Which alternator??????

[gledhillt]

Hello everyone,
I have a 1974, 302, C4, 3.5" lift and 35s.
I want to run a winch and off-road lights.
My question is which ALTERNATOR to use with stock wiring to handle the winch and lights?
THANKS FOR THE HELP

 

[badmuttstang]

My first suggestion would be a 3G or a high output stock style alt. If the later is what your looking for I have a Powermaster 140amp alt. #8-67140 from summit that has less than a 1000 miles on it that I was just about to list along with a bunch of other parts. There is nothing wrong with it and you don't have to change any of the wiring I just decided to use my 235 amp 3G for mine instead. PM if if you would like some pic's

 

[Airmapper]

I would be leery of installing a higher output alternator without modifying the wiring to protect everything. The stock alternator is 90amp, a 3G will be 130, and anything built for high output could go north from there.

Modification to the wiring is easy to do and will save a ton of trouble. The stock alternator wire loops through the ammeter, carrying current all the way to the dash and back before it gets to the battery

With your alternator wired direct to the battery your power goes where it is needed, and isolates your stock wiring from receiving all that amperage traveling long distance on a small wire. You still hook up your voltage regulator of course, which will control everything just like it did before. If you go 3G the regulator is attached to the alternator and cleans up a mess of wires for the stock box type.

There is a lot of info on the 3G swap here and elsewhere online, a search for 3G swap should have you reading for hours, and there are even plenty of diagrams to show how to wire it. And 3G or stock style alternator, if your going higher output I'd wire it the same.

And don't forget or even skimp out on the fuses and fusible links. Wired properly your stock wiring would be very protected from surges and in the even something did go wrong you would only be replacing a fuse or wire end, not a whole harness.

 

[Airmapper]

Here is more info on what I was trying to say, just ran across it looking for something else in Steve83's collection of diagrams.

 

[Steve83]

This is a better diagram because it shows all the stock wiring, and the ONE new wire/fuse needed to make it 100% reliable & safe.

 

[gledhillt]

Thanks for all the help

 

[fetorino]

Just run a 3g

Then add a new 4 Ga wire from the alternator to the battery with a high amp in line fuse or fuseable link.

http://www.paperformance.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=87

Its internally regulated and the output is straight to the battery. What won't be up to snuff is your stock amp meter. I've run 3gs on my 67 Fairlane, my 69 Torino and my Bronco with no upgrades other than a good 4 ga power cable from PA performance.