alternator upgrade
 

im looking to upgrade my S4 alt due to some mods...i need something big! im debating on using the FD alt or a big GM one wire alt,what do you guys reccomend? ive heard alot about the FD alt but not much on the GM one wire

What "mods"? Depending, just use the FD alt. I'm not sure about the GM one, but the FD is pretty much just a drop in.

FD alt you will need to run one new wire from the battery and try to get a pulley and spacer machined to fit on the FD shaft. You can usually find these on ebay. I think 2 members sell them too.

I would keep the 3 wire system so you will know when the alternator fails.

yeah. the wire thing is pretty easy. i think pinapple is selling some pully's right now too.

i am looking to fit an E fan so was going to fit an FD alt, why do i need to replace the wire to the battery?, is it too small?

I have put my battery in the boot and used a junction box in the engine bay, the wire going to the battery from the engine bay to the battery is 0 gauge so thats definately big enough, should i just replace the wire from the feed peg on the alternator to the junction box.?

What size do people recomend?

You don't need to replace the battery. I think you misread.

This may also help. https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/fd-alt-question-605711/

who said the battery needs replacing?, someone mentioned a new wire, is this an additional wire or replacing an old one.

^ stop hijacking my thread.... I have quite a few mods that i know will be way to much for the stock S4 alt. i have a black magic E-fan that pulls 3300 CFM and also crazy amounts of juice, aftermarket stereo system,custom upgraded headlights and meth injection pump..

hardly a thread hijack, just trying to sort out the wiring required to fit an FD alt to an FC as per your thread subject

I think there's more to it than just dropping it in.. you need to find a pulley that fits.. and you need either an S5 or FD harness plug to retro onto the S4.. but I suppose you said 'pretty much'.

couldnt you just us spade connectors

*use

*use (the edit button) :)

But yeah, you could... They just don't look as cool and aren't as weatherproof.

Take your stock alt to an electrical shop and have it rewound!
They can easily bump up the amperage!

Whats the cost of something like this? I've seen sites that claim they do it.. but I've never actually heard of somebody thats had it done.

If I remember right, the shop I went to said they would do it for a little over $100. I remember it being close to the cost of a new stock alt.

i already had mine redone last year and the guy said that he couldnt do much with it without goin to a larger case...it wouldnt be worth upgrading that one

Since when are new stock alts a little over 100? :) Rebuilt ones maybe, but I trust them about as far as I can throw them.

Yeah, basically. :p: You don't have to do anything with the brackets or what not is what I was getting at. 2 wires and a new pulley?

I have a rebulit and polished fd altanator fs w/ pulley $210 shipped
Thanks Robert

Which pulley to get is the hard part.... gotta raid the junk-yard. There's a good alternator write-up on nopistons: http://www.nopistons.com/forums/inde...howtopic=41986

Pretty good info.... and I don't think the thread is done yet.

The wire to the battery is fine, although bigger may help the out come. The one new wire get connected to one of the spade terminals on the alt. The s6 Alt needs to see 12v all the time at the terminal, I forget which one I believe the top one, there is a diagram floating around. Our s4 ALT have a switch ignition wire instead which will not work for the FD alt.

as far as fitment goes, anyone have an experience with the FD alt mod in conjunction with a strut tower bar? is there sufficient room for this upgrade to the larger alternator? or am i assuming it bigger than it really is?

I think this depends on the strut brace its self. I had one off of ebay a few years back and the alt would touch the bar. This was slightly fixed with shorter belts. If you can find a strut bar the goes in front of the alt, you are better off, mind went above it. I don't have it anymore.

Cork sport strut tower bar pics...........teh bars sits directly above the pully itself, so if the FD alt is a closely direct replacement, and the the 2 new belts will have to line up with the main pulley, it seems that unless the FD alt is more than 20% bigger in shape, then i should be fine...

Also, has anyone done this using a serpantine belt instead of the double skinnys?