The Mystery of the alternator wiring duct - SOLVED
 

With yesterday being my last day at Kerven, I decided to make it count and get to the bottom of the alternator wiring duct mystery. I called the parts people at the Atlanta warehouse and had them physically look for it. It's part of the main wiring harness. If you order the car's main front wiring harness, it comes with it.

P/N 81200PA110 $579.96

Mike

Oh well that makes me feel so much better for carelessly tearing mine apart last year... :rolleyes:

Thanks for looking for it, Mike!

Where's my roll of electrical tape?:rolleyes:

That reminds me of a shop near me. They cut off the connectors on older Subaru's and save them to splice in. As you say above, if you want a part of the wiring harness you have to buy the whole thing. Samething if a connector is damaged.

too bad you're leaving Mike...I was just geting ready to order one, and maybe a spare or two just in case. Oh well, guess I'll just have to settle for duct tape.:rolleyes:

Try using that plastic wiring covering it would look better than duct tape!! It it necessary to have the harness secured though?

I have wondered about that. It seems that almost every wire on a Subaru is tied down, hoses too. I think it has something to do with stress and strain and repeated flexing and moving and breaking after a long time. Mostly from driving on many rough roads for a short time or smooth roads for a long time. The wire can fatigue and break.

Thanks for worrying about me John.

I was J/K, based on the price Mike quoted, just so we could get a foot of rectangular plastic channel.

Mine was badly beat and taped up when I bought my car. I have already installed the aftermarket circular tubes you recommended when I couldn't find the channel anywhere. Then, perhaps adding insult to injury, I also went with the "magic 3" and put that in another tube as well - they run side-by-side from the alternator over to and then under the A/C bracket/hose arrangement.

When I pulled out the last of the old plastic channel it "felt" like the insulation on the wires was pretty brittle. I wouldn't recommend anyone leave the wires bare as that seems to be asking for an electrical short, then they really would have to pay the big bucks.

i found it odd that Subaru uses so much electrical tape in the engine bay. i was wondering if a previous owner had put some in the SVX, but then i got the WRX and ..... yep, lots of electrical tape in there. :confused: :rolleyes:

I noticed that as well. tape on the headlight wiring, tape on sensor wires, did you ever get a good look under the dash there is a plastic box to channel wiring over the steering column it's stuffed w/wire and wrapped with electrical tape, and sloppy to! like they they were running out of time sloppy. In my opinion tape is either to be covered w/plastic conduit or used only in a pinch. I had an 80 celica and all wiring had fitted smooth plastic tubing, whats the deal?

i was worried at first, because i thought the previous owner had really butchered my SVX wiring up! :D

Subarus are a great value for the money, so i can deal with the electrical tape i guess.