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I’m in need of an alternator. It’s been interesting searching through the years of advice here on the subject and how it has evolved over the years. From stock is all you need to get a big mamajama to it doesn’t matter the wiring can’t handle it anyway and everything in between.
Has there been a consensus on a quality replacement? Any recommendations on brands to look at or ones to stay away from? Amps to target? Shop to look at?
My build is a single turbo ~400whp on pump gas, power FC, and limited electronics - no big stereo, etc. No real plans to do much more in the future so it's not an overly electronic component-heavy build.
I see one over at Atkins but it doesn’t mention if it is a rebuild/reman, etc. Does anyone have any positive/negative experiences with it?
I didn’t come back with anyone nearby on an initial search for alternator repair so I think I’m going to have to go the new/reman route. Any advice would be welcome.
Had mine since Nov. 2019 and it works great. Voltage stays around 14.3-14.4 summer and winter. It will slightly increase fuel pressure and injector flow. If you use an under-drive main pulley, replace it's larger pulley with the stock alternator pulley.
^ I have that same alternator and it is working great. Looks good, too. The pulley on the ARD is decently larger in diameter than stock, to the point that I needed to get a longer belt as the stock size belt was too short. But despite that, the output is about 14.4 regardless of engine speed or load.
A lower cost, more standard alternative to consider is the AC Delco "reman" from rockauto. The name reman is a bit misleading as they seem to be constructed with all new parts. that one also has a slightly larger pulley than stock but the OE belt can be squeezed on.
I've heard good feedback from DC Power alternators. I used to run an IRP 140A alternator which I used to recommend alot but it failed prematurely "due to running an underdrive alternator pulley" so I don't recommend that anymore. I went back to a low-mileage OEM alternator (with stock pulley) on my build (PowerFC, IGN-1A, Single turbo 330rwhp) and still have no problems with that. The Duralast alternators also work well, just the casing might be different quality (I had 2 before and returned them), probably because they're reman from the cores they receive...
I've heard good feedback from DC Power alternators. I used to run an IRP 140A alternator which I used to recommend alot but it failed prematurely "due to running an underdrive alternator pulley" so I don't recommend that anymore. I went back to a low-mileage OEM alternator (with stock pulley) on my build (PowerFC, IGN-1A, Single turbo 330rwhp) and still have no problems with that. The Duralast alternators also work well, just the casing might be different quality (I had 2 before and returned them), probably because they're reman from the cores they receive...
i cant say that everything i heard about DC was good but i have never used them.
I decided to go with the advance one from rhdjapan https://www.rhdjapan.com/advance-hig...fd3s-rx-7.html
i was debating between the ARD and the Advance. i had heard great things about both of them.
Look at Powermaster alternators - they have a direct replacement for most factory ones I have seen.
I used one on my '65 Land-Rover and it has been great for the last few years. (The truck originally had a generator so this was a custom build so I could use almost any alternator and I went through their rather exhaustive catalog - they have heaps of different types.)
I am surprised - Duralast with multiple nods as ok. Going to give that a go for the time being since I need a quick(ish) fix and Autozone appears to be running a 20% off + next-day shipping promotion at the moment. Lifetime replacement as well which is both comforting and distressing all at once. Seems like a win for now.
Definitely going to look into the others if this one can't manage the loads well at low/high RPMs, etc.
i cant say that everything i heard about DC was good but i have never used them.
I decided to go with the advance one from rhdjapan https://www.rhdjapan.com/advance-hig...fd3s-rx-7.html
i was debating between the ARD and the Advance. i had heard great things about both of them.
Its been running great.
The Advance alternator is a very nice piece. I think they use their own case whereas the ARD is using a stock-style case. The stators on both look about the same in design/3 layers of windings, etc.
Advance has a very good rep among FD owners in Australia, also.
If the casing on the Duralast is different than your stock alternator please swap the casing before turning in your core. Some alternators that are sold "fit" the 13b-rew, but do not fit as well with the solenoid rack installed. I have had to grind down some of the casings to make them fit.
If the casing on the Duralast is different than your stock alternator please swap the casing before turning in your core. Some alternators that are sold "fit" the 13b-rew, but do not fit as well with the solenoid rack installed. I have had to grind down some of the casings to make them fit.
I'll plug both the IRP 140A Alternator and DCPower 200A Alternator.
IRP 140A -- Worked great for 10 years, 30K miles, and 3 dead AGM batteries (parasitic draw/didn't start the car often enough) before Voltage Regulator issues.
DCPower 200A -- Works great for the last 1 year, 1200 miles, no dead batteries.
Electrically dependent mods -- RP Fuel pump, Aftermarket Stereo w/Subwoofer, PFC, Water Injection, Dash Cam, etc.
Yes that is where I had to grind and I shim down the nut on the back that the 14mm bolt goes through. Not completely necessary but makes installation and removal easier.
I bought the Autozone and DC Power alternators. Of the two, DC Power is easily better. The Autozone alternator looks like crap, had a heat shield that is not standard FD3S and didn't turn smoothly. Both of them require grinding in the spot shown above.
02-22-23, 03:56 PM
