redtherocket

Like the title says...


As per my service manual, it says the USA alternator has a 4 pin connector whereas the CAN one has a 3 pin...



I live in Canada and have a US car.


Just wondering if a fellow Canadian can snap a picture of there connector so I can compare it to mine...

I don't want any surprises the day mine fails.. I want to be prepared.


Thanks fellas

94EG8

I'll see if I can find one here later to take a picture of. If it fails you can probably get a used JDM alternator, they use the 4 wire plug. The canadian version lacks the ELD pin.

redtherocket

Thank you for that info!


Also, I'm running a Canadian ECU..

OE was P2E-A02 (Removed for idle issues)

Now is P2E-C03

The CAN ecu doesn't even look for the ELD, and the alternator/regulator control wire is obsolete..

And conveniently, the US(ELD equipped) 4 wire connector works with the CAN ecu which is made for the 3 wire..

Which leaves me to believe, I could wire up my own connector if I had too...Less the ALT Control wire... I will be getting what I need next trip to the pick N' pull...


WHT/GRN- Alternator Control (ELD controls regulator) < Not in Canadian Civics

BLK/YEL- Ignition signal - Turns on regulator

WHT/BLU- Malfunction Indicator Light (GRND)

WHT/RED- Voltage output signal (Indicates voltage output to ecu)

94EG8

Yeah, if you're running a Canadian ECU you can just cut and splice the Canadian connector on, just color match the 3 wires and leave the 4th one disconnected.

HondaPartsHero

redtherocket

Great.

Thank you for your help guys.

94EG8

I don't have a 4 wire connector here to compare, but from the pics it actually looks like you can probably depin both connectors and just pin the 3 wires from the harness into the 3 wire plug and then tape up the extra pin.

c0V3Ro

Hey Mates!
Sorry digging the post.
Having some issues here after installed OBD2a MT wiring with 4 pin alternator plug.
My alternator is 3 pin. So just re pin it and left 4th unconnected.
I'm using an OBD1 P28 chipped ecu. With OBD2a to OBD1 harness.
Is necessary to re pin the C17/C5 and C19/C2?
If I connect the plug car got kind of electric short!

canuckle

Just wondering if anyone can confirm whether I can do this same female 4 pin harness to 3 pin harness on a 2001 CRV. I bought my CRV in the USA, but I live in CANADA. Got a used 2000 CRV alternator and just now realized it has a 3 PIN male harness plug but my U.S CRV has a 4 PIN female harness plug. The ECU is obviously a U.S ECU, so I'm wondering if I can still just replace my female 4 PIN with a female 3 PIN plug and disconnect the ALT CONTROL wire? PLEASE HELP! I've been without my

TomCat39

You will have a CEL if you do that. USDM ECU will want the ELD wire (4th pin). To do what they did above you also need the CDM ECU.

And that's assuming there is nothing new in the 2001 CRV versus the 96-00 civics.

You might have better luck getting info about this in the CRV section.

94EG8

You'll get a CEL for the ELD. Your easiest way out of this is to either buy a used JDM alternator for an importer for a B20 (there are tons of JDM importers in Canada, most in Montreal and Toronto with a few out west) or buy a used Canadian ECU.

canuckle

Thank you guys. What a NIGHTMARE! The irony is that, at this point, I'm not totally sure it's the bloody alternator!
Here's what happened: I was driving along and my 2001 Honda CRV basically slowly died on the road. I had been driving with a dying battery for a while and had to jumpstart it a few times in the past week or so, so I figured the likely culprit was the alternator (having worked too hard for a while with a dying battery).
I took a chance, bought a used alternator from the wreckers, brought it home, removed the old alternator only to find that the male plugs on the two alternators were DIFFERENT! (prompting me to find Honda-tech.com). So, on this forum, I learned the difference between USA-made and Canadian-made Honda vehicles. What a can of worms!!
I'm no mechanic, but I've changed-out alternators on other vehicles in the past, so I figured I'd give it a shot on my CRV and save some dough. Little did I know I was opening a can of worms. (Canada HONDA= No ELD and 3 PIN harness. USA HONDA= different ECU with ELD and 4-PIN harness. )
I haven't even had the old alternator tested yet (I live on an island, so I have to leave with the alternator to get it tested) So now I need to get the old alternator tested and see if that's what caused my CRV to die on the road. If not, I have to" bite the bullet" and have it towed to a shop here and get them to figure out what's wrong.

So again, thanks so much for your advice you guys. Very much appreciated! Who knew something apparently so simple, could be so complicated?