Alternator options?

[Silverbullet]

I need suggestions/ideas on what I can do for an alternator in my wagon. Some searches on here have brought up the Maxima alternator upgrade but I'm not really fond of the idea of putting an old alternator in my "new" car

Ideally something I can buy new off the shelf that will fit straight in, around 80 amps output, internally regulated. Wiring configuration not really an issue as I'm not using the original wiring so anything is possible here The only thing I can't change is the way the charge light works in the dash - the wire for this needs to be earthed when the alt isn't charging.

Are there any Liberty or Forrester alternators that will fit nicely? The pulley may or may not be a huge issue if it's the wrong one, if it is easily removed then I can get my original V groove pulley adapted to fit.

Any pointers greatly appreciated

[Subydoug]

Im using a forri alternator. I think its 80 amp. Year was Mid 2000's from memory. Bolts straight on and same wiring setup as the old one. Will need to machine around 2mm from the MY alternator pulley spacer for better belt alignment. Throw the rest of the hitachi in the "art" tub.

Regards

Doug

[Silverbullet]

Ah ha Doug just the guy I needed to talk to What have you done for fusing your alternator charge line? If at all. I can't decide if the charge line needs a fuse/circuit breaker between the alt and the battery or not. Or a fuse/breaker between the alt and main fuse box.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will investigate the Forrester alternator

[Subydoug]

yeah...fuses...aint no body got time for that Nah I dont have a fuse. Maybe check if the original one does. The only thing slightly annoying about the forrester alt is its actually rotated 180deg on its shaft axis on an EJ. This puts the connector and battery binding post underneath near the manifold. Il take some pics for you tonight.

Regards

Doug

[El_Freddo]

Hang on, are we talking the fiori alternator or the forester alternator?

I'm confused.

Anyway - silverbullet when you say an old alternator you mean old technology or not a second hand unit? I'm sure you can get a new off the shelf maxima alternator no worries...

Cheers

Bennie

[Bantum]

Yes I would go with a new alternator if you can get one to fit ( not sure what from though ) - otherwise you could recondition the old one - bearings & commutator brushes I think are all that's needed ...

I also would do a quick check on total current drawn by your system & get the alternator matched to that.
Add : Total would be how many amps are drawn by every electrical item switched on while running in 'normal' mode ...
So making allowances for any accessories that you may be running & that should give you the charge rate ...

Fuses not needed on the circuit running the alternator, as you already have one located on the main battery Right ?

Ciao, Bantum ...

[Subydoug]

Forrester Alternator.

[Silverbullet]

Yes I would go with a new alternator if you can get one to fit ( not sure what from though ) - otherwise you could recondition the old one - bearings & commutator brushes I think are all that's needed ...

I also would do a quick check on total current drawn by your system & get the alternator matched to that.
Add : Total would be how many amps are drawn by every electrical item switched on while running in 'normal' mode ...
So making allowances for any accessories that you may be running & that should give you the charge rate ...

Fuses not needed on the circuit running the alternator, as you already have one located on the main battery Right ?

Ciao, Bantum ...

I can already tell the total possible current draw from my system will be more than the original 55A alternator can handle; I'm going to have a number of higher current devices that may be running at any one time. Haven't done an exact count yet though. Also, my old alternator is externally regulated, and I gleefully tossed the old external regulator in the trash along with the rest of the old wiring loom

When I mentioned fuses earlier I was talking about something to protect the battery if the alternator went bunta and lost its regulation, or if in some unlikely event the main battery line to the alt got shorted to ground (as is possible in a crash) The old system has the alternator charge going through a fusible link to the battery. I have a reset-able circuit breaker instead of fuse links, just can't decide which side of the breaker I should put the alternator charge line on. The two sides of my particular breaker are labelled "Batt - IN" and "LOAD" or some such; if I wanted to protect the battery from a runaway alternator I would have to put the charge line from the alt on the LOAD side, not sure if the breaker would like this as there would be current going the wrong way through it. Or I could just put a second separate breaker dedicated on the alternator charge line to the battery but I'm kinda running out of room to put it

Man that description got way out of hand and slightly off topic Did it even make any sense!?!?

Bennie - I meant old as in second hand. Also from what I've read the Maxima alt needs some fiddling to make it work? I'd like a bolt on swap if possible.

[henpecked]

My research indicated that these ishould be the correct alternators in respect of casings

90Amp
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Nissan-Maxim ... xlJpDkchFg

and you can get it over the counter at edwardstown here in SA with a g'tee

or a new 70amp one here

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Alternator-t ... XQlgtRpKKF

need a nissan alternator for a VG30E NOT a DE or a DE, or any VG35

various write-ups here

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/top ... ide/page-5

some good tips from that thread

1) There is a very simple solution to the wiring , the std alternator plug is a very common style and you can easily buy those plugs as a male and female set with terminals . Its very simple to use the female half of the plug and terminals to make an adapter sub loom . I always get alternator connectors if I buy them from wreckers (breakers) and if you do this you can fit the female plug to the newer alternators plug wires and plug it to the cars existing alternator connector. Aside from being easy the advantage is that you can fit and plug in a std alternator if you ever have to ie if you change cars and keep the fancy spark maker .

2) Yep - a supplemental 10 AWG wire from the alt to the battery with a fuse at or near the battery is essential to insure the alt can't burn up the wiring and connections between itself and the battery.

3) If your battery is good you may never need it but the potential to overload 55 amp sized wire with 20+ year old connections is there even if you get away with it for years without a failure. It's really not that hard to install either.

4) You don't want a standard "fuse" that will blow suddenly during a spike of the rated amperage. If you use say a 100 AMP.....it might pop during a max. output situation from a spike. You'll blow it often if you have a big stereo or turn on lots of offroad lights while using defrost and blower and then radiator fan kicks in see what I'm sayin?

5) You want it to be "fusible link" wire or a Slow Blow fuse that will only melt after a prolonged (3-15 secs) high amp draw.

6) A 2" length of 10ga fusible link wire will provide 100-130 amps of protection. Place this as close to the battery as possible.

I understand that with all the "upgrades' you will need to do some variation od adaption with both the electrical connectors and the pulleys/spacer combination. I have not gone down this route yet as i expected a EJ20 SOHC swap to happen eventually.

[steptoe]

mid to late 80's Patrol alt is what CoolDrive guys say will also fit, just you need the Pootrols plug at the back of the alt. No idea of its Amp rating

[Silverbullet]

Thanks for the run-down on the Maxima alternator Geoff, the ones you linked to look awfully do-able, if I can get one locally even better. The comments from that thread regarding the 55a rated wire don't really apply to me anymore, but I'm thinking I will put something fusible in the alternator charge line for safety. Making the connection to the other terminals on the alt is no problem for me either, just so long as I know which terminal needs IGN power and which is the charge light. I may even be able to find a new "Nissan" connector with new terminals somewhere online and crimp properly onto my loom for a factory look

Jonno, another unit to look at thanks for the heads up.

[Cliff R]

Just bought and put this into the 82 MY Wagon.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/112150058768 ... EBIDX%3AIT

Not a direct fit but only in that the main top bolt needed to be 5 to 10mm longer and the spacer that is part of the top bolt/mount had to go in a couple of mm more so it had to be packed out otherwise I would crack the top mount.
Anyone know what the blue plugged wire is for, I am guessing it was something for a Nissan which is what the invoice is marked as the alternator being for but it doesn't seem to affect the alternators operation.