I’m thinking the stock alternator in my SE died yesterday. Strange sound was coming from under the hood and the car died while idling. Went to restart it and not enough battery to turn the engine over. It’s a new battery.

I’ve looked on here for alternator threads. All the ones I found were pretty old. I was wondering if there are any more recent suggestions for a good replacement? Powerbastards.com advertises a drop in replacement but they’re kinda proud of them based on the price. I have the ability to fabricate some brackets and what not if there’s a good replacement that isn’t a drop in. While I’m at it, I’d like to start to upgrade the electrical system, starting with a heavier gauge charging wire from the alternator to the battery. I’m thinking I’d also like to replace the fusible links to actual fuses. Someday, I’d really like to clean up and simplify the engine bay but for now I want to just start with a good reliable alternator that has some higher amps for my future radio system.

 

Get one for a series 4 FC. Drop in replacement in my SA and went from 55A to 75A with it. For a GSL-SE, I'm not sure if that works well or not but thinking it should.

 

You can get an upgraded one from ebay with more amps…….


https://ebay.us/m/9X8E9R

 

200 AMPs is a bit much. The stock wiring may have issues with that much juice.

 

Confirming than an S4 alternator is plug and play on an (S3) SE, as that's what I did some time back to upgrade to 75Amp. Also, they tend to be a bit cheaper, as there were more of them at some point. Any later version and you run into diode and voltage regulator issues with a slow drain on the battery and everything dead when you try to start it, because the alternator field is always energized... Good upgrade for the time and $$$: plus, uses the same mounts and spacers.

 

I really appreciate all the advice. It sounds like an S4 alternator is a good way to go. If I recall correctly that means one out of an ‘86-‘88 RX-7, right? Any suggestions of a good place to get one? I’ve heard that the alternators that places like AutoZone and others sell are cheap remanned Chinese rubbish. I really don’t want to use something like that if I can avoid it in the first place.

 

It's either low-cost Asian made or high-cost American made.

https://www.dcpowerinc.com/products/...d_rx7__le_1-3l

 

I ordered an S4 alternator from Atkins. It’s being delivered today. Is there any benefit to running a larger gauge wire directly from the alternator to the battery? I’ve seen some people do that when upgrading to really high output alternators. The S4 unit doesn’t put out much more than the stock unit did.

 

If you have the original battery cables then replace them and go a little bigger. Make sure they are NOT CCA (Cooper Coated Aluminum). You will also need to run a cable from the factory drivers side shock tower location to the block or alternator. I used a short premade two foot I believe cable to the alternator long bolt. And then a negative from the battery to that same shock tower location. Then another normal negative battery cable from the battery to the starter bolt.

I replaced my fusible links with a second gen fuse block and ran a short premade battery wire from the battery to that fuse block as main power and then a normal battery cable from the battery to the starter.

I got my wires from Tractor Supply.

 

If you run directly from the alternator to the battery, you need to add in a fuse rated for the alternator and wiring you use. This way, if the alternator or battery fail in a way to cause a problem the fuse should protect the circuit. In your case I would replace battery cables and add an extra ground to the front of the block as suggested by KC.

 

I appreciate the replies. I think those are good ideas. I’d like to get rid of the fusible links and add some relays. I plan to run electric radiator fans in the future. I think changing the headlight wiring to some heavier gauge with a relay could allow for some better lighting. The stock ones are pretty dim. Could also be that they were that way because my alternator was going out.

Does the tachometer work off the alternator? I think I saw someone reference that in another posts somewhere. I ask because my tachometer works only occasionally. Sometimes it works great, other times it doesn’t do a thing.

 

If you do go the second gen fuse block route, and easy way to wire it is to NOT cut the wires from the fusible link block but to smash it with a hammer to break the bake-o-lite type material. Break it with caution between a couple of hammers. This makes it so the existing connectors stay on the wires and can be used on the second gen block.