Recommend me an alternator and a starter, please

Finn

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
14
Location
Finland
Cheers. :drink:

If I wish to get my car ready on the road for the summer I need to get new alternator and starter. As far as I can tell I would need to get an alternator with around 140 amps capacity as I have twin electric fans.

Could you please suggest me a brand as I cannot make a difference between different brands for example what Summit sells?

Also, I would need a starter. Engine is built on Dart SHP block, it has manual transmission and CR is 10.25:1. Car itself is a -78 and I have Hooker Super Comp headers with rear exit exhaust. Again, I don't see the differences between available brands. Would I need a mini starter or would I be better off with std sized one?

BR,
Finn
 
I've always had good luck with powermaster alternators. As for starters, I have a couple of tiltons and a delco mini starter on my camaro.
 
The simplest install is a 17SI factory rated at 108 amps, it's what I have on my '72 with Dual Spals and a/c and C4 blower, and there is plenty to spare....
it's a plug in, only slightly larger in diameter....comes on a '79 Seville with rear window defogger for a ref lookup...

or a CS144 but you have to mod the electricals....

I have a generic mini starter....I don't think there is much to debate about there....

:drink:
 
Thanks for the info.

Powermaster brand seem to pop up quite often so I reckon I go with that brand. Was looking at CS144 at first but I'm reluctant to make further electrical mods.

I'll have a look at different mini starters.

BR,
Finn
 
Three starters?????????????????/

I've always had good luck with powermaster alternators. As for starters, I have a couple of tiltons and a delco mini starter on my camaro.

Twin,
You have THREE starters on your Camaro? You must have 30:1 compression ratio!!!:rofl:

Regards from Down Under:drink:

aussiejohn
 
Given your overseas location contact Bill Howard . He will custom build you a one wire version of any GM alternator and upgrade the output in the same size case with your choice of belt or serp drive
Will ship OS using USPS (cheap ).No BS guy who knows his stuff and nice pricing

contact Bill at: [email protected]
Sells on eBay under the user name billh6800 but has nothing up at present
 
Along with many other guys, I"m not much fan of the one wire alt conversions, mainly because you have to keep fairly high revs to keep them in charge...at idle they tend to drop off line but if you have a idle greater than 800 rpm, well, maybe ok....

the history of them started as a marine conversion of a 10SI... that I know of anyway....

:quote:
 
I've always had good luck with powermaster alternators. As for starters, I have a couple of tiltons and a delco mini starter on my camaro.

Twin,
You have THREE starters on your Camaro? You must have 30:1 compression ratio!!!:rofl:

Regards from Down Under:drink:

aussiejohn


Do I have that clown with the dual alternators beat or what :yahoo::rofl:
 
Do I have that clown with the dual alternators beat or what :yahoo::rofl:



Are the three starters evenly spaced ? Can starters be mounted upside down or reversed ? Does it matter if you have a flywheel or flexplate or are both the same ? And last but not least: what's the correct clocking sequence for starters ??? Should I attempt the swap myself or should I better ask the experts at O'Reilly for advice?

:shocking:
 
Cheers. :drink:

If I wish to get my car ready on the road for the summer I need to get new alternator and starter. As far as I can tell I would need to get an alternator with around 140 amps capacity as I have twin electric fans.

Could you please suggest me a brand as I cannot make a difference between different brands for example what Summit sells?

Also, I would need a starter. Engine is built on Dart SHP block, it has manual transmission and CR is 10.25:1. Car itself is a -78 and I have Hooker Super Comp headers with rear exit exhaust. Again, I don't see the differences between available brands. Would I need a mini starter or would I be better off with std sized one?

BR,
Finn

Not sure if you really need 140Amps but the 140Amp version is not a lot more expensive than the 100Amp alternator that I bought... so if in doubt better get the 140Amp rather than returning stuff with intl shipping charges....
I got a 100Amp Summit brand alternator: no complaints here, it was $100 for the chrome version.

I recently replaced my $80 Ebay starter with another $100 Ebay mini starter, "Tilton style".... it seems the exhaust heat killed the starter so this time I added a heat shield. I'd be pi$$ed if I bought a $400 starter and then kill it with the heat from my headers... just my 2c...
 
I have a Be Cool aluminum radiator in my 68. The engine (ZZ4) runs cool, at approximately 180 degrees F. I've read a lot of De Witts postings where he cites the quality of his "Direct Fit" radiators, and so for my 70 BB, I plan to buy a De Witts. With fans, you're looking at approximately $1000.

The Be Cool radiator was physically. a direct fit. However the radiator has a fill cap at the top of the radiator....this is a standard radiator configuration, however, it's incompatible with the radiator cap in the 68 overflow tank (the mini-beer keg tank). I disabled the Be Cool radiator cap by cutting off it's internal spring, so now the standard 68 radiator cap in the minibeer keg overflow tank is the functioning cap.

To power the fans and electric fuel pump, I bought a higher capacity AC Delco alternator. It's illustrated in the GM Performance Parts catalog. Since the 68 alternator is externally regulated, and 69 and up alternators are internally regulated, I just disconnected a wire (or two) going to the external 68 regulator.

I'm a member of the school that doesn't think single wire alternators are a good idea. Lets say the internal regulator is set at 14.2 volts. The single wire alternator then sets the voltage at 14.2 volts inside the alternator, so with heavy amp flows, and wire harness drops, the voltage actually delivered to the accessories is less. I have a center point source terminal on my drivers inside fender. This central point feeds current to the fans and pump. With a two wire alternator, the second wire is a voltage sensing wire. It's attached at the center point source terminal and hence maintains the voltage at 14.2 volts at this terminal. The voltage inside the alternator is therefore a little bit higher. (Knowledge and parts for changing the 68 wiring was from M.A.D.D electronics. He may be out of business now.)

I have a mini-starter that's illustrated in the GM Performance Parts catalog. It works great. Maybe 1/2 the weight (less) that the original starter.

I buy my stuff from Summit. Order in the morning, it's on my doorstep late the afternoon of the next day. Don't know how they do this so fast.
.....................
One last thing (I'm really wordy today). It's really hard to make extensive changes to your engine wiring harnesses and keep it professional looking. (My wiring harness had to incorporate a HEI distributor also). I used OEM style connectors from Packard Electric. The problem is that if you want a particular 4 pin connector, you have to buy, say, 25 of them. Need a two pin connector? 25 more. Also, to install the connector pins, you have to buy the pin crimper tool ($$$). The pins come in bags of 100, even though you need only 1/2 dozen. And you have to buy different pin sizes for different wire gauges, and of course you have to buy another crimper. I used different colors of wires in my new harness build up...this was probably a mistake. The different wire colors are a visual distraction. Next time I think I'll use all black wires and just document the wire identities at each connector pin. One last thing. I bought a new 68 repro harness for Lectric Limited. My new harness was built so that I didn't have to modify the really beautiful 68 harness.
 
I have a powermaster 160 amp. I went to an automotive electronics shop and picked up the modern GM alt pigtail, wired up the charge and trigger wire and bolted it on. Really not that difficult. The pigtail may be the hardest part since you're across the pond.
 
Marck could probably put 10,000 amps to those 3 starters and burn up the 1/4 in mid 13's without even starting the engine.

Better save one of them starters for Joops new car LOL
 
Thanks for the info.

Powermaster brand seem to pop up quite often so I reckon I go with that brand. Was looking at CS144 at first but I'm reluctant to make further electrical mods.

I'll have a look at different mini starters.

BR,
Finn

CS144 mods are not that difficult. There is a lot of info on the web regarding this conversion.

You need the correct wiring harness adapter to interface with your Vette's wiring. Depending on the year model Vette you will either need the wiring harness with a built-in resistor or the one without the resistor. NAPA sells both. My '73 needed the one with the resistor. Don't quote me on this as I've forgotten the particulars but I think cars without generator lights need the resistor and those with generator lights do not. Get this right to keep your new alternator from burning out.

I was told to get a CS144 alternator for a 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, rear wheel drive with 5.7L engine. You may need to clock the alternator (separate the two halves and turn one half in order to get the wiring plug to be in the correct orientation). You'll have to replace the pulley on the new alternator with the correct one for your Vette.

You'll also need to upgrade the charging wire from the alternator to the starter. Rather than replace the existing wire, I just added a new wire in parallel. My amp gauge still works but doesn't give the correct reading any more.

You should be able to find some articles on the web regarding this conversion. If you find articles by a guy name Matt Rogers (Durango Boy), run the advice by the guys on this forum so they can protect you from his mistakes.

The only issue I have with my conversion is that I could not find the perfect size belt. I have it adjusted all the way out and it really needs to be a bit tighter but I could not get a smaller belt around the pulley. I'm living with it while I decide if I'm ready to do a serpentine belt conversion or spring for one of the adjustable billet brackets at Summit or Jegs.

Wish I could tell you more but it's been awhile since I did the conversion and I've forgotten some of what I did and I've misplaced the articles I downloaded.

Good luck.

DC
 
I've always had good luck with powermaster alternators. As for starters, I have a couple of tiltons and a delco mini starter on my camaro.

Twin,
You have THREE starters on your Camaro? You must have 30:1 compression ratio!!!:rofl:

Regards from Down Under:drink:

aussiejohn

Ah, the old "iron trio" conversion. :nuts:
 
Speaking of irony,
I just recieved two new Marine alternators for my friends boat from a place Noonie suggested. Ready? Drum roll please.........................................................................................................................................DB Alternators.:goodevil:
 
Speaking of irony,
I just recieved two new Marine alternators for my friends boat from a place Noonie suggested. Ready? Drum roll please.........................................................................................................................................DB Alternators.:goodevil:

:rofl::bullshit::hunter::rofl:
 
Top