PA performance 200amp 6th gen replacement
07-20-2012, 08:51 PM
#1
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 1,596
PA performance 200amp 6th gen replacement
So, I've had it for a month now. I knew my OEM one was on the way out, but I didn't think it was quite as bad as it turned out this week. I think the mega heat earlier in the week did the remnants of the brushes in. I got to push-start a 3500lbs vehicle last night from work, said 'f dis' and got busy today...
Sitting pretty with other stuff a few weeks ago:
Installed:
Overall setup now(still temporary, til I get off my butt again to mount battery cases in trunk, run cable again, and install breakers)
Yay! My battery can actually get charged now. Previously, even from a cold start the best the OEM would do was 12.2v, the actual amperage behind that was likely very little, likely less than 80amps at it's best. This was from my initial start-up test after I buttoned everything back up at the basic idle of 740rpms:
Everything, including OEM grounds(frame and engine "absolute" ground) re-done in 0guage wiring. Cut/removed all old wiring and split-loom tubing. Note the 2 cables now coming from the back of the alternator. 3/4' bolt used for "absolute" ground in slot essentially made for it on the back of the alternator. Sanded off the gloss black coat from on it, used the hammer and chisel 0guage ring terminals all around for terminal connections, washers, heat shrink tubing, and electrical tape where that was not possible. Di-electric grease on the little bit of exposed sections I couldn't otherwise seal from moisture/air.
I'm using a 0guage distributor block mounted just behind the battery in the picture with a strip of insulation used normally for AC wrapping to protect the rather fragile plastic case from melting in there, especially next to the battery itself. This was done not only for this, but for the future plan, of battery relocation. Once that's done there will be 2 200amp breakers installed for the BEC line, alternator cable, and a battery cut-off switch installed in the rear likely through the key-hole.
Fun day, but if I ever get battery issues again, it likely means the engine seized.
Sitting pretty with other stuff a few weeks ago:
Installed:
Overall setup now(still temporary, til I get off my butt again to mount battery cases in trunk, run cable again, and install breakers)
Yay! My battery can actually get charged now. Previously, even from a cold start the best the OEM would do was 12.2v, the actual amperage behind that was likely very little, likely less than 80amps at it's best. This was from my initial start-up test after I buttoned everything back up at the basic idle of 740rpms:
Everything, including OEM grounds(frame and engine "absolute" ground) re-done in 0guage wiring. Cut/removed all old wiring and split-loom tubing. Note the 2 cables now coming from the back of the alternator. 3/4' bolt used for "absolute" ground in slot essentially made for it on the back of the alternator. Sanded off the gloss black coat from on it, used the hammer and chisel 0guage ring terminals all around for terminal connections, washers, heat shrink tubing, and electrical tape where that was not possible. Di-electric grease on the little bit of exposed sections I couldn't otherwise seal from moisture/air.
I'm using a 0guage distributor block mounted just behind the battery in the picture with a strip of insulation used normally for AC wrapping to protect the rather fragile plastic case from melting in there, especially next to the battery itself. This was done not only for this, but for the future plan, of battery relocation. Once that's done there will be 2 200amp breakers installed for the BEC line, alternator cable, and a battery cut-off switch installed in the rear likely through the key-hole.
Fun day, but if I ever get battery issues again, it likely means the engine seized.
Last edited by wayne613; 07-21-2012 at 12:08 AM.
07-20-2012, 09:32 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 1,596
Just as the side-note, I was quite careful in doing this, and checking what I thought to be everything once done. I did however miss something, and it was pretty basic...
Note radiator cover hole...
Which matches the end of the missing bolt here:
Aftermath pic of the melted off bolt beside the other good one, along with the hood latch itself and the nearly dead removed OEM alternator:
I knew something could go wrong, so I kept the basic tools on hand for my test drive. On my drive, I gunned it once switching lanes at the time, the car lights went dim, engine cut out, I pulled over ASAP, popped hood, it didn't budge, pulled release again, still nothing, popped hood manually. Everything seemed fine. And it was, now, since the hood was now up.
The battery slid as I only previously hand-tightened the battery hold-down, and forgot about it. Since there really isn't much clearance with an optima, you need to keep it closer to the engine in the tray, it slid over, the terminal contacted the hood, it found the path of least resistance, and the latch got some serious juice for those 40seconds via the hood.
So much so that the contact point of that bolt-head on that side melted off, and burned it's way completely through the radiator cover....Niiiiiice.
Fixed the hood latch with spare bolts(replaced both as I had chrome ones) I had on hand, but I now need a new radiator cover. Stupid mistake, but I thought I'd share, since all that's needed is to miss something trivial. And why it's necessary to test and check throughly before you call it done.
Note radiator cover hole...
Which matches the end of the missing bolt here:
Aftermath pic of the melted off bolt beside the other good one, along with the hood latch itself and the nearly dead removed OEM alternator:
I knew something could go wrong, so I kept the basic tools on hand for my test drive. On my drive, I gunned it once switching lanes at the time, the car lights went dim, engine cut out, I pulled over ASAP, popped hood, it didn't budge, pulled release again, still nothing, popped hood manually. Everything seemed fine. And it was, now, since the hood was now up.
The battery slid as I only previously hand-tightened the battery hold-down, and forgot about it. Since there really isn't much clearance with an optima, you need to keep it closer to the engine in the tray, it slid over, the terminal contacted the hood, it found the path of least resistance, and the latch got some serious juice for those 40seconds via the hood.
So much so that the contact point of that bolt-head on that side melted off, and burned it's way completely through the radiator cover....Niiiiiice.
Fixed the hood latch with spare bolts(replaced both as I had chrome ones) I had on hand, but I now need a new radiator cover. Stupid mistake, but I thought I'd share, since all that's needed is to miss something trivial. And why it's necessary to test and check throughly before you call it done.
Last edited by wayne613; 07-21-2012 at 12:38 AM.
07-21-2012, 07:12 AM
#3
6th Gear Member
Yeah, the OE alternators are pretty lame. I'm really disappointed in Ford since the alternator and a number of other items were known problems beginning in '05 and it took them until '07 and later to fix a FEW ot them.
Nice job.
Nice job.
07-21-2012, 07:04 PM
#4
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 1,596
Thanks, ya, it's never been "good", but it's been on a slow death for the past few months. Everything's great now though, and it can keep up with the electronics installed without needing to drive 40mins minimum. Forgot how nice it was to actually not worry about stopping somewhere, and having to think twice before turning the car off.
A couple more easy to view pics showing the cabling:
A couple more easy to view pics showing the cabling:
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