Big 3 messing up engine
 

I'm a first year apprentice for starters. I know the purpose of "the big 3", I've done it to all of my vehicles with no ill side effects, but has infact helped with dimming lights, faster engine cranking and weather its in my head or not... better fuel economy on one of my lifted trucks. A subaru came into my work the other day with a siezed alternator (huge stereo in the back) and he starts flipping out about the "extra wires" and how "stereo technicians are NOT mechanics" and how audio installers are constantly fuckking up peoples vehicles. He automatically assumes the 1/0 is what caused the alt to burn out so he starts cutting and removing it all!!! I tried to explain to my boss, but called me an idiot if I would ever concider doing a big 3...

We all know the alternator died due to the stereo, not the wiring.


Any of your guys have a different take on this?? I'm a believer in upgraded wiring, but being told "engineers chose that wire size for a reason" excuse is bullshit

for anyone who doesnt know what the big 3 upgrade is , it is:

1. negative battery wire to ground - just replace the negative batt. terminal and wire and ground it to the factory location
2. engine block to ground - replace the ground wire from the engine block to the chasie with a bigger wire (maybe 4 guage)
3. alternator to batt - add a fused wire from the postive post on you alternator (the one comming from the battery) to the postive terminal on your battery.

the big 3 is supposed to take a bit of the load off the alt. but it won't save the alt if ur running a powerful system. the big 3 only makes ur stereo more efficient

he burned out his alt because :
1) he prob didnt have a second batt to feed the stereo
2) his system is far too powerfull for the stock electrical system to support
3) his alt was useless in the first place

theres really no other reason his alt should burn out kuz of a stereo system.

usually guys with powerful systems run both a second alt and a separate bank of batts to feed the system so that nothing would fail.

That's pretty fucked. I don't think your boss understands how electrical works.

It's like saying changing the OEM tires to high performance tires will ruin your car. Yes the manufacturer designed the car to be one way but does not mean things can't be improved. Look at all the performance add on's for cars.

Your boss sounds like a thick skulled old school mechanic that only sees his way. I personally wouldn't want to ever go there. Mechanics are just that...mechanics, not very good with electrical.

I've worked with tons of mechanics, very few are good at electrical AND mechanics.

Lol! I would have asked your boss:

So if a light bulb is connected to a switch and a battery with 18 gauge wire, and a separate isolated circuit has same set up with 0 gauge wire, would the 0 gauge bulb draw more current and blow?

He's most certainly an old school mechanic who sees things one way and isn't open to change.
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God forbid you actually get a good ground to your battery! He should go back to school or retire.

And that is exactly why I quit just after posting the original post. You nailed it. He's old school, and is not open for discussion or suggestions. He is very good at diagnosing mechanical failures, but electrical he truly sucks at.

For his alternator to burn out from his stereo he ignored his tell tale signs of weak electrical. Dimming lights, killing batteries.to me a high powered stereo would be 2 btl's,2 kicker solo x's pushing 5000+ watts which i doubt he's running. His altenator just crapped out. You add the fuse from the battery to your amp not altenator.btw
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