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Topic: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L? (Read 16608 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #45 –
I'm dredging up this thread because A) it's useful, and B) I'm finally about to buy one of these alternators. $35 plus shipping from a yard in GA. Looks to be what is listed as GL-469RM on the spreadsheet. (95A)

How sure are you that this will fit? Have you had one in your hands and measured it and found it to be the same as a 3.8's alt? Or is this mainly just parts cross-checking on a bunch of different websites? I have to be 100% sure this will work.. I still can't afford to be wrong. (not for a couple weeks, anyway.. if all goes well) Has any of this info changed since this thread went inactive?

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #46 –
Quote from: Bird351
Looks to be what is listed as GL-469RM on the spreadsheet. (95A)

How sure are you that this will fit? Have you had one in your hands and measured it and found it to be the same as a 3.8's alt? Or is this mainly just parts cross-checking on a bunch of different websites?

I did it by crosschecking a bunch of different websites. I bought an alternator out of a '90 5.0 Tbrid (GL-469). I haven't installed it yet. One thing I did notice is the top mounting pad will need to be ground down, it is too thick. Other than that, it should fit. If you can hold off for a few days, I will install it this weekend and notify you of any problems I encounter.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #47 –
How much grinding are we talking here? I'm having trouble finding my Dremel.. and I think I'm low on supplies for it anyway. All that leaves me with is a few old files and some sandpaper.

The junkyard hasn't Emailed me back yet. I'll have to hold off until it arrives, assuming they'll ship it.. but once I have it I need to get it in the car as soon as possible. Might have to start making longer drives every day, and for two people in the house and not just one. It's looking like I'll be slapping the car on the charger every evening until I can get this alternator thing solved.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #49 –
Quote from: JeremyB
One thing I did notice is the top mounting pad will need to be ground down, it is too thick.

I installed the alternator this afternoon. The mounting pad doesn't need to be machined. The whole thing is a direct fit. The alternator I bought has a pulley about 10% larger than the one that came stock with my car. I didn't do any before readings....but after the install, bright lights/radio (stock)/rear defroster/blower on high and the the alternator was putting out 14.42V, it was 14.69V w/no load.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #50 –
Hot ! I'll have to pick one up as soon as possible, then. That Ebay link above sound like a good deal? The junkyard never responded.

So did you run a thicker wire just like any other 3G swap? I had planned on picking up the extra wire.. is mounting it to where the battery cable connects to the solenoid acceptable? (vs. trying to mount it to the battery connector) I don't see why not.. but it never hurts to ask, unless the person asking is IGAH. :p

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #51 –
Quote from: Bird351
So did you run a thicker wire just like any other 3G swap? I had planned on picking up the extra wire.. is mounting it to where the battery cable connects to the solenoid acceptable? (vs. trying to mount it to the battery connector) I don't see why not.. but it never hurts to ask, unless the person asking is IGAH. :p

I connected the two 10ga. wires up to the alternator, no 4ga. yet. I will put in the 4ga. when I install my MN-12 elec. fan. The power wire is protected by a fusible link, so theoretically the 10ga. wires should be fine.
I don't know if mounting to the solenoid is ok.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #52 –
IT! NO ONE in town has the equivalent of GL-469RM in stock, and I'm desperate for a replacement alternator. (I've even asked about the stock replacement, that's also order-only) My mother's car is in the shop for almost another week, and this weather has been brutal on my battery. (over 9 inches of rain in 4 days.. lights, wipers, A/C, etc.. all on a gimped stock alt) 6A charging a few times a day now, plus 2A overnight charges.. seems like the battery is taking a beating from it.

I'm asking this guy on Ebay if he would ship it faster. I'd buy from PA-Performance, but they don't say on their website (from what I can see) where they are.. and it may be too late to try to get them to ship one out tonight if they even would.

EDIT: Ahh screw it.. I went to another Advance nearby that was a bit more helpful. Had them order one in from out of town.. will be here tomorrow by noon. $108 plus core. Guy on Ebay only mails USPS Priority Mail.. and the Ford dealer wants an arm and a leg for an alt.

So what, exactly, is this plug I need? Regulator plug? Stator plug? The guy at Advance had NO idea what I was talking about. Also, anyone else have any feedback on the plan to run this wire to the battery side of the solenoid? I picked up a 2' long 4-ga. cable with two of the ends with the bolt holes in 'em. I'm hoping to get all this clarified so I can pick up what I need tomorrow and do the swap all in one shot.. 'cause if I don't, I have no way of getting out of the house to pick up other parts unless I call a friend for a ride or do the swap at his place.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #53 –
So a high-performance 3.8 alternator swap solution has been found? If this is the case I'll bump this on over into the "Greatest Hits" section. LMK, Jeremy...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #54 –
Well he's the first verification on this, and I should be the 2nd one tomorrow. I put in the order for a '93 T-bird 5.0 95A alternator. Just need the verification on the plug I need, and if this wiring solution is acceptable.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #55 –
Guess I'll take a stab at it tomorrow, and hope that whomever I run into at Advance knows what plug I'm looking for. I made a crude paper copy of the alternator diagram, and I'll have the other one in hand.. hope that's enough.

I'm attempting this with no backup vehicle to take me to a parts store in case I miss a part, and my friend (only one who could drive me around on short notice) won't get out of work until 2-3 hours after I get the alt.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #56 –
Success! Only major hangup was that this alt had a smaller top bolt hole than the original. I'm pulling 14.1-14.2v at idle w/ no load, but this was tested about 2 minutes after first startup.. I don't know how much recharging the battery affected it. (we were not able to recharge it before the swap.. it was at 12.77v before the first startup) I still got 13.99v @ idle w/ the high beams on, A/C on max, and rear defroster on.

The ends on the 4 ga. wire I bought were way too big, so I decided to buy a roll of 10 ga. wire and some 5/16" eye terminals, or whatever the hell ya call 'em. I'm using the original power wire plus one foot of 10 ga. wire and a terminal hooked right to the battery terminal connector. If anyone thinks that's insufficient, I could always run a second one.

Thought I smelled warm electrical stuff, but is that just running the alternator for the first time? Nothing was cooking or acting funny.

Oh yeah.. the store I went to no longer had that regulator plug in stock.. had to drive all the way across town and then some to another Advance to pick one up. Fortunately, that other store is only about 2 miles away from my friend's house, and he was home at the time.. so I stopped and did the swap there.

EDIT: Here are a couple pics. First off, I went back and added another 10 ga. wire of equal length. Second, I'm sure that mounting solution is not ideal. Third, I cleaned the battery terminals and connections, but I should probably clean the contacts on the solenoid. Fourth, if the wiring going into the battery looks a little odd, it's because it has to clear the air intake pipe.. which is removed for the picture. Lastly, the engine ground wire is very cracked and brittle.. so I'll be looking to replace that shortly. The voltage pictured below is at idle, with only the radio on but no sound.

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #57 –
it, I forgot one very important thing:

THREE CHEERS FOR JEREMY!

Without whom this would most likely not have happened.

Cheers for the input from everyone else, but extra credit to the thread creator and spreadsheet maker. :D

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #58 –
Right - looks like a greatest hit to me...

I forgot you CFI 3.8 guys have the battery on the wrong side of the car - us 5.0 guys have the alt on the right side and the battery on the left, so we need a longer wire
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: Alternator upgrade for pre '88 3.8L?

Reply #59 –
Quote from: Thunder Chicken
us 5.0 guys


I have more 5.0s than 3.8s. :p