how hard can you push a stock alternator

[NeverSatisfied]

I'm running EFI in my truck, aftermarket stereo, rock lights, heater, etc. I'm running the v-belt accessories on the front with the stock alternator. My next upgrade will be dual batteries and an 9.5ti winch.

I haven't had any problems yet with this setup, but I was wondering if the winch/dual batteries will put it over the top? A 3G sounds like a good upgrade, but I couldn't find a definitive answer about what is involved in swapping pulleys--is this a direct swap? On top of this, I'm wondering how much of an alternator you can drive with a single V-belt.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[broncow72]

I put a 3G on mine and used the V-belt pulley. I did have to do a little maChining of the pulley, but wasn't expensive or hard. Come by and take a look at how I wired it up and I'll get you the name of my machinist (if you need one)

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

The alternator started out a little under rated on the EFI. Adding all that other stuff and you will need a 3G for sure. I am surprised you have gotten away with it to this point. The 3G is a fairly easy install. Give me a call and I can explain it to you, depending on what alternator you have now. (internal/external regulated). 1-888-214-7774

 

[NeverSatisfied]

When I mean stock, I mean Ford Motorcraft 60amp externally regulated unit. I took the front dress off my 302 and put it on the 5.0L when I installed it.

I liked the orginal fan clearance and I'd just purchased all new hoses, belts, and a waterpump so I went with it.

I'll try giving you a ring later today or tomorrow.

 

[clkwrkorg]

the best thing to do is add a larger ground from the battery to the frame, and replace the 8 guage run to the alt. with a 4 guage run. if you really need some power call guss at ohio generator, he'll be glad to help you.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I have been pushing the stock 60 amp alternator fairly hard for years now. My truck draws a good bit of juice in a normal drive with twin fuel pumps, fuel injection, electronic transmission. Get a cold wet drive and it gets worse with twin wiper motors, blower motor, lights, and even heated mirrors.

I don’t worry about the winch too much, the power load the winch demands is well above any mortal alternator. That is why they run off a battery. The alternator just tops off the battery after (or tries to during) winch use. If you are doing back to back, pull after pull then that is a different issue.

The charging system keeps up at idle with a full load. But it didn’t always. The crank pulley has 2 different sized pulleys. The small one runs the waterpump and power steering. The larger one runs the alternator. At one time I didn’t have power steering so I ran the alternator off the small pulley so it would work the water pump. That didn’t charge that well at idle. When I went back to the larger pulley, I started getting a good charge at idle.

At one time I even lost 2/3’s of that 60 amp alternator. I would run a deficit at night with the lights on. But the next day after driving around with the light off to get the new alternator I was back to a full charge. I know my normal cruise (daylight, dry day) is under a 20 amp draw.
14 years ago back when I ran a carburetor, I drove for over a week after I noticed I completely lost my charging system. The wipers would barely move on high and the lights were dim, but it would still start and drive around town.

I do have a modern alternator sitting in the garage that is going to go onto the Bronco. Not because I want to upgrade it, but only because it is part of the short Explorer front dress that will let me run a nice clutched fan and A/C.

One great thing about the stock 60 amp unit that is often overlooked is that they are affordable and easy to rebuild. I think that somewhere they have a trained monkey sitting in a room with no lights rebuilding them. Back when the alternator died on my BroncoII, the rebuild kit for the internally regulated unit was more expensive then a whole, good rebuilt external regulated alternator.

How much of a problem are you having with the current alternator output?

And adding a ground won't do squat. The alternator is grounded to the engine. Make sure the battery ground to the ENGINE is good. Also helps with starting the engine as well.

 

[airman]

I put a 3G on mine and used the V-belt pulley. I did have to do a little maChining of the pulley, but wasn't expensive or hard. Come by and take a look at how I wired it up and I'll get you the name of my machinist (if you need one)

I would like to hear more about the machining of the pulley. I just have a feeling that the little squeek I hear when accelarating is a belt slipping.

 

[clkwrkorg36]

adding a better frame to battery will do a lot when you consider that most componets are grounded through the frame to the battery.

 

[broncow72]

I would like to hear more about the machining of the pulley. I just have a feeling that the little squeek I hear when accelarating is a belt slipping.

I don't know if the machining will help with that. What I had to have done was to have about an 1/8" removed from the back side, but not from the mating surface. And then a bit from the front inside. All this made the stock pulley clear the forward lip of the alt. and gave me enough thread to get the nut fully threaded. Before I did this I couldn't get the nut on the shaft threads except for 2-3 threads. and it was rubbing on the alternator case and not seating on the bearing like it should.

 

[Broncobowsher]

adding a better frame to battery will do a lot when you consider that most componets are grounded through the frame to the battery.

On the contrary, nothing is grounded to the frame. Everything sits on rubber mounts. Engine, transmission, transfer case, body. Clutch linkage rides on plastic bushings, brake lines have rubber between the body and frame. Shift linkage has rubber bushings where the rod(s) connect to the column. Modern driveshafts even have plastic on the splines so you can't even ground through the driveshafts.

There are no factory grounds to the frame that I know of. All the grounds I know of go to the engine or body.

 

[clkwrkorg36]

the motor should be grounded to the frame, at least mine is. most cars i see have a grounding strap between the motor and frame, but these are newer cars that have more electronics, and need more current. so maybe the factorys just started this practice i'm not sure.