Ever retro-fitted your own alternator?

[Cobra456hp]

My stock alternator lasted until just over 100k. All of the parts stores are 105-110amp 6G. So I've been doing some research and, with 2 LKQ near by. I was wondering if I could take the internals from something like a 2010 Expedition that has 150amps and install them into the cobra case? I see rebuild kits are available online, but I would prefer factory Ford stuff. My car is pretty well stock right now with the exception of a 2.76 pulley/ factory lower. Just curious

 

[MG0h3]

Why bother?

Get a KMJ. Best bang for your buck.

STORE | KMJ Motorsports

www.kmj-motorsports.com

Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[Cobra456hp]

LKQ $50 with a 90 day warranty, No back and forth shipping time, factory Ford parts, readily available.

 

[MG0h3]

Knock yourself out.

Less I have to jack my car up or end stranded the better.

Maybe you’ll have better luck hit about 90% of guys that get stuck using a parts store alt for these cars end up using that warranty many times or toss it for a legit one.


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[Cobra456hp]

I just ordered a 200 Amp Titan. My question still stands though.

 

[Cobra456hp]

Knock yourself out.

Less I have to jack my car up or end stranded the better.

Maybe you’ll have better luck hit about 90% of guys that get stuck using a parts store alt for these cars end up using that warranty many times or toss it for a legit one.


Yeah, thats why I didnt want a parts store Alt. I wanted factory Ford parts. LKQ is a salvage yard. plenty of OEM parts available

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Give it a shot and let us know.

 

[01yellercobra]

If the case is the same size it might work. But you're putting used unknown parts and hoping it works.

 

[03' White Snake]

I was trying to convert a stock cobra 6G alternator into an external regulated alternator. It is harder than you think. Needs a triple diode wired in, what size? Good question. Haven’t figured it out yet. I was working on this for a while with a few electrical engineers. Tried a few different regulators, wiring etc. What I realized is the difference between an alternator and a generator. Alternator takes power to make power, not the same with a generator.

Anyway, I tabled it for a while til I can pick it back up, I’d still like to figure it out at some point. I gave in and bought a Nations.

It is the internal voltage regulator that goes bad from heat on 99% of the alternators. You can tell the PCB is throwing some serious heat by the size of the heat sink on such a small PCB. Being down near the the exhaust manifold and engine heat does not help the situation.

I believe F250’s run the large case 6G alternator, the cobra runs the small case. You might be able to swap one of those but I am not sure. The V6 stang is the same as the cobra with an 8 rib pulley on it.

 

[01yellercobra]

When my j2fab started failing it was hot enough to burn me.

 

[Black02GT]

My $0.02 was in early on the J2 train and worked great...for awhile. After that same old shit. Nations external, great piece of kit but still working on it to not shread belts. I blame the alt. since it was the only change but who knows. Either way on the electrical side Nations is niece as an alternator but comes with spacers tacked on plus additional washers. Not PnP as one would hope.

 

[Black02GT]

I was trying to convert a stock cobra 6G alternator into an external regulated alternator. It is harder than you think. Needs a triple diode wired in, what size? Good question. Haven’t figured it out yet. I was working on this for a while with a few electrical engineers. Tried a few different regulators, wiring etc. What I realized is the difference between an alternator and a generator. Alternator takes power to make power, not the same with a generator.

Anyway, I tabled it for a while til I can pick it back up, I’d still like to figure it out at some point. I gave in and bought a Nations.

It is the internal voltage regulator that goes bad from heat on 99% of the alternators. You can tell the PCB is throwing some serious heat by the size of the heat sink on such a small PCB. Being down near the the exhaust manifold and engine heat does not help the situation.

I believe F250’s run the large case 6G alternator, the cobra runs the small case. You might be able to swap one of those but I am not sure. The V6 stang is the same as the cobra with an 8 rib pulley on it.

View attachment 1781254View attachment 1781255View attachment 1781256View attachment 1781257

Put in some work it's sounds like, damn. How do you feel about the Nations fitment? My long tacked on spacer is a little cocked.

 

[kazman]

I was trying to convert a stock cobra 6G alternator into an external regulated alternator. It is harder than you think. Needs a triple diode wired in, what size? Good question. Haven’t figured it out yet. I was working on this for a while with a few electrical engineers. Tried a few different regulators, wiring etc. What I realized is the difference between an alternator and a generator. Alternator takes power to make power, not the same with a generator.

Anyway, I tabled it for a while til I can pick it back up, I’d still like to figure it out at some point. I gave in and bought a Nations.

It is the internal voltage regulator that goes bad from heat on 99% of the alternators. You can tell the PCB is throwing some serious heat by the size of the heat sink on such a small PCB. Being down near the the exhaust manifold and engine heat does not help the situation.

I believe F250’s run the large case 6G alternator, the cobra runs the small case. You might be able to swap one of those but I am not sure. The V6 stang is the same as the cobra with an 8 rib pulley on it.

View attachment 1781254View attachment 1781255View attachment 1781256View attachment 1781257

Good question for @Macman756

 

[03' White Snake]

Put in some work it's sounds like, damn. How do you feel about the Nations fitment? My long tacked on spacer is a little cocked.

I used the included shims from Nations. I used my belt alignment laser. Fired it up and gave a few high RPM rev’s. I have not driven it yet and really threw boost at her to know of any alignment issues. Fingers crossed it’s good.

I was having random belt issues before this alternator. That’s why I bought the belt tool. So I hope I have both issues fixed now.

 

[P49Y-CY]

this whole thread puzzles me. op has a basically stock car where the 1st one lasted over 100k. oem was 105a, and that's what places sell - even ford i would think. put in a replacement rebuilt stock alternator, and go another 100k.

i'm all for souping things up but you can't get better than that kind of performance.

 

[01yellercobra]

this whole thread puzzles me. op has a basically stock car where the 1st one lasted over 100k. oem was 105a, and that's what places sell - even ford i would think. put in a replacement rebuilt stock alternator, and go another 100k.

i'm all for souping things up but you can't get better than that kind of performance.

The OG stock is rated at 80 amps. At some point it was bumped to 105. My stock alternator lasted about 100K. But that was on a mostly stock set up. Start throwing bigger fuel pumps, upgraded intercooler pumps, stereo upgrades, etc and it just can't keep up. It won't last another 100K at that kind of load.

I wish I was a little bit smarter and could come up with some kind of bolt on scoop to go under the alternator and direct air over it to cool it.

 

[03' White Snake]

The OG stock is rated at 80 amps. At some point it was bumped to 105. My stock alternator lasted about 100K. But that was on a mostly stock set up. Start throwing bigger fuel pumps, upgraded intercooler pumps, stereo upgrades, etc and it just can't keep up. It won't last another 100K at that kind of load.

I wish I was a little bit smarter and could come up with some kind of bolt on scoop to go under the alternator and direct air over it to cool it.

I did buy a silicone coupler and heater vent tube to do this, clamp onto the fog bezel and run the tube tot he alternator. I ended up punting on this idea as running a 2-3" tube around the sway bar and stuff started getting ugly quick.

You can look at brake cooling duct kits and see how tight everything starts to get and clear the moving components.

 

[Cobra456hp]

this whole thread puzzles me. op has a basically stock car where the 1st one lasted over 100k. oem was 105a, and that's what places sell - even ford i would think. put in a replacement rebuilt stock alternator, and go another 100k.

i'm all for souping things up but you can't get better than that kind of performance.

My factory stocker says its a 135amp. If the parts store offered a 135a I would have bought it. Unfortunately, They only offer 105-110. Google search says the V6 is 110 at stator and 130 max. Pretty sure I have a burned diode in the cobra one.I have an 06 5.4L 3v Alt laying around that I believe the regulator has gone bad. I took them apart and the internals do interchange. But I ended up breaking the good regulator brushes, so I cant run it.

 

[Black02GT]

I used the included shims from Nations. I used my belt alignment laser. Fired it up and gave a few high RPM rev’s. I have not driven it yet and really threw boost at her to know of any alignment issues. Fingers crossed it’s good.

I was having random belt issues before this alternator. That’s why I bought the belt tool. So I hope I have both issues fixed now.

Nice, have the gates / dayco one myself. Laser looks spot on but have an under hood video of it snapping. Walks then, poof. It starts to walk under boost and doesn't do well when I let off gets hairy. But enough of that don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[P49Y-CY]

My factory stocker says its a 135amp. If the parts store offered a 135a I would have bought it. Unfortunately, They only offer 105-110. Google search says the V6 is 110 at stator and 130 max.

this has been the subject of much discussion through the years. there have been many threads about it, and the general consesus is that the 135a label on the alternator and which show in internal ford documents was an error - perhaps a carryover from an original plan for a higher-amp alternator for the terminator - but that once production started, they began using the same alternator as other mustangs. guys have studied this in great detail, disassembling, doing tests, etc. it's basically a 6g V-6 alternator, with an 8-rib pulley which puts out 105-110a, and no where close to 135a.

so it's perfectly fine for a stock-style replacement, which is what you're doing. i've got the same setup as you on both my cars and so far have over 55k miles on a relatively cheap, generic amazon 105a replacement. (i got 140k out of my original alternator on my convertible.) imo the key to longevity is proper belt tension.

and as @01yellercobra pointed out, once you start going with bigger fuel pumps, stereo, etc, you need to look at upgrading your alternator.