snowmobiler7c

Pretty sure my alternator is junk. I have a highly moded out 88 gt convert. Was driving home last week and lights started dimming, the battery light came on and i got the car home. Today i took it out to try charging the battery and just kept watching my volts drop when i pulled in the driveway the car started missing and i shut it off. Barely had enough power to put up the windows and the convertible top.

So i want to order a new alternator but what size would do the job. Odviously the stock 75amp is too small. Im running a msd 6al, electric fan, the convertible top, power windows, radio, ect. I have always noticed since i installed the 6al and the fan that i can see a drop in volts on the guage once the fan is turned on. Would a 140amp be sufficent or should i spend the extra cash on a 200amp? Also anyone know the best place to buy one online? Im a little leary about getting a new one on ebay. thanks
mark

enix187

If you're willing to do it look into the 3g swap, high amp stocker style ones are extremely expensive but new 3g ones off newer models, even new, are about a third of the price, you can do a search (on google or here) for "3g alternator swap/upgrade" and see if you're up to it, they run about 120 amp

93hatch306

I swapped my stocker for a PA Performance 130 amp. It was $200, but with the output and the lifetime warranty, it seems to be worth it. I have a 6AL, an electric fan and still have the factory fog lights.....no charging problems.

holyshift

3g FTW,best upgrade Ive made(electrically).

mjr46

your not running the convert top or power windows all the time so that makes no difference, I run a powermaster 100 amp and I'm running way more stuff than you are electrically and have no issue whatsoever.....make sure you don't have any voltage drop occuring anywhere due to faulty cables or connections/grounds

snowmobiler7c

ok,
i ended up buying a tuff stuff 140 amp alternator from summit racing. ONly problem is it is a single wire alternator. As you know the stock alternator has two plugs. Any idea on the correct way to install this on my car? I wrote the company but havent heard back yet dosnt have any instructions. thanks
mark

mjr46

leave all your stock wiring to old alt unplugged and run a heavy gauge wire from charge lug on back of alt to always hot side of your selonoid on the fender, and iirc there is one wire that goes to the battery light in the dash that you tap into on the old/existing harness, that's what I did to my 1 wire self exciting alt

snowmobiler7c

ok thanks sounds pretty simple but i have a mini starter and no longer have the selinoid on the fender, would it be fine to go directly to the battery?. Do you know what size wire is best to use? I will get my electrical book out to try and figure out what wire to tap into on the old harness. thanks
mark

mjr46

just run it to the battery then, I ran 4 gauge iirc

snowmobiler7c

thanks alot