Alternator Replacement Options

[FordPrefect]

I drove my lovely little car across the state in December, and about 20 miles from my destination blew the alternator. Now that the weather has finally changed from snow to sun, I'm pricing alternators, and have a few questions.

I'd like to upgrade for more amps. I have a '77 model, so 55 amps? The 120 amp upgrade is a beauty, but pricey. Various local suppliers (and Rock Auto) have handfuls of alts for dirt cheap, but that seems risky. I had to return a starter after a week or so of use, and not sure the low price is worth it.

Anyone else have experience with different model alternators, or rebuilds?

[baltobernie]

Do you have a local automotive electric company? One that actually does the work in-house? If so, that would be my recommendation. Mine's been trouble-free for 7y/25k. About $100, if I remember correctly.

[bradartigue]

Buy a 95 amp from Csaba.


(42)

[FordPrefect]

Thanks for your responses, I ordered a 95 amp unit. I'll just have to figure out how to bypass the external regulator and all that jazz.

[toplessexpat]

Thanks for your responses, I ordered a 95 amp unit. I'll just have to figure out how to bypass the external regulator and all that jazz.

It's pretty straightforeward - just remember to attach the tell tale correctly so it actually charges!

[aj81spider]

It's pretty straightforeward - just remember to attach the tell tale correctly so it actually charges!

+1 on that. The way you find out it isn't is that the car dies somewhere and you have to get a tow home from AAA to the chuckling of all the neighbors.

...ask me how I know.

[toplessexpat]

Although I've got a long term niggling fault on my 1800 with the 95A alternator. The telltale gently glows - which would normally indicate a fault... However, 3500 miles later and all is charging well - and I kind of miss it in the 2000 which is functioning exactly as it should. I suspect a poor ground.....

[FordPrefect]

As luck would have it, this new alternator doesn't quite fit... dangit.

[FordPrefect]

Basically, the alt doesn't quite fit between the lower mount and upper bracket. It seems I either need to file the upper bracket quite a bit, or somehow remove it and replace it once the alternator is in place. However, I'm not sure that bolt is ever going to come out.

[SoFlaFiat]

Just tossing a guess out there but if you have a 77 your alt is on the passengers side and the 95 amp alt is meant to mount on the drivers side. I had to modify the bracket and the pulley to make it line up nicely on the passengers side. If you don't care that it is on the drivers side, I have brackets left over which would make it a smooth transfer for you. If you want to keep it on the passengers side, it is not so bad. A little machining of the pulley and / or a different bracket.

[FordPrefect]

Yeah, I'm trying to decide if I want to wrestle with that 40 year old bolt or do some grinding on that bracket. Neither sounds terribly fun. My worst fear is breaking the bolt off, but that vs grinding.... ugh.

[FordPrefect]

Well, I think I'm done. Now to figure out why the car dies after a few seconds.

[vandor]

>Just tossing a guess out there but if you have a 77 your alt is on the passengers side


actually 77 was a change year and it could be on either side.

>and the 95 amp alt is meant to mount on the drivers side.

No, it can go on either side. We have a special lower mount that makes it fit. It is only a pain to install if the engine does not have a bolt-on lower mount, but even then it can be done in a few hours.

[FordPrefect]

Ok. It might be time to move this to another part of the forum, but before I do...

Car takes a while to start, and after it finally does, it dies after a few seconds.

I'm curious as to whether this is electric related (I can hear the fuel pump and pull the accelerator cable at the carb to squirt gas inside, clear fuel filter looks good):

I have the new alt in, relay is jumpered, light on the tach goes on when I turn the key, goes off when the car starts. Leads me to believe I did that part ok. I am curious though as to whether the regulator on the new alt could have an issue, or if there's more to the relay (more stuff to jumper together?)

So frustrating to troubleshoot this particular problem.

[vandor]

> Car takes a while to start, and after it finally does, it dies after a few seconds.

Extremely unlikely that that would be related to the alternator.
Does the tach drop to zero? If so the ignition system is quitting for some reason.