Alternator recommendations....

PhLoBuS

New Member
Aug 15, 2004
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Beverly, MA
What is the stock alternator in a 90 GT and what would be a good brand of alternator to get and also how many amps should it have? I currently have a stock alternator with under drive pulleys and sometimes when I turn it on it gives out.

:bang:
 
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The stock is a 65 amp...get a PA performance 130 amp 3G (can get them at Autozone since they come in 95 stangs)...upgrade your alt to starter relay wire with a 4 gauge, starter relay to pos battery with a 2 or 4 gauge, and upgrade the neg battery to block with a 4 gauge wire. You will see a huge difference. I get 16 volts at idle. Chech sig..have similar mods.
 
Here's websites with pictures of the 3G (94 Mustang and later 130 amp alt) installation procedure...

See http://www.geocities.com/smithmonte/Auto/3G_130A_Alternator_Upgrade.htm - all the tech data you could ever want to know
OR
http://www.mustangcentral.net/tech/alternator.html - excellent pictures of the installation

See these sites for the right way to do the wiring. Some people will tell you that you can skip the wiring upgrade, but it will catch up with you sooner or later. A fire in the wiring harness is ugly and expensive.

Under no circumstances connect the two 10 gauge black/white wires to the 3G alternator. If the fuse blows in the 4 gauge wire, the two 10 gauge wires may be overloaded to the point of catching fire and burning up the wiring harness.

Figure this:
Ignition system & computer = 12 amps
Fuel pump = 12 amps
Exterior lights = 15 amps
Fan (heater or A/C) = 15 amps (can run between 5-25 amps depending on setting)
Radio & instruments = 10 amps
Wipers = 10 amps

That's grand total of 74 amps from a 65 amp alternator. Talk about overdrawn at the bank!
 
This is what I'll be doing this weekend :). I did have an upgraded 80amp that I bought 2 years ago from discount. Well, the second day it went bad and I had to get a new one (remake problem). That one went bad about 3 months ago (same problem as before). Now the recent one I have just went bad. Basically, they're using cheap parts to rebuild these and they just don't last. The bolt that holds the pulley on strips out and eventually makes a wonderful humming/scrapping noise.

So in all, this was a good time for this thread :).'



Fred
 
I got my 3G from alterstart, www.4alterstart.com and got real good service. I have the 160 amp unit, but my system is very underdriven, ASP underdrives with a 3" crank pulley it doesn't charge at low rpms but at least when the rpm's get high the alternator charges very well and makes up for everything by keeping the battery healthy.

Upgrading the wiring is very nessasary.
 
mustangsquared said:
The stock is a 65 amp...get a PA performance 130 amp 3G (can get them at Autozone since they come in 95 stangs)...upgrade your alt to starter relay wire with a 4 gauge, starter relay to pos battery with a 2 or 4 gauge, and upgrade the neg battery to block with a 4 gauge wire. You will see a huge difference. I get 16 volts at idle. Chech sig..have similar mods.

Alright...I got the 4 guage wire from the alternator to the starter relay (solenoid)...but haven't did any other wires to anywhere else...

I dont' have any more "room" on my starter solenoid for wires...what can I do to extend that?

So I put another 4 guage wire on the starter solenoid and then put it on the positive battery and then put on a 4 guage wire and bolt it to the block (where at on the block)...do I leave my stock battery wires?

The Pa performance instructions said nothing about doing all that...I did what it said and it didn't mention any of this...
 
5spd GT said:
Alright...I got the 4 guage wire from the alternator to the starter relay (solenoid)...but haven't did any other wires to anywhere else...

I dont' have any more "room" on my starter solenoid for wires...what can I do to extend that?

So I put another 4 guage wire on the starter solenoid and then put it on the positive battery and then put on a 4 guage wire and bolt it to the block (where at on the block)...do I leave my stock battery wires?

The Pa performance instructions said nothing about doing all that...I did what it said and it didn't mention any of this...


The site jrichker mentioned gives you all the info you need.
 
The stud on the stock starter relay is a little short to add many extra wires. I have been told that the 93 relay had a longer stud.

If you have the inline fuse near the starter relay, bolt some of the extra wires on it. Use the some stud that gets the power feed from the battery.
 
jrichker said:
The stud on the stock starter relay is a little short to add many extra wires. I have been told that the 93 relay had a longer stud.

If you have the inline fuse near the starter relay, bolt some of the extra wires on it. Use the some stud that gets the power feed from the battery.

Well I have a 93 relay (as you seen)...

Actually now that I think about it my negative battery cable is connected to my starter relay (solenoid) I believe...I guess that is correct...it is a 4guage size wire...
 
5spd GT, Not to call you out but the negative should not be connected to the starter relay...it has to go to the block to complete the circuit. Positive battery cable to starter relay. I think TMOSS has a diagram on the "useful" webb site. The realy needs power to work correctly and the starter is ground through its retaining bolts.
 
mustangsquared said:
5spd GT, Not to call you out but the negative should not be connected to the starter relay...it has to go to the block to complete the circuit. Positive battery cable to starter relay. I think TMOSS has a diagram on the "useful" webb site. The realy needs power to work correctly and the starter is ground through its retaining bolts.

Call me out?

Okay I bet it is the positive battery cable...your right...it is the one closest to the engine firewall...I got the negative and positive backwards :bang:
 
Yeah...some people get upset when you disagree with them just wanted to make it clear I was not trying to be a d!@k. No biggie on getting backwards I forgot what the stock spark plug gaps was and gapped mine .20 too small....too much crap floating around between my ears.... :)
 
mustangsquared said:
Yeah...some people get upset when you disagree with them just wanted to make it clear I was not trying to be a d!@k. No biggie on getting backwards I forgot what the stock spark plug gaps was and gapped mine .20 too small....too much crap floating around between my ears.... :)

Oh okay...well like I've stated I'm wiring retarted...so it's not like I know more than you do...I don't disagree on something I know nothing about (wiring) :)