Auto Parts: motorcraft alternator repair, heat sinks, amp alternator

Question
 I have an old {1981] 100 amp alternator need to de-solder a wire on the diode pack, am worried out shorting it out. Do I need to install a heat sink?

Answer
    Are you changing a diode?  Those are some big mother diodes, and have pretty substantial heat sinks on them already.  Just grab the wire with some pliers and put the heat to the wire (not the terminal on the diode), as soon as you feel it's loose, pull it out of there.