Alternator Went Out, Help With An Upgrade?
08-07-2009, 12:59 PM
#1
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,486
Alternator Went Out, Help With An Upgrade?
My alternator died last night and left me stranded. Becuase of this i would really like to get away from the stock 75a alt, and upgrade. I did some research on the forums and it seems the powermasters 140a is a pretty common replacement. I looked on summit to try to find them and came across several.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-8-57140/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-8-47140/
I am looking for something that will essentially just bolt on without a whole lot of extra work because electric is not my forte and i perfer to do simple swaps with anything electric. Will these both just swap right in?
Thanks
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-8-57140/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-8-47140/
I am looking for something that will essentially just bolt on without a whole lot of extra work because electric is not my forte and i perfer to do simple swaps with anything electric. Will these both just swap right in?
Thanks
08-07-2009, 03:35 PM
#3
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,486
is this the full kit?
http://www.pa-performance.com/Script...?idproduct=343
i have no problem with shaving the bracket, but what else will i need to do to install it?
Will i need any other parts other than what comes in that kit?
What will i need to do in the wiring department?
Thanks!
http://www.pa-performance.com/Script...?idproduct=343
i have no problem with shaving the bracket, but what else will i need to do to install it?
Will i need any other parts other than what comes in that kit?
What will i need to do in the wiring department?
Thanks!
08-07-2009, 03:42 PM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Spfld, MA
Posts: 9,240
if its like any other high power alt replacement, the wiring is pretty simple. get a good length of 2g wire, preferably something like you would use with an audio amp, they conduct the best.
part of the harness leading to the alt will have two rather thick(8g i believe) black wires leading to it, snip those out of the harness, crimp them together with whatever means you are comfortable with, and lead them to the post on the alt. the big thick 2g you bought also goes to the post, and then lead that end to the hot side of the battery, or the hot side of the starter solenoid, whichever is easier for you to do.
when i did mine on my 89 i used a 130amp from a Tbird that Adder picked up for me from his local junkyard, picked it up from him when I bought my spare T5 from him.
also, save yourself some time with the bracket shaving, don't use a dremel. get yourself a big angle grinder with a fine stone and be done in less than a minute.
part of the harness leading to the alt will have two rather thick(8g i believe) black wires leading to it, snip those out of the harness, crimp them together with whatever means you are comfortable with, and lead them to the post on the alt. the big thick 2g you bought also goes to the post, and then lead that end to the hot side of the battery, or the hot side of the starter solenoid, whichever is easier for you to do.
when i did mine on my 89 i used a 130amp from a Tbird that Adder picked up for me from his local junkyard, picked it up from him when I bought my spare T5 from him.
also, save yourself some time with the bracket shaving, don't use a dremel. get yourself a big angle grinder with a fine stone and be done in less than a minute.
Last edited by mattdel; 08-07-2009 at 03:45 PM.
08-07-2009, 10:32 PM
#6
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,459
The PA Performanc alternator(Better than other 130amps) is ****. I bought that as well as the 4 gage wire with a 200 amp fuse. The directions they give are top notch, not to mention their customer service.
Their directions will explain every modification necessary. The PA Performance alternator already has threads in the top-most bolt location. They also provide the bolt for those threads. Unlike most 130 amp conversion posts you have read, the PA Performance alternators do not require tapping the thread size in the upper most bolt because it is already threaded.
As for the wires, you can cut the black w/ orange stripe wires(original power wires), but they can potentially overload if you have a huge amperage draw. Don't bother soldering connections on. The new 4 gage wire replaces these two 10 gage wires...
Of the two stock wiring harness plugs, the one with the two 10 gage black/orange wires get snipped. The white wire gets a new connector soldered on to connect to the alternator. The PA Perf. alt comes with said connector. Aside from that you just plug the other stock alternator connector into the alternator. Viola! You are done.
Their directions will explain every modification necessary. The PA Performance alternator already has threads in the top-most bolt location. They also provide the bolt for those threads. Unlike most 130 amp conversion posts you have read, the PA Performance alternators do not require tapping the thread size in the upper most bolt because it is already threaded.
As for the wires, you can cut the black w/ orange stripe wires(original power wires), but they can potentially overload if you have a huge amperage draw. Don't bother soldering connections on. The new 4 gage wire replaces these two 10 gage wires...
Of the two stock wiring harness plugs, the one with the two 10 gage black/orange wires get snipped. The white wire gets a new connector soldered on to connect to the alternator. The PA Perf. alt comes with said connector. Aside from that you just plug the other stock alternator connector into the alternator. Viola! You are done.
08-15-2009, 03:49 PM
#7
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,486
if its like any other high power alt replacement, the wiring is pretty simple. get a good length of 2g wire, preferably something like you would use with an audio amp, they conduct the best.
part of the harness leading to the alt will have two rather thick(8g i believe) black wires leading to it, snip those out of the harness, crimp them together with whatever means you are comfortable with, and lead them to the post on the alt. the big thick 2g you bought also goes to the post, and then lead that end to the hot side of the battery, or the hot side of the starter solenoid, whichever is easier for you to do.
when i did mine on my 89 i used a 130amp from a Tbird that Adder picked up for me from his local junkyard, picked it up from him when I bought my spare T5 from him.
also, save yourself some time with the bracket shaving, don't use a dremel. get yourself a big angle grinder with a fine stone and be done in less than a minute.
part of the harness leading to the alt will have two rather thick(8g i believe) black wires leading to it, snip those out of the harness, crimp them together with whatever means you are comfortable with, and lead them to the post on the alt. the big thick 2g you bought also goes to the post, and then lead that end to the hot side of the battery, or the hot side of the starter solenoid, whichever is easier for you to do.
when i did mine on my 89 i used a 130amp from a Tbird that Adder picked up for me from his local junkyard, picked it up from him when I bought my spare T5 from him.
also, save yourself some time with the bracket shaving, don't use a dremel. get yourself a big angle grinder with a fine stone and be done in less than a minute.
I thought that it was a fire hazard to tie those two wires 8g wires together?
I was definately planning on using a grinder =) and i have a diamond bit so it should go extremely quickly.
The PA Performanc alternator(Better than other 130amps) is ****. I bought that as well as the 4 gage wire with a 200 amp fuse. The directions they give are top notch, not to mention their customer service.
Their directions will explain every modification necessary. The PA Performance alternator already has threads in the top-most bolt location. They also provide the bolt for those threads. Unlike most 130 amp conversion posts you have read, the PA Performance alternators do not require tapping the thread size in the upper most bolt because it is already threaded.
As for the wires, you can cut the black w/ orange stripe wires(original power wires), but they can potentially overload if you have a huge amperage draw. Don't bother soldering connections on. The new 4 gage wire replaces these two 10 gage wires...
Of the two stock wiring harness plugs, the one with the two 10 gage black/orange wires get snipped. The white wire gets a new connector soldered on to connect to the alternator. The PA Perf. alt comes with said connector. Aside from that you just plug the other stock alternator connector into the alternator. Viola! You are done.
Their directions will explain every modification necessary. The PA Performance alternator already has threads in the top-most bolt location. They also provide the bolt for those threads. Unlike most 130 amp conversion posts you have read, the PA Performance alternators do not require tapping the thread size in the upper most bolt because it is already threaded.
As for the wires, you can cut the black w/ orange stripe wires(original power wires), but they can potentially overload if you have a huge amperage draw. Don't bother soldering connections on. The new 4 gage wire replaces these two 10 gage wires...
Of the two stock wiring harness plugs, the one with the two 10 gage black/orange wires get snipped. The white wire gets a new connector soldered on to connect to the alternator. The PA Perf. alt comes with said connector. Aside from that you just plug the other stock alternator connector into the alternator. Viola! You are done.
08-15-2009, 04:03 PM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,459
The one you linked in your first reply is essentially what I have, only I bought them individually. Doh!
The black original power wires can be kept or removed. Keeping them requires putting eye terminals on them so they can be bolted to the alternator, of course.
PA Perf. calls for keeping the two black wires to ensure no circuits in the car are affected by removing them. The 4 gage wire + two black wires = less resistance than the 4 gage wire alone... It's not really a fire hazard. People just think it is.
The black original power wires can be kept or removed. Keeping them requires putting eye terminals on them so they can be bolted to the alternator, of course.
PA Perf. calls for keeping the two black wires to ensure no circuits in the car are affected by removing them. The 4 gage wire + two black wires = less resistance than the 4 gage wire alone... It's not really a fire hazard. People just think it is.
08-17-2009, 08:28 AM
#10
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,486
The one you linked in your first reply is essentially what I have, only I bought them individually. Doh!
The black original power wires can be kept or removed. Keeping them requires putting eye terminals on them so they can be bolted to the alternator, of course.
PA Perf. calls for keeping the two black wires to ensure no circuits in the car are affected by removing them. The 4 gage wire + two black wires = less resistance than the 4 gage wire alone... It's not really a fire hazard. People just think it is.
The black original power wires can be kept or removed. Keeping them requires putting eye terminals on them so they can be bolted to the alternator, of course.
PA Perf. calls for keeping the two black wires to ensure no circuits in the car are affected by removing them. The 4 gage wire + two black wires = less resistance than the 4 gage wire alone... It's not really a fire hazard. People just think it is.
I would but my whole thing is i am not very electric savvy and i would rather spend the money for something thats almost bolt in when it comes to this than mess around trying to make a custom setup. Plus if i go that route, i can call PA and ask them why the hell my car won't work instead of bashing my head in my fender.
