Do I need a Higher Amperage Alternator

[UC645]

Ditto on the CS130 or 144. I’ve got a 144 on mine now with Sebring fans, when I switch the fans on I can hear the motor drop about 50rpm until the fans are up to speed.
I can only imagine how much those fans will load a SI series alternator when they start up.

 

[Longroof79]

I would also recommend going with the CS130 or 144 series alternator. They put out more amps at an idle than your typical SI series alternator. I installed the CS130 in my car. It;s rated at 105 amps. My original intention was to upgrade the alternator prior to installing electric fans. However. I ended up not installing the electric fans, but it also helps when running A/C, accessories, etc.

 

[pontiacgp]

One other option is an AD244. it's a large case and it puts out 145 amp. The 4 pin style which we can use goes up to 2005, 2006 and up is a 2 pin.

 

[Onehit]

I have the 144, it is a large case alternator that puts out 140 amps while the CS130 is a small case which is the size of the stock alternators. The 144 mounts the same as the stock alternator

Do you have a part #? I cant seem to find one with a v groove pully and do i need a harness adapter ?

Thanks

 

[CopperNick]

If that 78 amp unit is the old three wire version then what you have is a good paper weight. Even if it is in top charging condition, it does not put out enough at idle to keep up with all the demands on it. You do not mention what you have on the dash to monitor it, idiot light or gauge. A gauge, at idle, with everything, lights wipers, A/C, et all would likely show a reading below 12 Volts, meaning more power is being consumed than the alternator is putting back. Having gone through multiple 78 amp GM alternators over the decades, as fast as I could score one from the yard I went to 100 amp or heavier. The other option is to go aftermarket and get rid of the three wire harness. The newer alternators are internally exciting, like the 12si's, and will immediately throw a charge instead of you having to goose the throttle at start up to pop the rpm's over 2 grand to get the alternator to "wake up". At last count I think I have at least 6 of the old school low amp A/C Delco's gathering dust in various places. I don't get any demand for them, even as cores and most of them still generate power, just not enough and consistently to satisfy modern demand. On the other hand, if you know someone building a bare bones hot rod then a 78 will work just fine for them.


Nick

 

[64nailhead]

Do you have a part #? I cant seem to find one with a v groove pully and do i need a harness adapter ?

Thanks

You won’t find a CS 130 or 144 with a V-
belt option. You have to swap a v- belt pulley onto one. They all were built as SERP belt configurations.

 

[Onehit]

You won’t find a CS 130 or 144 with a V-
belt option. You have to swap a v- belt pulley onto one. They all were built as SERP belt configurations.

Proform 66430.16N: 1-Wire 160 Amp GM Alternator with CS130 Case [Natural] - JEGS

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I guess this should work then..

 

[565bbchevy]

I have a DC Power 180 amp V-belt alternator that puts out 130 amps at idle on my Monte and it puts out over 14 volts at idle with everything on and handles my 7600 RPM shifts without issue.
I have gone through a few alternators before finding this one, the previous one was a name brand 200 amp from Summit but could not keep up with my idle demand on a hot summer day at the Dream Cruise and it got so hot my belt started slipping (melting) and I was loosing a charge.
My Monte still has the factory wiring for the factory stuff but all of the accessories have their own fuse panels and relays and upsized wiring, my alternator charge wire is 1/0 and I run 70 amp relays on my Intrepid fans since in the past I have melted lower amp relays. and since I also run a trunk mounted battery I have probably around eight 1/0 grounds throughout the car.
When I first contacted DC Power I was told the 180 amp was max for a V-belt set up if I wanted higher I would need a serpentine set up to avoid belt slippage but I haven't needed to go higher.
I went with DC Power but another one I was looking at was Mechman.

180 Amp HP High Output Alternator (Chevrolet Blazer 1980 5.7L V8)

Our HP series high-output alternators are the ultimate upgrade when you need the absolute biggest and most sophisticated high output alternator on the planet. All of our HP series alternators are designed for extreme reliability. When you need the most extreme idle output with the most...

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[denny]

i had a si converted to 100 amps.and when the fans kicked on i would see it drop to about 8 volts at a street light. did a lot of stop and go in town so i converted to a cs 140 amp and it made a world of difference. just use your si v-belt pulley . they interchange. mine was a 81 malibu.

 

[CopperNick]

Power Master. Relays and circuit breakers for the high use/draw circuits; good idea. 10 gauge primary wire for + side of a circuit, good idea. New heavier ground leads, good idea. Do not rely on the firewall ground to the motor to make the dash happy. For that circuit to be correct there needs to be a good heavy mechanical ground between the motor and the frame and the motor and the battery. Don't recycle old ground wires; they were designed and fabbed to meet the absolute minimum voltage that the factory could get away with. Definitely put the starter motor on a relay; it makes both the key switch and the starter motor much happier and keeps the wires in the dash from getting too hot and frying. Wire ends and connections. Factory usually went with crimped, plus just a touch of solder where multiple wires came together to form a spider. Me, I like belt and suspenders approach so crimp the cable or wire end and then swipe it with a little touch of solder and use a small length of heat shrink sleeve for insulation. Back story? Just that if you are going to go to all the effort of upgrading your alternator, then you should give some consideration to upgrading the circuits that the alternator feeds. If nothing else they are old and wire tends to gain resistance as it ages meaning that more voltage is needed to overcome that resistance. Voltage generates heat, heat bad.



Nick