95 cobra 351 alternator won't mount

[wildmandave]

I recently swapped a 351w into my 95 cobra and am having some difficulty getting the alternator to mount in the bracket (it hits the valve cover). I have motorsport valve covers on twisted wedge heads (need clearance for scorpian 1.6 rockers). Do I need to fab a bracket, change the valve covers, run a mini alternator, or just shoot it? Also does anyone make a bracket for this? I've checked march and bscanned the net to no avail...HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bjl95mustang]

Did you get a 351 alternator? You can't use your old one from your cobra.

 

[bjl95mustang]

Doh, I coudl have sworn you were talking about the dizzy???? Man i must be going crazy.

 

[bjl95mustang]

How muc does it hit? Can you grind it at all? I'm running a set or plain chrome moroso valve covers with my car and have no clerance problems.

 

[1slow95]

Mine just barely cleared with AFR heads. What part is hitting? Here's what mine looks like,

 

[wildmandave]

theres about 2 inches between the alternator and where the top bolt hole is

 

[wildmandave]

did u use your stock 5.0 alternator?

 

[wildmandave]

called ford they told me 302 and 351 use the same alternator in 95 even on cobra r

 

[bjl95mustang]

I missread your post this morning when I had to get up at 5:30 for work. They are all the same alternators. you will probably have to get a different valve covers. Exactly what valve covers do you have cast aluminum, stamped steel?

 

[1slow95]

did u use your stock 5.0 alternator?

Yes, that is my stock alternater. What part of the alt. is hitting the valve covers? Is it the case itself, or the bolt for the power wire?

 

[wildmandave]

I have the same valve covers as low 5.0

 

[wildmandave]

Yes, that is my stock alternater. What part of the alt. is hitting the valve covers? Is it the case itself, or the bolt for the power wire?

the case is hitting by the voltage regulator (makes it impossible to grind)

 

[wildmandave]

Yes, that is my stock alternater. What part of the alt. is hitting the valve covers? Is it the case itself, or the bolt for the power wire?

what bracket did u end up using?

 

[1slow95]

OK, Im not sure if this will help or not, but if you remove the 3 long screws from the back of the alternator you can turn the rear casing. I had to turn mine to the position you see in my pic. If yours is allready in that position, I don't know what else you can to get some more clearance other that grinding.

 

[1slow95]

what bracket did u end up using?

Stock bracket, stock alternator.

 

[wildmandave]

OK, Im not sure if this will help or not, but if you remove the 3 long screws from the back of the alternator you can turn the rear casing. I had to turn mine to the position you see in my pic. If yours is allready in that position, I don't know what else you can to get some more clearance other that grinding.

does anyone know about the msd mini alternator?I need to find out if this will fit my car.

 

[wildmandave]

I clocked the alternator and had better luck this time but I had to shim it about 1/2 inch. Will this hurt the belt or will I be chucking belts all the time?

 

[S351R"Animal"]

You don't have to shim it. That will affect your belt. You have to clearance the valve covers. If memory serves me correctly the Cobra R used a different bracket. I know the alternator on my R-doesn't hit and I installed a 351 in my 94 Cobra and had to clearance the stock valve covers. The alternators are the same.

 

[94GTNJ]

I had the same problem on my swap. I used Anderson Motorsport Valve covers. The only way around it w/o fabricating a bracket to extend the alternator to mount farther out, is to buy new valve covers or remove a chunk of the valve cover and have it rewelded.

I opted to have my engine builder just cut a piece of the valve cover off and weld new plates onto the valve cover to cover the hole. Sucks but it was cheapest (Only 40 bucks) way around it. Next time Im definitely just gonna buy the proper valve covers.