[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by "QUICK-SILVER"

High speed blower power does come from the back of the alternator.

Thanks. Greatly appreciated. That kinda explains why the harness at the alternator is similarly butchered.

Originally Posted by "QUICK-SILVER"

To me, wiring on these cars looked like an after thought.
Nothing really clean and neat.

As GM intended it? That surprises me some. I figured the OEM wiring system was entirely reasonable given the cost constraints--It doesn't look any worse to me than any other car of the same time frame. But the car my F-I-L bought has had at least one owner that should have his fingers broken with his own wrenches; he's made a rat's nest out of the wiring. Aided, I suppose, by the fact that the wires are 30+ years old and the insulation is getting brittle.

Originally Posted by engineer

agreed, always live via a fused link to the alt. plus terminal

Glad to get the confirmation on the "always live" part. Circuits that are always live tend to scare me; look how many Fords burnt up because Ford didn't have the sense to un-power the cruise control circuit when the car is shut off. Add a slow brake fluid leak--and--call the fire department.

Fused link? As in "inline fuse" or as in "fusible link wire four gauge sizes smaller than the wire it protects"?

I'm betting on 16 gauge fusible link wire to protect the 12 gauge power feed wire. Simple, easy, and effective especially for short-term overloads like the inrush current draw when the fan is first started.

Thanks again, both.