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Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)

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Offline badzook87

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Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« on: August 25, 2009, 06:35:46 PM »
So, I put in a brand new engine in my zook in September right before the powerfest.. At that time I upgraded the alternator to a GM style 94amp if i remember right.  It was a lifetime warranty autolite rebuild.  Now the problem is about every three months I have to replace it.  The first time all the case screws fell out and it literally fell apart. The second time and the third time the bearings started making noise.    Now Ive taken it to a professional mechanic and had him double check everything from the wiring to the install and the alignment of the pulleys.  Everything looks great and appears to be installed correctly.   They even hooked it up to a a monitor and drove it around to see if it was charging correctly and cycling both batteries..  Again everything seams to be fine...  So thats where I need help..

Has anybody had problems with this setup?  The only thing I can think of is that the GM alternators are not built to handle the high rpm of the 1.3  I run 4200 at 70 and drive from Vancouver WA to Astoria OR every day..  For those of you who live out of the area that about 130 miles each way..

It probibly doesnt matter but its a trail tough bracket and pulley...

So does any body make a larger pulley for the front of that alternator??  Would that help.. Do you think thats the problem??

Thanks,




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Offline zukimoo

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2009, 06:55:26 PM »
I did the alt upgrade years ago and I changed it twice and then went back to stock. The first one boiled the batt and the second one stopped charging. I always thought of putting it back on but after running the stock for years with no issues it's hard to spend the money on something that will break often.

I didn't run a big winch or lights so it was a waste of money.
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Offline fordguy79

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2009, 09:04:39 PM »
i put one on 6 months ago every three week like clock work the belt will be lose every thing still tight  i drive from longview to vancouver every weekend starting to think about swichin back  but i have lights and winch that i use
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Offline bentparts

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2009, 05:27:11 AM »
Must be something about yours in paticular. I've had the same Delco Remy Gm alt in mine for going on 3 years without any problems, and it gets lots of use, including regular submersions.  The bearings do make a tiny bit of noise occasionally, but hey, mine sees underwater use fairly often. Maybe I just got lucky, or it's in your set up. Mine came with a very small pully only about 2"dia, so that may be where the difference is?
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Offline ack

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2009, 12:08:53 PM »
I have a 15si and the only problems I had was bad welds on the aftermarket bracket and a slight misalignment of the pulley.

I had it welded together at the 'Melt and things are holding together nicely.

I am thinking of making my own bracket from a stock unit as described at

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=2648&highlight=Alternator

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Ack

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Offline badzook87

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2009, 03:36:51 PM »
Does any one make a bigger pulley for it?  I switched because I run a 8k winch 8 lights  onboard air and a fairly big stereo and dual optima batteries. So I dont think switching back is an option at this point.

I thinking if I can get a bigger pulley Im gonna try that and see what happens..

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phloop

Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2009, 09:58:41 PM »
Sounds like the cheap Azzed rebuilt units your getting. I put a new rebuilt 1.6 8V in my Sami along with the Cheby atl. swap a week before I dragged the thing to AZ for a run. I have had no issues since loading it on the trailer then and I'm using it is a DD now. And I grabbed the alt. off the garage floor where it sat since the mid 90's for the swap.
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2009, 10:33:57 PM »
look for a diesel pully, maybe even a ford might fit.
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Offline Adventure-Off-Rd

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2009, 06:05:01 AM »
Hi there, I have read all these posts and was wondering who made these kits? Sounds like a lot of bad kits! Alignment issues ,in proper welding, Wrong size pulleys and alternators that were incorrectly remand. I might be able to give some advice on these issues.
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Offline dupont#24

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2009, 06:59:13 PM »
Ran gm alternator for three years on 1.3 just recently put 1.8 8vale in and it had the serpentine pulleys and all I done was had somebody drill out the pulley that come off of the 1.6 alternator and put it on the gm works fine.
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Offline yzf438

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2010, 08:48:35 PM »
just put a 85 amp on my sammy.  works great other then can't figure outwhy my batt light on the dash glows real lightly under a load???? 
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Offline bentparts

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2010, 02:32:34 PM »
Quote from: yzf438 on January 19, 2010, 08:48:35 PM
just put a 85 amp on my sammy.  works great other then can't figure outwhy my batt light on the dash glows real lightly under a load???? 
Weird electrics, my batt light is lit until I reach about 1500 rpm the first time. After that it's fine the rest of the day. AND for those of you that have had issues with parts store alts, last summer I took my Tracker on a 6000 mile cross country trip without issue, with the GM Alt upgrade that I've been using the last three years. I use a Trail Tough bottom bracket, and a modified stock upper bracket, and a DELCO reman alt.
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Offline yzf438

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Re: Any body have problems with GM alternator upgrades (Help)
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2010, 05:40:40 PM »
used the stock upper bracket.  flipped it over and bolted onto the back of the alt. tab. worked good
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