Electrical Goblins....

[RedZMonte]

What brand of alternator have you guys ran with success and with issues? i used to work at a independent repair shop and i saw issues with alternators from checker auto parts, i think they have "duralast".... they are more like "dontalast" lol!. Ive always ponied up for the AC Delco alternators. anyone had any experience with palladium alternators from advanced auto parts?

S

[jmgtp]

I put in a reman ac delco and it didn't last 2 years. I went to warranty it out at the parts store and they claimed they couldn't get the ac delcos anymore so they gave me a palladium and refunded the diff in price. The palladium is the one that shit the bed this morning but the more I think about it I think it may be a blown fusible link just because it failed so suddenly. Was perfect last night - no issues and dead this morning on startup.

[Firehawk94]

RedZMonte you are just determined that it isnt a problem with your wiring huh?? If you have a battery that small in your trunk and on top of that you have about 10 foot of wire you are going to have some amperage drop...F*&K voltage the voltage will show 12 to 11 volts all day, but its the amperage that does the work. Ill put it to you like this......if you are starting your car and you say it doesnt start on the first try, but always on the second then you can rule out the alternator the alternator is charging the battery. Amperage and resistance are direct enemies and long "skinny" wires are the instigators. And plus your alternator is pulling double duty having to keep a battery charged with all that wire. Just run a ground from the battery to the engine block, get a thicker gauge wire and see what you have after that. Your voltage drop at idle is caused by your UDP. CHECK YOUR WIRING!!

[jmgtp]

My battery is in the trunk too... but I ran HUGE diesel locomotive cable - I mean overkill size. I'm not sure the gauge but each lead about 1" diameter NOT including the sheathing. I had to use a hydraulic crimper to secure the eyelets! I also ran +/- all the way up to the engine bay.

It starts on the first flick and charges fine, even headlights on at idle (with the exception of my now dead alternator or blown link). I even have an underdrive crank pulley - though I installed an overdrive pulley on the alt so it should be spinning at near 'stock' speed. I did upgrade to the mini starter recently since the regular genII starter was starting to feel sluggish on a hot start.

I do agree, grounding it in the trunk is a bad idea. I ran my ground to the trans case.

[60dgrzbelow0]

I know this is a stupid question... but is there any chance there is a short in the key switch/steering column wiring harness? Symptomatically...it seems to be right there... not to mention the oddity with the turn signal issue. Was it necessary to re-work any of the harness or wiring when you were setting everything up with your OBDII swap?

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

the car would die at random times if it had a short there, or do some really fucked up shit also at random times... i doubt its a short there.

[RedZMonte]

I know this is a stupid question... but is there any chance there is a short in the key switch/steering column wiring harness? Symptomatically...it seems to be right there... not to mention the oddity with the turn signal issue. Was it necessary to re-work any of the harness or wiring when you were setting everything up with your OBDII swap?

the OBDII swap was only done on the engine harness. the interior harness is all stock. the exact same setup has been working flawless for ~3years and now has an issue with no changes done to the car... My mechanic is going to look at it and if its something other then the alt. i will have to start doing some rewiring or something. ive almost got myself convinced to run a 2nd battery (small Odyssey battery in the fender). hell maybe i have a short somewhere and a bad starter... the starter seems to be getting harder to start.. have to turn the key a few times before it will even try now... then other times it fires right up.. Who the hell know.. lol time to let the pros figure it out.

LOL gives me an excuse to drive my WRX STI around for the rest of the week

S

[jmgtp]

Shane, don't get the Palladium!

I pulled my dead alternator out today, a Palladium, and it was internally fuked. Spinning it by hand meant grinding noises and large chunks of plastic falling out. This is maybe 8k miles on it! Also, FYI Palladium apparently is also badged as 'Worldwide.'

I don't know what to recommend anymore. I've tried a remanned genuine AC Delco, a Palladium, and at least 1 other brand. They all suck and just plain do not last like the original did. I'm thinking the best option is either buying a NEW one or bringing it to a local guy that can rebuild it. Whatever you do, I wish you luck.

Oh btw, I got another Palladium - so 2 years from now when I make an alternator failure thread and you have that deja vu feeling, don't worry you did not go back in time to relive moments from your past. Regardless, my new alternator is installed and I am happily charging at 14v again.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

im scared now... lol i know mine is working good. but still. how much shit do i have to take off to swap mine out if it goes?

[jmgtp]

I think it is made out much worse than it actually is. Just like people are terrified and swear the timing belt to hell - but in reality it is not hard.

A really condensed version: Pop the tie rod out of the knuckle, remove the bracket beneath the alt (3 bolts). Drop the subframe just a bit and remove the alt bolts and wriggle it out between the axle/frame/tie rod.

It took me about 2 hours from start to finish and this includes stopping for dinner, driving to the parts store, and 1 potty break.

I hear on the auto trans the rear bolt on the alternator is much more difficult. 5spd is a quick operation. I always manage to get incredibly greasy doing it though. A ratcheting 10mm wrench is pretty useful too for the small top bolt.

[HayesPerformance]

I have been running my GP for 7 years with my battery in the trunk in the manner that I mentioned preveously and I have not had ONE problem.

For a battery, I have a 1000 CCA
For alternator, Just a hitachi 100 amp (Life Time Warranty)
Original, 1991 Factory GM starter
Lots of GOOD grounds, 2ga. Battery Cables, 8ga. alternator cables

I DO have a Under drive Crank pulley BUT I did change the alternator pulley to a smaller one.

In the middle of winter my car starts and runs fine even, NEVER had prolblems as I said...

[jmgtp]

I DO have a Under drive Crank pulley BUT I did change the alternator pulley to a smaller one.

Me too, though I think the alternator is still slightly underdriven. If I recall correctly the underdrive on the crank pulley is 18% and the overdrive on the alt pulley is 12% so that nets out to my alternator spinning 6% slower than stock - it'll idle around 13v on a hot engine with the headlights on. I have full confidence in my batt trunk setup - I did that right - but I'll flat out say that my advanced auto alternator is junk and I know it will fail again.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i think i have a shit ass no name one too. when my engine got swapped i told them to use a number of new DELCO parts and when i picked up the car, it had the old timing belt in it (even though he had them BOTH out and in his hands. i said put new ones in, he told me later he thought they were fine) i wasnt happy about that. the alternator got replaced with something for korea im sure. -you guys know how many LQ1s they have over there?? Every bicycle has one!! alot of my vacuum lines were pinched or falling off, bolts were stripped (mostly for the plastic covers on the timing belt, AND the stupid prick scratched my f'in door somehow. what a fuckin putz. then to add insult to injury, the scratch was down to METAL and he tried to rub it out with his finger, you could see the rub marks on the side of it. i cant even polish it out!! plus all the greesey hand prints on the front fenders? i say leave em ill wash it with soap water and a mitt.
whats he do when i walk away?? brake cleaner and the rag from his back pocket!!!! WTF

[jmgtp]

That's why you need to do your own work!
We've strayed off topic and its prolly my fault.

Shane, where are you on the diagnosis? Concerning your last post, I don't think a 2nd battery is your answer at all. It seems like either your existing battery is bad, the wiring you are using is too small, or your alternator quit. If it charged OK at one point with this setup and all of a sudden it is acting up I'd venture to say the alternator quit. But I still think you need to run a ground wire up to the engine bay rather than through the trunk.

[HayesPerformance]

Yes, He does. I learned that years ago. He needs a ground right to the bell housing and just keep the one in the trunk. More grounds definitely don't harm anything.