What's old is new again. Alternator upgrade options

[grannyknot]

Zed, the stock tensioner will work with a GM alternator but you have to mount it on the back side of the Alternator tensioner flange.

[zKars]

A ha. That tensioner with the heim joints wasn't mentioned before, was it? That's a key part. I don't know that the stock one will work. Looks good. Is it harder to squeeze down between everything to install? I remember lots of maneuvering and some flexing of parts to get my ZX alternator installed. Any bigger and I don't know that I could have done it without removing parts.

Is that an inline electric water pump in your coolant return line? Or just a large fitting for the flexible hose?

The turnbuckle is just a convenience, the stock bracket will work just fine too, as noted by Granny. At worst might need a little bending.

I did drain the rad (was changing the antifreeze and ensuring -45C anyway) and removed the lower rad hose to make it easier to get in there. It's just a fancy hose, no water pump.

[TomoHawk]

So All I'm missing here i year/make\model spec to tell the young'en behind the counter when you need to find one in Podunk Kansas.  (I've been there, its not so bad...)

That's what I thought straight away.  Usually, the first thing the sales person says to you is, "what car do you have" (even if you have an SUV or pickup!) So even if I tell him exactly the GM part number (or any part number even) is, they ask you, "what car do you have." These young people can't handle auto parts like the old guys did.  They probably think a Spanner is some kind of computer  or 'phone' application.

UGH... 

 

BTW-  None of the mapping websites I know of can find Podunk, KS...

Edited October 9, 2015 by TomoHawk

[Martzedcars]

A GM part in a japanese car...pfff....  i take my alternator to a shop and then it can run another 150000 km's..  why put al kind of parts in your Z that don't belong there? 

 

Most 240z now here on the market are imported american junk..  When i see what some people do to make it work... Glue in a cracked engine head to keep the water in?? 

 

Please use the Original part in your cars... 

 

fwiw.

 

grts Mart

[zKars]

1982 Caprice 5.0litre engine. Check Rockauto, you'll see a huge selection of 10SI alternators available. Clocking is 6:00, which means the top mount is 180 degrees from the lower mount. Most are 63 amp.

There is one listing in there for this thing, Might work for us.

PURE ENERGY 7127SW3 Click for more information about this part

Remanufactured

GM Universal, Single Wire, 63 amp alt.

Here's the thing. None of them are 100+ amp one wire alternators. But it's the right case, and all it takes is a 12v wire to the exciter terminal to get them to work. It's a way to get back on the road in 60 minutes rather than 3 days. That's all I'm trying to do, give us options when traveling.

I wish I could find autoparts that last 150,000 km, but that does seem to be realistic in this part of the world. I'm also not interested in originality, I'm interested in maximizing my enjoyment of my Z and doing everything I can to ensure I take whereever and whenever I feel like without fear of left on the side of the road when I can't get a super quality Nissan part.

BTW, re not being able to find Podunk on the map, Poduck un-incorporated and closed as a townsite in 2011. Seems the AutoZone closed and it was the major employer in town, and it couldn't maintain liquidity. Sad, this is happening all over the US and Canada as small towns struggle to keep their young population from moving to more lucrative bigger centers

[TomoHawk]

A GM part in a Japanese car...pfff....  I take my alternator to a shop and then it can run another 150000 kms..  why put all kind of parts in your Z that don't belong there? 

 

Most 240z now here on the market are imported American junk..  When I see what some people do to make it work... Glue in a cracked engine head to keep the water in?? 

 

Please use the Original part in your cars...

because you cannot get the original parts. 

 

Even having the part, like the alternator, repaired or rebuilt is often not possible usually, because the repair shop people are gone, and the young people that have the repair shop are too lazy to repair things;  they would rather just install a new part, which is easier, which you cannot buy!

 

The same is true for classic American cars;  you usually put in a modern part for the old part.

Edited October 9, 2015 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

 I have wondered how people figure the  output rating needed from the alternator. 

 

Do you just add up the values of the fuses in the fusebox, plus any loose fuses, or do you sit down with some paper and write down, in detail, every part that uses power (headlamps, fog lamps,  heater fan, radio, power seat/windows, etc.) and how much current it needs?

[zKars]

 I have wondered how people figure the  output rating needed from the alternator. 

 

Do you just add up the values of the fuses in the fusebox, plus any loose fuses, or do you sit down with some paper and write down, in detail, every part that uses power (headlamps, fog lamps,  heater fan, radio, power seat/windows, etc.) and how much current it needs?

 

The right way is to measure the current draw of all of the components then add 15-25% for safety margin. Trick is doing the measuring. The single biggest item other a big bad stereo is likely to be the a pair of 12" rad fans... Often 30 amps right there. Halogen bulbs, heater fan, wipers, heater fan, all the bulbs in the car, ignition, another 30-40 at best.

 

100 amp is enough for just about anybody with common upgrades.Rad fans, Halogen headlights, "nice" stereo.  

[Patcon]

Mart,

You live in a pretty area it seems and a much denser population than where some of the other members are. The map of your area, shows major roads every few kilometers or so, but where JIm is in Calgary, once you are outside of the city you can end up in "no mans land" pretty quick with the next major road a 100 miles or more away and no passenger rail to hop on to get home. While I appreciate a totally stock vehicle, I have no problems switching to a high volume domestic part for our cars. The conversion is easily reversible and makes long distance travel easier.

[zKars]

Got a couple made up and one sent out to a member

Degreased, sand blasted, machined and drilled, copper bearing weld thru primer applied (all I had for primer handy, looks real 70's).

Includes a 4.5" x 3/8 NC GR 8 bolt and plated hardware including two nice thin spacer washers to get the pulley alignment just right.

$35 USD + price of a stamp.

[zKars]

Two made and sold! Maybe I'm on to something.

 

Let me dig a bit and see how many I have.  

[Chickenman]

Delete post

Edited October 13, 2015 by Chickenman