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Unjust
21-07-2016, 05:35 PM
Hi all. Was working on the GA16DE the other day around the headers when I noticed the Alternator component in picture 1 below was not attached. This is a race car with many random connectors not attached or cut wires in the loom, but I was sure I had not seen this component in this state before, so I am assuming I knocked it and broke the wire. As the same picture shows, I did find an unused spade terminal on the positive post of the Alternator, but it does not look like the wire was ripped out of this terminal. The component is unmarked and was cable-tied to the Alternator wiring. I am assuming this is a smoothing Capacitor and is connected to the positive post and grounded by making contact with the Alternator housing (probably in the nice curved mount seen in the center of picture 2). Could someone please have a look at their Alternator and confirm my suspicions? The Alternator is a Hitachi LR170-738B, but I can't find anything online or in my wiring diagram about what it might be. Thanks in advance!

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Cozzm0
22-07-2016, 07:18 AM
Its a condenser (capacitor). Like a noise suppressor, so your thoughts are correct.

Unjust
22-07-2016, 04:50 PM
Thank you Cozzm0. I see that they are for suppressing RFI on the car radio. If I didn't have a radio (racecar) and binned this, could RFI affect my expensive aftermarket ECU. I know the condenser won't stop voltage spikes.etc, but will RFI damage the ECU? Thanks again!

Cozzm0
22-07-2016, 08:27 PM
I doubt it will have any adverse effects not having it there. To be honest i haven't seen one attached to the alternator before. Usually they're installed on the distributor / ignition system because there is a lot of RFI emitted from there due to the high frequency spark.