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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I ordered a new alternator for my 97 2 door Tahoe and it was different than the one I took out. A previous owner changed the plug and put a 200 amp alternator in. I also have a 94 2door diesel Blazer. The alternator in it matches the new one I bought. Also the alternator in the 94 is on the opposite side of the motor. Is this right? Are the serpentine belts different between a 94 and 97?
 

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I ordered a new alternator for my 97 2 door Tahoe and it was different than the one I took out. A previous owner changed the plug and put a 200 amp alternator in. I also have a 94 2door diesel Blazer. The alternator in it matches the new one I bought. Also the alternator in the 94 is on the opposite side of the motor. Is this right? Are the serpentine belts different between a 94 and 97?
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Along with the upgraded alternator, a set of 2/0 battery cables would go great and the Tahoe electrical system would thank you.
The Alternator and AC compressor switched sides when the OBD2 switch came into play.
Vehicles from 96'+ had their alternators and AC compressors swapped over to the other side to help accommodate things
 
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If the lettering on the belt still visible, you can see if they have the same number.
The number denotes the length.

As far as connector, you can always buy a pigtail matching the alternator and splice it.
As for the wiring, if you can post color, Glagulator can give you direction in less than a sec.
 
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Discussion Starter · #4 ·
I am replacing the alternator because I think it is draining my battery when the truck is off. What makes me suspect the alternator is the tachometer does not work. Does the alternator have to be designed to operate the alternator or will any alternator operate the tach?
 

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Your 94 should have a CS130 alternator, has external fan and a rectangular electrical connector, 4 pins with 2 wires.
Your 97 should have a CS130D alternator, has no external fan and an oval electrical connector, 4 pins with 2 wires.
Either truck could have an optional CS144 alternator, uses the same connector as the CS130.
Tach works the same with any of these alternators, I'm not sure about any others.
Thru 95 the tachs are calibrated for a 62mm alt. pulley.
1996-up they need the 57mm pulley, same as the gassers.
 
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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Your 94 should have a CS130 alternator, has external fan and a rectangular electrical connector, 4 pins with 2 wires.
Your 97 should have a CS130D alternator, has no external fan and an oval electrical connector, 4 pins with 2 wires.
Either truck could have an optional CS144 alternator, uses the same connector as the CS130.
Tach works the same with any of these alternators, I'm not sure about any others.
Thru 95 the tachs are calibrated for a 62mm alt. pulley.
1996-up they need the 57mm pulley, same as the gassers.
Thanks Glagulator. The alternator someone put on this truck has a spade connector and a pigtail was spliced on the alternator wires to accommodate it.
 

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My CS 130D pigtail came with a resistor. Where does it go? The pigtail I ordered has two wires that engage with the 2 center pins in the alternator. My '94 pigtail pins line up with 2 pins on one side of the alternator pins. Crossing myfingers this works.
 

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You will need to move the terms like in the drawing.
You do not need a resistor.

Font Parallel Rectangle Number Diagram
 
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You probably will not find a 2 wire conn. that will work, except for the 4 wire conn.(cut off the not needed wires)
You can easily move the terms to the correct spaces on the one you have.
Like this - (that looks like your conn. but it is not the same, terms are the same)

 
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Finally, I know the name of that tool. Just ordered two different sizes. Been using tiny jeweler's screwdrivers for years. Thanks.
 
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When I did the alt modification, I need to buy the pigtail connectors with all 4 wires and cut the 2 unnecessary wires.
As Glagulator suggested.
 

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
Hi G, For starters, I like your comment "There are 10 kinds of people in this world; Those who understand binary and those who don't. " Clever. I am bewildered with the truck. It was fleet owned and they clearly had no idea how to work on these. The 2 wire splices here go to the previous alternator. There are 2 white wires. The white wire at the top edge of the screen and brown wire go to a connector not plugged into anything. Any ideas?
 

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Not sure what you have there, not OEM for sure.
Maybe you could back off and show more,
like where that harness goes and what the alt. conn. looks like.
 
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Discussion Starter · #18 ·
The spade connector on the left went to the alternator which I have taken out. I have the right alternator now and the CS 130D pigtail. I just don't trust that the wires the old alternator were spliced to are the right ones.
Motor vehicle Gas Electrical wiring Wood Auto part
 

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What color are the wires on the black conn. you are holding?
Where do those wires go?

On your 97 there is a harness on the drivers side of the engine that runs
towards the front and has the temp sender conn., a/c compressor conns.,
the EVO conn. on the P/S pump, and the alternator inline connector.
Not the one that plugs into the alternator.
There is a short extension harness that goes from there to the alternator.
The reason was that the old CS144 alternator was an option and it uses the old style connector like the CS130 used. That made it easy to swap between the 2 different connectors.
Here is the short extension the CS130D uses.

Automotive tire Bicycle part Rim Font Auto part
 
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Discussion Starter · #20 ·
The spade connector on the left went to the alternator which I have taken out. I have the right alternator now and the CS 130D pigtail. I just don't trust that the wires the old alternator were spliced to are the right ones. View attachment 656276
What color are the wires on the black conn. you are holding?
Where do those wires go?

On your 97 there is a harness on the drivers side of the engine that runs
towards the front and has the temp sender conn., a/c compressor conns.,
the EVO conn. on the P/S pump, and the alternator inline connector.
Not the one that plugs into the alternator.
There is a short extension harness that goes from there to the alternator.
The reason was that the old CS144 alternator was an option and it uses the old style connector like the CS130 used. That made it easy to swap between the 2 different connectors.
Here is the short extension the CS130D uses.

View attachment 656277
The brown wire and the upper white wire coming out of the harness go to the black connector which was just laying on top of the engine.
 
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