Post by dave571 on Apr 6, 2004 22:46:30 GMT -5
Tired of dim lights at idle? Do you plan on running an electric fuel pump or fan? Are you already running these and crossing your fingers with your stock alternator?
Well, I was in this same situation and was looking for a replacement for the stock alt on my 68 charger. I had put a 440 in and was running an electric fuel pump, electric fan and a holley projection, and planned on putting A/C too. My stock alt was not even cutting it with what I had and I was looking around for a "police' alt from the 70's but found out that while they carried a higher amp rating than I had, they did not charge well at idle and some require special brackets.
Someone told me to just put in a denso alternator off a newer mopar. I did not believe it when he told me that it required no special brackets and was a bolt in deal. I looked into it and decided to buy one I saw on ebay for $75.00. It was a new alt off an '02 ram van with a V8 rated at 130 amps!!! I installed it and it one of the easiest, best mods I have done to the car. After I did this swap, I did a test. At idle, with headlights, interior lights, elec fuel pump, elec fan, heater on high, and wipers on, I still got 14.2v on my meter!!
If your car has a dual field alt already, then the only wiring change you have to make is to add a 4g wire from positive stud on alt to positive stud on starter relay. Do not attempt to run a high amp alt with just the factory wiring, all of the current goes through the bulkhead connector and amp gauge Here is a parts list of what I used and where I got it with special notes about problems (very minor) I ran into. This was for a 68 charger with a 440. I would imagine that most of this would work on small blocks too.
Item Source part#/original app Price
new take off alternator130 amp ebay '02 dodge 1 ton van $89.99
connectors,4g wire,12g wire,
shrink tape pepboys $20.00
New Voltage Reg Napa online MPEVR38SB $11.99
Connector for VR above Napa online ECHVRC38 $7.99
New Alt belt Auto Barn Drive Rite 43" $4.99
Used Pulley Local auto GM pulley $5.00
electric shop
Nut for pulley Sears Hardware 14mm 1.50 thread $1.75
Total $141.67
things I ran into:
-had to cut the two factory spacers for original alt. If I had the equipment to press the bushing out of the new alt, I could have probably avoided this, easy work with a dremel, though.
-muscle era alternators have a threaded hole to accept the belt tension adjustment bolt. The denso just has a hole there. you can reuse your factory adjusting bolt, just put a nut on the
other side
-denso alt will probably come with a serpentine pulley with multiple grooves in it. I have seen guys just wrap a V belt around it and go, but I went to the local automotive electrical shop
and got a GM pulley from the late 60's/early 70's
.
-GM pulley fits, but factory denso nut has a built in washer that has to be ground off, I just got a new one. See parts list for pitch and size
-New alt sits closer to block/head than original- have to make all electrical connectons before mounting alt.
-Since alt is close, had to cut positive stud (1/2") my new alt came with factory ring terminal and plastic cover for pos stud. I was able to take apart terminal and re-use with new wires for
positive. If you get one that does not have this, make sure you buy a new big ring terminal, as original one in car is too small. Plastic cover is nice because alt positive stud sits close to
block.
-had to rig up connections for factory field terminals. This alt has a special plug. If you go to the dealer, you could probably get it easy. If you get an alt that is older, it will probably not have this, just two studs that accept regular ring terminals. I think this special connector is '02 and up.
-also, a 4g wire from postive stud on alt to starter relay-this renders the factory amp gauge inaccurate (at least more inaccurate than it was) I could be wrong, but I think this is because all the current in the alt is not going directly to it anymore.
Overall, I think it is much cheaper than buying a powermaster and better than buying a late 70's "police" alternator. The only downside is that, brand new, this alt is 300 bucks. But, I still see them all the time on ebay for less than $150.00. I see 90 amp units on ebay for dirt cheap, sometimes for as little at $30.00.
This article written and supplied by dkn1997.
Thanks
Well, I was in this same situation and was looking for a replacement for the stock alt on my 68 charger. I had put a 440 in and was running an electric fuel pump, electric fan and a holley projection, and planned on putting A/C too. My stock alt was not even cutting it with what I had and I was looking around for a "police' alt from the 70's but found out that while they carried a higher amp rating than I had, they did not charge well at idle and some require special brackets.
Someone told me to just put in a denso alternator off a newer mopar. I did not believe it when he told me that it required no special brackets and was a bolt in deal. I looked into it and decided to buy one I saw on ebay for $75.00. It was a new alt off an '02 ram van with a V8 rated at 130 amps!!! I installed it and it one of the easiest, best mods I have done to the car. After I did this swap, I did a test. At idle, with headlights, interior lights, elec fuel pump, elec fan, heater on high, and wipers on, I still got 14.2v on my meter!!
If your car has a dual field alt already, then the only wiring change you have to make is to add a 4g wire from positive stud on alt to positive stud on starter relay. Do not attempt to run a high amp alt with just the factory wiring, all of the current goes through the bulkhead connector and amp gauge Here is a parts list of what I used and where I got it with special notes about problems (very minor) I ran into. This was for a 68 charger with a 440. I would imagine that most of this would work on small blocks too.
Item Source part#/original app Price
new take off alternator130 amp ebay '02 dodge 1 ton van $89.99
connectors,4g wire,12g wire,
shrink tape pepboys $20.00
New Voltage Reg Napa online MPEVR38SB $11.99
Connector for VR above Napa online ECHVRC38 $7.99
New Alt belt Auto Barn Drive Rite 43" $4.99
Used Pulley Local auto GM pulley $5.00
electric shop
Nut for pulley Sears Hardware 14mm 1.50 thread $1.75
Total $141.67
things I ran into:
-had to cut the two factory spacers for original alt. If I had the equipment to press the bushing out of the new alt, I could have probably avoided this, easy work with a dremel, though.
-muscle era alternators have a threaded hole to accept the belt tension adjustment bolt. The denso just has a hole there. you can reuse your factory adjusting bolt, just put a nut on the
other side
-denso alt will probably come with a serpentine pulley with multiple grooves in it. I have seen guys just wrap a V belt around it and go, but I went to the local automotive electrical shop
and got a GM pulley from the late 60's/early 70's
.
-GM pulley fits, but factory denso nut has a built in washer that has to be ground off, I just got a new one. See parts list for pitch and size
-New alt sits closer to block/head than original- have to make all electrical connectons before mounting alt.
-Since alt is close, had to cut positive stud (1/2") my new alt came with factory ring terminal and plastic cover for pos stud. I was able to take apart terminal and re-use with new wires for
positive. If you get one that does not have this, make sure you buy a new big ring terminal, as original one in car is too small. Plastic cover is nice because alt positive stud sits close to
block.
-had to rig up connections for factory field terminals. This alt has a special plug. If you go to the dealer, you could probably get it easy. If you get an alt that is older, it will probably not have this, just two studs that accept regular ring terminals. I think this special connector is '02 and up.
-also, a 4g wire from postive stud on alt to starter relay-this renders the factory amp gauge inaccurate (at least more inaccurate than it was) I could be wrong, but I think this is because all the current in the alt is not going directly to it anymore.
Overall, I think it is much cheaper than buying a powermaster and better than buying a late 70's "police" alternator. The only downside is that, brand new, this alt is 300 bucks. But, I still see them all the time on ebay for less than $150.00. I see 90 amp units on ebay for dirt cheap, sometimes for as little at $30.00.
This article written and supplied by dkn1997.
Thanks
