Motorcraft alternator upgrade

Nice job. It's a good fit and looks clean.
And no offense - but I feel the need to add this as to not perpetuate that "more power" myth or legend that obviously lives on.....
Unless you have incredible load - load that car's wiring and fuse panel can't even handle, that is double what you'll ever need.
a 60-80 would more than suffice, 120 would be overkill, actually.
You could put in a stereo with two large amps and crank out 350+ watts into 8 speakers, run A/C and electronic injection and never need that much alternator, period.
(we've covered that in great detail and length here over the years)

So although that's a nice looking conversion, well done, and I wish to stress this is nothing against the change/conversion, we need to keep the true output needs in perspective for anyone looking on and "learning" - they should note you could do a 60 or 80 and have enough for all of those upgrades. (and then some)
I know - I do and have done alternators and charging systems for 40 years, and used to run my Jeep in stereo contests sponsored by Alpine. I ran 2 amps, one dedicated to subs, and 8 other speakers, 4 cross-overs, etc. I had to run heavy wiring in through circuit breakers to handle the load inside.  AND had fog lights, running lights, and off-road lights I used on the farm for late night repairs in the fields. I had EFI, A/C, that massive stereo, and all the lights - it kept up fine.

Thanks for the compliment. You're right Bill, I didn't need that much power but that's what it happened to put out. What was important to me on this unit was the output at idle vs the Delcotron. It's ten times better. I hate having my lights go dim and wipers slow down at an idle at a red light. I have it fused with a 150 amp buss fuse just because I doubt it will ever put out it's max for any length of time. All the newer alternators seem to high output since the late 90's but that's when the better alternators seem to have come out.

Pdok wrote: So why, with car manufacturers always looking for the cheap way to do everything, does a 96 Mustang need a 130amp alternator?  It should be good with a 60-80amp model, too, right?

Edited by billd - May/27/2012 at 9:40pm

Those brackets are absolutely first-class. Works of art. Solid, straight, nicely finished.

AMX North wrote: Nice installation and I really like your choice of alternator for ease of availability . I have had several GM cars and replaced multiple alternators on them over the years but I have only replaced one on my winter beater 96 Escort . Personally it could be conditions or bad luck but I found the GM alternators seemed to destroy the front bearing or go down with a shorted diode.

I've heard that only happens in Canada. So it must be the driver.


I think GM had more bearing issues than the others in the 80s and earlier, can't speak for the 90 and later models, though. That's just a general observation, not a solid fact supported by charts and reports.
The diode trio was a common part to replace as well. Funny, when I was sorting through various old parts - guess which pieces I still had in stock from my shop in the 80s?
GM regulator, bearings and diode trio.