Help wiring CS-144 alternator on 88 GMC suburban

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72chevy2door

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I started to do the CS-144 upgrade on my 1988 GMC Suburban 1500. Originally it was the 350 TBI and I have since converted to carbureted. Well I wanted the better amperage alternator and so I purchased the pigtail harness from Autozone Part No. 792. And the alternator is from a 1994 Chevy caprice 4.3L Police and Taxi. Well I learned that the factory harness will plug in to the CS-144 but the pigtail harness and factory harness are different spots in the plug. Just curious if I need a different pigtail or just resplice my factory. Any help would be appreciated. Also I have a factory 4 rib belt and this alternator has a 5 rib. Can I run that?
 

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72chevy2door

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gmachinz

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You need L terminal to go to dash indicator (brn) and the larger terminal cavity should have a 12ga RED going to your firewall junction along with the charge post lead. On factory harnesses the red lead on the plug goes to the firewall bulkhead for the volt gauge-I prefer to run that wire from alt to junction, then from junction to bulkhead-this way the gauge reads the actual operating voltage a little better. I'd suggest going back to the parts store for a CS pigtail in the HELP section-its a Taiwan part more than likely but it'll work for what you're doing. I stock the OEM Delphi ones for custom harnesses and the larger terminal if you want to use your Caprice one is a metric pack 280 female 10-12ga. terminal.
 

yevgenievich

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I found the clocking for the plug to be better on the 97 suburban cs144 alternator instead of the caprice one.
 

72chevy2door

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What about the pink with black stripe wire? Also it never had a heavy gauge red coming off of this plug. It did however have a heavy black with red stripe on the one lug on the back of alternator to positive terminal on battery. This was an all original truck too. No wiring was ever touched on it.
 

72chevy2door

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So I am lost on what I need to do. I have a harness but I don't think it's the right one part number 792 duralast. It looks to work for older trucks not mine. I just don't want to burn up a brand new alternator
 

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gmachinz

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Does the pigtail clocking prevent you from using your OEM plug? Also, a CS144 is a physically larger diameter case alternator....are you sure it bolts up in place of the stock one?
 

72chevy2door

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It bolts up. I just have to notch the upper bracket where it bolts to the intake or just remove and not use that bolt. But the clocking is perfect. I just don't want to plug it in and the wiring being wrong and shorting anything out or burning any thing up. Also my truck has the gauge package. So idk if I need the resistor or what I will need. The factory plug plugs into the CS-144 but the wires are wrong according to everything I read. Also I get mixed up information on where to put the wires.
 

72chevy2door

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The previous pictures I posted where of the original plug on my truck. The original alternator is a cs130 alternator. Here is a picture of it
 

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gmachinz

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Ok-I just re-read the part about it being converted to a carb so I take it all ECM related stuff is gone right? On a carb application I'd suggest using the brn lead and adding a 12ga red wire. The red wire would go to a remote voltage location along with the main charge lead. Check out the diagram-it shows what goes where on the plug and it's purpose.
 

72chevy2door

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That's where I get confused. My truck I can't find many like it as far as wiring and I can't find a diagram for this. Yeah I took the throttle body off but just pulled the wires back and put them in wire loom behind the engine. I still want all the factory gauges to work. So what do I do with my wiring? What does the brown wire go to? Or the pink wire? Also will I need a resistor? And what do you mean by main charge? The lug on the back?
 

72chevy2door

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Here is the plug I bought.
 

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72chevy2door

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Location of the pins on the plug
 

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