alternator upgrade

[aknight_sa]

i just got a used working 140amp alternator which i would like to replace my stock 60amps. the old one had some thin gauge wire which is less than half the size of what the replace one has. do i need to replace the + wire with a lower gauge wire?

 

[Justin V]

Stock wiring for the alt charge wire is too small anyway..., definitely recommend a atleast an 8 guage.

 

[MetalMulishaMarcus]

@K30Blazer

 

[handloader90]

@K30Blazer

Good video.

This guys K5 is full of goodies!

 

[MetalMulishaMarcus]

Good video.

This guys K5 is full of goodies!

Yeah I like the direction his k5 is going. I wish I had the money to make mine half as nice.

 

[handloader90]

Yeah I like the direction his k5 is going. I wish I had the money to make mine half as nice.

I don't wish I had the money lol... my heart would be broken If I had something that nice and it got into an accident or stolen.

That's a serious investment.

 

[MetalMulishaMarcus]

I don't wish I had the money lol... my heart would be broken If I had something that nice and it got into an accident or stolen.

That's a serious investment.

True, you've got a point.

 

[aknight_sa]

i will be doing the upgrade today as well as upgrading the wiring with a "Big 3" upgrade..

i have a question regarding the + wire that comes out of the back of the alternator, goes to the starter then to the + terminal of the battery.. would it be possible to just add the new wire from the back of the alternator directly to the battery?
possible to remove or just cancel the old wire?

 

[RootBreaker]

{subscribed} I have one on the shelf I'm going to try and do again once it gets warmer out...

which 140a alt you have? are you doing the old style to newer style alt as well?

 

[frankin5]

The YELLOW WIRE is the one that has to be up graded!! That is the one that carries the
current back to the battery. Depending on size of alt, you might want a larger wire from battery to starter. \
It is also a good idea to up size the ground wire, new one from battery to alt.

 

[Justin V]

When I upgraded my alt, I left the yellow wire as is, but did run a 8 or a 6 gauge from the alt directly to the battery.

 

[aknight_sa]

The alternator I have is a newer 140amp with serpentine belt which I will swap with a vbelt puly.
I do have a gauge 4 big 3 upgrade cables which includes the battery to alternator cable. Battery ground to engine and engine to body grounds. All are awg4 cables

 

[aknight_sa]

So I can leave the yellow wire and just add a new cable to + battery?

 

[RootBreaker]

The alternator I have is a newer 140amp with serpentine belt which I will swap with a vbelt puly.
I do have a gauge 4 big 3 upgrade cables which includes the battery to alternator cable. Battery ground to engine and engine to body grounds. All are awg4 cables

ok so from what I have heard (as I'm going to do the same swap) is the V belt cannot handle the strain that a serpentine setup has. They say you need to convert to serpentine belt setup...

 

[frankin5]

It can work on V belt as long as you have a quality belt, proper tension on it and a good pulleys.
once the belt slips the fun begins. I have run 140 on v belt, it is a load when you come up off idle.
I went thru about 3 belts before I found one that wouldn't slip. I also just run to battery and removed the 12 gauge to starter. I put a 2 gauge from battery to starter. The fusible links are between the starter and the rest of vehicle.

 

[Ned Kelly]

What about the option of replacing the single groove to double groove alternator pulley?

 

[skunked]

I run the 140 amp summit alternator on a v belt, it’s been fine.

 

[rdn2blazer]

I WISH I knew auto electrical. I am an idiot when it comes to Any electrical. Home or car. I am a fabricator and Machinist and certified welder. But no auto mechanic. Not like I Want to have the knowledge of unfortunately. Actually Want to take a full auto course Just to wise up on all this stuff. There is a UTI just down the street I may attempt to get into some day baring I survive this crap cancer

 

[RootBreaker]

Sorry to hear bud!!!!

 

[diesel4me]

A single belt will be unlikely to slip unless you sap down the battery a great deal by having every accessory on at once ,or use a winch for a long hard pull...having double batteries will ease the load on the alternator by allowing them to be the main power source,and the alternator wont have to max out to keep both charged,just maintain their fully charged status..

You can get double grooved v pulleys for the alternator,its finding the correct engine and water pump pulley setups to allow double grooved ones to be used that will prove hard to get--there are many more serpentine setups in boneyards now than any V belt driven alternators,its been since '87 they went to serpentine..