Alt Upgrade

[Shawn Russell]

I have been reading for days now on how to install a CS130 or CS144 alternator. I think I understand it, but I have not seen what I need to do with the external voltage regulator. People say just bypass it. How do I do that?

I have a '70 FJ40 with a SBC, and my voltage regulator has 3 wires going to it.

Also, when I hook up the alternator bat terminal, directly to the battery via a new wire, do I just tape up the current charge wire (white/blue) and not connect it to anything?

Thanks
Shawn

 

[Shawn Russell]

No one?

Shawn

 

[Degnol]

CS-130 Alternator Wiring - Land Cruiser Tech from IH8MUD.com


Did you read that and the other articles in the Tech links?

 

[Shawn Russell]

Yes, I have read them. None of them say what to do with the voltage regulator wiring. Just to bypass it.

 

[bsevans]

I wraped up the VR connector with electrical tape. I ran a 12v key switched wire to the alt and a heavy gauge wire from the alt output to the battery post. The second photo shows the spacer I had to make to properly align the twin pulley hub. In the third photo you can see the VR connector wrapped in electrical tape.

 

[Degnol]

Yes, I have read them. None of them say what to do with the voltage regulator wiring. Just to bypass it.

I don't know s*** about GM alternators, but maybe it is internally regulated? That may be why you can bypass the stock regulator?


BSevans s*** is nice, isn't it!


Ed

 

[handcannon]

Don't know about CS144's, but CS133's are internally regulated. Nice way to reduce your wiring rat's nest by eliminating the VR, and you also get a tad over 100 amps with the CS133.

 

[Trollhole]

Don't know about CS144's, but CS133's are internally regulated. Nice way to reduce your wiring rat's nest by eliminating the VR, and you also get a tad over 100 amps with the CS133.

And if you go to an alternator shop you can get them to boost it up to either 140, 180 or 210 amps for about a dollar an amp. Cheap considering what a mean green cost.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Can the extra boost screw anything up? I thought that I read somewhere that the additional amps needed some other upgrades too.

A quick Google shows that the CS-144 is internally regulated.

 

[bsevans]

And if you go to an alternator shop you can get them to boost it up to either 140, 180 or 210 amps for about a dollar an amp. Cheap considering what a mean green cost.

The alternator shop here in Tucson said the diodes and windings would need to be replaced. I went 200 amp Mean Green. You can find high output GM internally regulated alternators on the internet for less. One of the reasons I bought directly from Mean Green was that I was able to get a dual pulley that worked with the factory belts and the spacing between the pulley grooves was identical to the factory water pump and crank pulleys.

 

[BELMONT148]

Just cut and tape up the two wires running to the alt. at the regulator and leave it mounted. Connect your white/blue heavy wire to the battery. It is hot and has a lot of juice running to it, so I would not trust it to be left unconnected. Also you will need to bypass the amp gauge in your cluster. Just connect both white/blue wires to one post. You will also want to install a diode in the sensing (ignition 12v) wire to keep the truck from continueing to run once it's turned off.

You can also get a delco 12si alt. with 94 amps. I has a 2 prong harness and mounts pretty well on a 2F.

Good luck!

 

[Shawn Russell]

Just cut and tape up the two wires running to the alt. at the regulator and leave it mounted. Connect your white/blue heavy wire to the battery. It is hot and has a lot of juice running to it, so I would not trust it to be left unconnected. Also you will need to bypass the amp gauge in your cluster. Just connect both white/blue wires to one post. You will also want to install a diode in the sensing (ignition 12v) wire to keep the truck from continueing to run once it's turned off.

You can also get a delco 12si alt. with 94 amps. I has a 2 prong harness and mounts pretty well on a 2F.

Good luck!

Thank you! This is what I was looking for!

Shawn

 

[Trollhole]

The alternator shop here in Tucson said the diodes and windings would need to be replaced. I went 200 amp Mean Green. You can find high output GM internally regulated alternators on the internet for less. One of the reasons I bought directly from Mean Green was that I was able to get a dual pulley that worked with the factory belts and the spacing between the pulley grooves was identical to the factory water pump and crank pulleys.

Dunno about internals. I just take my guy my stuff and he gives it back.

Question yours is hooked up to the outer pulley for the alt and the crank? What does the inner pulley go to?

 

[BELMONT148]

I would guess smog pump?

 

[Pin_Head]

What they mean by bypassing the VR is to connect the white wire with green stripe at the VR to the white wire with red stripe (hot when the key is on) and use the alternator end of this w/g wire to excite the new alternator.

The B+ output goes directly to the battery + post through a fusible link of the appropriate amp capacity.

You can also connect the large white wire w/blue stripe to the alternator B+ lug just like it used to connect. This way your alternator will still read, but the full scale deflection will require over 100A. You can also just remove this wire and you amp meter will only indicate the chassis current and read constantly discharging.

 

[bsevans]

Dunno about internals. I just take my guy my stuff and he gives it back.

Question yours is hooked up to the outer pulley for the alt and the crank? What does the inner pulley go to?

I was running the Saginaw power steering pump with a GM pulley and 3 bolt air pump on the inner pulley. When I designed a press on hub that allowed me to mount a 4 bolt air pump pulley on the power steering pump I had to switch the alt to the inner pulley and the power steering pump to the outer pulley.

 

[Shawn Russell]

Is there any reason a circuit breaker could not be used in place of a fusible link?

Thanks
Shawn

 

[bsevans]

Is there any reason a circuit breaker could not be used in place of a fusible link?

Thanks
Shawn

I do not run a fusible link between the alt and battery, just a large gauge cable. I run the fusible link on the line between the battery and the main fuse panel. I do not know if a circuit breaker is as fast as a fusible link.

 

[DomSmith]

You can also just remove this wire and you amp meter will only indicate the chassis current and read constantly discharging.

This is what I'm doing. AMP gauge reads negative all the time so I can see how much draw there is (and better than dead IMO). I have a volt meter that I can keep an eye on battery voltage...

TLC had a sweet higher AMP gauge in one of their custom built rigs that looked stock but it was a one-off and Jonathan said it cost a ton of $$$$ to have made.

 

[legion]

I do not know if a circuit breaker is as fast as a fusible link.

Breakers can certainly be quick enough. Different breakers have different characteristics but they're not as accurate in an overcurrent condition as a fuse can be.

The short version is that fuse time current curves are designed to allow for coordination in overcurrent applications so they're

...awww, screw it.

A circuit breaker will work.