Less expensive 200A alternator upgrade option.
#1
Glutton for Punishment
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Less expensive 200A alternator upgrade option.
The other week I was helping a coworker put a new alternator in his 2002 Dodge truck. I noticed that the mounting points were very simular and roughly the same size. So I said what the hell and used his core for test fitting for an afternoon.
It did fit with a few modifications.
Now the good part, in one of my diesel mags i remembered seeing an ad for a 200amp alternator for Dodge diesels.
I felt $350 bucks was well worth it and with the 1 wire conversion and took the plung.
I only needed to remove about a 1/2" from the rear mounting point of the alternator, and remove the middle middle mounting point of the black adjuster because the 1 ear is 3/8" longer.
http://www.paperformance.com/scripts...?idproduct=291
I neede the extra power for my now 3 intake fuel pumps plus running the rad fins on high most of the time in traffic. At idle it puts out more power than the stock's full capacity.
Here are some pics
It did fit with a few modifications.
Now the good part, in one of my diesel mags i remembered seeing an ad for a 200amp alternator for Dodge diesels.
I felt $350 bucks was well worth it and with the 1 wire conversion and took the plung.
I only needed to remove about a 1/2" from the rear mounting point of the alternator, and remove the middle middle mounting point of the black adjuster because the 1 ear is 3/8" longer.
http://www.paperformance.com/scripts...?idproduct=291
I neede the extra power for my now 3 intake fuel pumps plus running the rad fins on high most of the time in traffic. At idle it puts out more power than the stock's full capacity.
Here are some pics
#5
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My modified GM alt tested at 190 amps and cost under $ 300 but I had to make custom mounts which took more time than yours . Good job on your insight,I am sure more than a few will follow your work .
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#9
Rotor Head Extreme
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Hold the phone. I'm currently testing an even cheaper solution. I'm currently running a 95-00 Nissan Maxima upgraded Hi output alternator on my 20b. It's a 160 amp unit that has two leads (just like the Fd's) 1 lead is for 12v power signal the other is voltage cluster "charge" output. Brand new I only paid $110.00 for it. It fits but needs a little work which I'm gonna take care of later. I've had it about two weeks. For whatever reason I could not get the vehicle to restart after test driving. When it was running, my voltage output was always showing a charge on my Haltech Gauge page (13.5-14v) but every time I shut the engine off, it would not have enough cranking amps to start up again. It would normally take about 20mins time for this to happen. With me doing my own engine swap, I thought the problem was with my hot start tuning or anything related to my conversion. It wasn't. I even disconnected the negative battery lead while the engine was running to see if the engine would still run (which it did). I was confused so I even tried a smaller alternator pulley (knowing that's it's current pulley makes it under driven with the fd's main crank pulley) and that didn't work. Today I finally figured out what my problem was.
I remember reading on one of the upgraded alternator sites that when installing an upgraded alternator, you have to also upgrade the alternator POWER cable AND the MAIN FUSE so the alternator reaches it's full output potential. Whatever your alternator output power rating is, that's what your main fuse should be. Not knowing this was my problem, I tried it anyways.
I already had some extra 00 cable left over from my battery relocation and used it. I then went to Advance Auto and bought an extra 60amp main fuse to go along with my 100amp factory main fuse. The fd's engine bay main fuse panel has an extra provision for this. I installed the fuse and cable and went for another test drive. Now it's working like it should.
Now that it's working, I think I have a better understanding of what was actually going on. Here's my theory! In the Fd, the alternator power cable is wired to the opposite side of the MAIN fuse (which is on the other side of the battery). In this configuration the amperage from the alternator has to travel through the main fuse to reach the battery. Apparently there is too much resistance in the original main fuse and factory alternator wire that a HI OUTPUT alternator's internal circuitry will cut the amperage output way down. So even though I was showing a charge, it was only putting out very little amperage. The amperage was so low that I was basically driving around on my battery's reserve capacity alone. If you have a hi battery reserve power, it may take you a while to realize that you have a problem as your battery will take longer to drain.
Matching the MAIN fuse to the alternator power output makes since because on my 91 S5 vert it's alternator output is 80 amps. Guess what... so is the main fuse. I think the two go hand in hand so if anyone out there is having charging problems with any upgraded alternator, this might be your problem.
For now I'm just glad I finally got it charging. I still need to source a smaller pulley and I wont have pics till I get it sorted correctly as it makes no since to give a full report while I'm still in the early testing phases. I think this extremely cheap hi output alternator solution can work for us. Stay tuned!
I remember reading on one of the upgraded alternator sites that when installing an upgraded alternator, you have to also upgrade the alternator POWER cable AND the MAIN FUSE so the alternator reaches it's full output potential. Whatever your alternator output power rating is, that's what your main fuse should be. Not knowing this was my problem, I tried it anyways.
I already had some extra 00 cable left over from my battery relocation and used it. I then went to Advance Auto and bought an extra 60amp main fuse to go along with my 100amp factory main fuse. The fd's engine bay main fuse panel has an extra provision for this. I installed the fuse and cable and went for another test drive. Now it's working like it should.
Now that it's working, I think I have a better understanding of what was actually going on. Here's my theory! In the Fd, the alternator power cable is wired to the opposite side of the MAIN fuse (which is on the other side of the battery). In this configuration the amperage from the alternator has to travel through the main fuse to reach the battery. Apparently there is too much resistance in the original main fuse and factory alternator wire that a HI OUTPUT alternator's internal circuitry will cut the amperage output way down. So even though I was showing a charge, it was only putting out very little amperage. The amperage was so low that I was basically driving around on my battery's reserve capacity alone. If you have a hi battery reserve power, it may take you a while to realize that you have a problem as your battery will take longer to drain.
Matching the MAIN fuse to the alternator power output makes since because on my 91 S5 vert it's alternator output is 80 amps. Guess what... so is the main fuse. I think the two go hand in hand so if anyone out there is having charging problems with any upgraded alternator, this might be your problem.
For now I'm just glad I finally got it charging. I still need to source a smaller pulley and I wont have pics till I get it sorted correctly as it makes no since to give a full report while I'm still in the early testing phases. I think this extremely cheap hi output alternator solution can work for us. Stay tuned!
#11
Rotary Freak
iTrader: (24)
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-rx-7-1993-2002-parts-99/irp-winter-specials-140-amp-alternators-poly-motor-mounts-ngk-racing-cables-929234/
215 + 20 shipped back to you with your old alternator. I think it's a deal. 140amp.
-AzEKnightz
215 + 20 shipped back to you with your old alternator. I think it's a deal. 140amp.
-AzEKnightz
#13
Rotor Head Extreme
iTrader: (8)
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=929234
215 + 20 shipped back to you with your old alternator. I think it's a deal. 140amp.
-AzEKnightz
215 + 20 shipped back to you with your old alternator. I think it's a deal. 140amp.
-AzEKnightz
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