GM Alt upgrade! the stock alternator started to fail me. Not putting out 14.5v any more, and squealing like a pig every time i started it up, so it had to go. But when i saw how much they go for, i mean, wow! $100 for a 30 amp alternator? No way. So i bought a $50 GM alt for a 85 camaro, and upgraded to a bigger alt (68 amps) for half the price. hell, my neighbor gave me a junk one for a core, so the whole swap actually only cost me $40! The lower bracket has to have the tab cut off and moved all the way forward, you can see it half-welded in the pic below. I also drilled the hole & welded nut out to 25/64ths, just a hair over 3/8, because thats what the GM alt uses for a lower bolt (3/8 x 3). Up top, i had to grind a notch into the tensioner arm to clear part of the alt, and thats it, the alt is in! I even reused the stck v-belt. For electric, these are the easiest alts to wire. Original power cable goes to the stud, the zuk's white/red wire goes to terminal1, and a constant +12v goes to terminal 2. The other wire in the zuk's plug is not re-used. I lucked out and was able to get the GM plug for my new alt with the junker i got, but you can find them in virtually any GM in the junkyard, or even in auto parts stores for cheap. Super easy to do, and well worth it! there are two god articles on this swap, one located at zuwharrie (this is a good one), and the other at Roadless Gear. Dont read into it too much, it really is that simple of a swap. |
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