallel to series wiring. upgrading the big three could help but it also good do nothing if your drawing way more than your alt can handle. especially if your using a factory battery. change to a yellow top or something.

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Jon
Installer/Help Technician
---coral springs florida---
mecp certification is not always needed. I have it and it has not helped me out at all. my experience out shines it.

im not running a factory battery, but its not a yellow top, its just way stronger then a factory batt.. i just didnt know if runnine a new cable from the alt to the batt would damage anything in my electrical system, since it already dosent run straight to the batt from the alt.. how big of a fuse should i use and what size power cable should i use? and has anyone ever done this before who is reading this? thanks for the help

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Vincent Torrez

Have you considered upgrading to a HO alternatator?

yes i have considerd, but i want to try something cheaper first as the HO alt os around 250 for my car.. unless some one can find one cheaper for me and let me know.. thanks

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Vincent Torrez

In my explorer the factory wire from alt. to battery is fused at 145 or 175...forget cuz dirt was covering the numbers.

Dows it run from the alt directly to the batt?? Also, does aanyone know if it is safe for me to run a power wire from the alt directly to the batt? the factory one on my cavalier dissapears somewhere in the main engine harness and come back out from the under hood fuse panel..somewhere inbetween there i dunno where it goes... please help

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Vincent Torrez

Yes...the wire goes from the alt to the battery...yes it is lost somethere in the harness and is wrapped in loom and tape.

You are supposed to run the wire from the alt to the battery...but fuse it...On most cars the wire is not directly visible where it goes but it does always end up at the alternator. Just run the wire along somewhere where it will not hit any fans, belts, or high heat.

I just did the big three on my 05 sebring which has a similar setup that has the wire from the alt going to a different location other then directly to the battery. I ran a 1/0 line directly from the alt to the battery and it works fine. I did not fuse the line, although i'm thinking i probably will.

In your vehicle and most new vehicles the wire from the alternator runs in this fashion.

Alternator ------> fusable link ------> starter ------> battery.

You will be fine adding a additional line from the alternator to the battery, fused as mentioned of course. Leave the existing wire intact if you can.

mech3, get that line fused pronto.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

I ordered up a 1/0 150 amp fuse last night. I will disconnect the line in the mean time until I get it fused.

thank you all for the help and information you provided, i didnt want to damage my car by running a wire directly from the alt to the batt, but if you all have dome it then ill do it too fused of course, also, did it seem to help any of you with any issues you had? i didnt see why it wouldnt work since the wire is extremly bigger then the factory wire.. so hopefully it will work for me so i dont have to buy a ho alt, that will come in the future.. thanks

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Vincent Torrez

Helps a lot more than you think...You'll see after you finish the big three.

Also, does anyone know where the engine ground is on a 2001 cavalier? i havent been able to locate it.. any more advice from anyone that has ran a wire directly from the alt to the batt on a setup like mine would be helpfull.. 2001 chevrolet cavalier.. i just want to make sure im doing everything the right way. for the best performance from my system. thank you all

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Vincent Torrez