3G Alt swap (w/ u-d pulleys)

[Mr.HO]

Hi :SNSign:
I hope I'm posting in the correct section here for my questions?

I'm wanting to swap out my stock 75amp 2G unit for a higher output 3G unit. The car right now doesn't have any serious aftermarket stereo equipment or anything else drawing additional amperage, but that could change in the future.

My car idles around 700-800 rpms and with multiple accessories on, like the blower motor and headlights, the amp gauge drops significantly at idle. If I pick the idle up to around 900-1000 it charges 'good enough'.

I would like to avoid any bracket cutting/modifications etc so I think the 80idle/150cruise unit in the link below would be perfect in that regard?:

http://www.pa-performance.com/displ...nfig2=&config3=&config4=80+Idle+/+150+Max&rP=

I also have a set of pullies I would like to install, but I'm curious if the pulley for the 2G alternator is similar enough to bolt onto the 3G unit?

Installing pullies and a good aftermarket alternator is something I've put off for a long time since the car is a weekend fling thing for me, but now I think it's about time to do something.

Thanks.

 

[sgarlic]

Welcome to the forums!

You can find junkyard 3g alternators much cheaper than PA sells them for, but you have to grind the bracket a little to make it fit. I'm the type of person who prefers to leave stock pieces uncut, stock wires uncut, etc, but I had no problem modifying that bracket with a dremel tool for the gain the 3g alt got me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/87-9...ewItemQQcategoryZ33573QQitemZ8044847148QQrdZ1

If you prefer to do the PA version, might as well buy their installation kit which includes a big fuse and 4 gauge wire.. keep in mind, this also can be bought from other sources cheaper (partsexpress.com being the first one that comes to mind, or local stereo shops.)

As far as your underdrive pullies, the pulley on the 3g alt will probably be fine.. but you can remove the 2g pulley and put it on the 3g if you wish.. just takes an impact wrench, or bring it to a shop with air tools and they'll probably do it for free.

 

[Mr.HO]

Thank you for that link. That is a great price for a 3G, my only hesitancy would be the alternator possibly having mediocre bearings or reg in it, with a bunch of miles on the unit itself? The commentator ring, brushes etc could be near shot? I also really want to avoid cutting the bracket, but I suppose I could be persuaded at a price like that. Rebuilding it (if needed) also becomes highly tempting at that price.

Did your car run/idle any better with the additional amps provided, or were you just able to use more accessories?

Thanks for the help.

 

[sgarlic]

Thank you for that link. That is a great price for a 3G, my only hesitancy would be the alternator possibly having mediocre bearings or reg in it, with a bunch of miles on the unit itself? The commentator ring, brushes etc could be near shot? I also really want to avoid cutting the bracket, but I suppose I could be persuaded at a price like that. Rebuilding it (if needed) also becomes highly tempting at that price.

Did your car run/idle any better with the additional amps provided, or were you just able to use more accessories?

Thanks for the help.

Well, for 30 bucks, even if it did have mediocre bearings or something, you could still afford to buy another one and still have paid like half of what a PA one costs.. peace of mind may be worth more to you than that though.

Personally, if I were to do the 3g swap again, I'd just go to AutoZone and buy a reman alt. for a 94 or 95 5.0 with a warranty.. if it takes a crap, bring it on back.

To answer your second question, I wouldn't say it made the car RUN any better, but it made the windows roll up faster, made my headlights not dim at idle or surge with throttle at night, and made my stereo sound better while I was driving around.

Edit: And it kept the heater blower actually blowing full blast when I came to a stop.. it didn't drop in speed like it used to.

 

[Mr.HO]

Personally, if I were to do the 3g swap again, I'd just go to AutoZone and buy a reman alt. for a 94 or 95 5.0 with a warranty.. if it takes a crap, bring it on back.

That's a good idea too, but then I'd have to pay the additional core charge.
I could always take back the 75amp core. That's dishonest though. I would just be contributing to the increasingly lower pay of the counter guys and laborers.

Maybe I should go pull one out of a wrecker and then buy the plug setup.
Or I could just forget the whole thing and go out to dinner and pick up a keg on the way home

 

[Iand]

autowrecker is your best and cheapest choice imo, theres a few websites which describes how to install a 3g on a fox, but unfortunatly i dont know it off the top of my head.

 

[HISSIN50]

A search in here will reveal volumes on the 3G (there should be a sticky).

Here is another way to see it. Your 2G still works, right? If you get a 3G mail order, just make sure you Tee into the stator wire during the install of the 3G, and you will be able to drop your 2G back in, if the 3G takes a dump and needs to be sent out.
You can do the wiring upgrade for a bit cheaper than a premade harness but it's more muss.

Good luck.

 

[criticman]

For swapping pulleys - take the alts to Autozone. They will use their electric impact tool to swap it for you for free if you are polite.

Lot's of 3G stuff on here...and a lot brought up in the past few weeks too. I know you are new, but you will soon find the search button is your friend.

With the Autozone (etc) reman. prices creeping up as of late, the PA-Performance units are within the same range and have an outstanding warranty. I will likely be ordering mine, with install kit, tonight or tomorrow.

 

[timewarped1972]

yes the 3g thing should be a sticky!!!!!!!, lol.....

never the less, us guys who have nothing better to do and have done it will be glad to help anyway

i bought mine alt at auto zone and they took my 2g core no questions asked......i even told them, look, see, it's a 2g, they said no problem at all, we don't care we just need a core of some kind and took it anyway......so my reman 3g cost around 150 for the alt...so you can always check with them, they might be totally fine with using your old one as a core.

as for grinding the bracket, your car will have more value if it has a 3g, than if it has a mint bracket and lesser alternator. it's not a big deal or a massive mickey mousing deal, just a slight clearancing, and you cant even see it unless the alt is off the car.

you can do the swap with out butchering up the wiring, you can do it with only having to cut one wire, you could get away with not even doing that if you were really picky ( this would be the stator wire, and you could run a wire into the plug it's in and attatch to the new alt with out cutting if you just had to have it all original wires)

here's one good article that gives you an idea of the bracket clearancing. http://www.mustangcentral.net/tech/alternator.html this is a good article but i think you will get better instructions on doing the wiring from other sources ( like here at stang.net )

 

[Darkwriter77]

With regard to the pulley-swapping, I would highly advise in favor of ditching the stock 3g pulley and swapping the old 2g pulley onto it. I made the mistake of leaving on the pulley that came with my reman'ed 3g (the pretty gold bling-bling look got me, I guess) and while it does charge better than the 2g, it doesn't put out near enough as it should at idle because it's at least 1/4" smaller in diameter than the stocker. Had to go swap the 3g pulley out for a pulley off a core return of another 2g alt since my original had already been sent out. All is well now with charging at all speeds.

 

[Mr.HO]

Thanks for all the help on this, I really do appreciate the help and input.