Is my alternator about to die?

[Indigo04]

I did the big 3 today because I was bored and the battery gauge has been reading super low for some reason. I cleaned everything up with a wire wheel on a drill and torch soldered all my copper welder ends to my wires. I went battery to frame, battery to engine and alternator to battery. All done in 4ga wire except the engine to battery. I was out of 4ga so I doubled up 2 8ga wires.

My electrical is bone stock except for the big 3 now.

Now my courtesy light is flickering when the engine is running, I think I'm gonna do a ad144 swap anyways. I will just use this as a kick start to doing it.

Here's a shitty cell phone video of the flickering.



Ground to block.


Power wire, good for 1.21 jiggawatts.


Frame rail tow hook ground.


My cables, excuse the coal miners black tape, lol.

[HenryJ]

Swapping the pulley to a 52mm (smaller) will run it faster and help the idle voltage. At best you will get no better than 50 amps or so out of the stock CS130D alternator.
The stock AD244 will do 100 amps at idle. That is almost the maximum output of the CS130D.
Go to the bigger alternator.

[F9K9]

......................excuse the coal miners black tape, lol................

How about filling out your profile? You might have CC neighbors nearby.

[Indigo04]

Done sir.

[killian96ss]

The factory CS130D is rated at 100 amps maximum which is barely enough for a stock system. I am running a 200 amp AD244 in my 05 ZR2. I paid $278 for mine through Summit Racing. It is made by Tuff Stuff, part #8237B. This alternator has a black thermal coating and comes with the correct sized pulley. Unlike some of the AD244's out there, this one is a true bolt in with no wiring adapters or different sized pulleys needed. You will however need a slightly longer belt because the case is larger which moves the pulley out a little bit farther than the CS130D.

Upgrading the battery cables requires 2 gauge or larger cable. Anything smaller than that is no better than the factory cables. I have the custom made battery cable set made by Innovative Wiring that uses 1/0 gauge starter and ground cables, 2 gauge alternator and fuse/relay center cables. If you really want to make your own cables, go to the Innovative Wiring web site and study the picture of the set he sells for the late model S-series. These are very high quality cable sets. You would be hard pressed to make a set as nice as these for less money. Adding these cables will increase voltage at the fuse/relay box by about 1 volt.

Steve

[F9K9]

Done sir.

Thanks! Now, I have to ask where you got coal mining electrical tape? I know of many quarries near you but, not any coal mines.

[Indigo04]

My grandfather was a coal miner for 31 years. And my uncle is currently one. If I run out I just ask for it and it appears. Lol

[rlrnr53]

Typical coal miner. Most of them think black tape can fix anything!

[gocntry]

I have the custom made battery cable set made by Innovative Wiring .....These are very high quality cable sets. You would be hard pressed to make a set as nice as these for less money. Adding these cables will increase voltage at the fuse/relay box by about 1 volt.

Steve

Agreed... I bought the alternator cable from Innovative for my Tahoe, then got ahold of him and had him build some custom cables for my dual battery set-up, He does some very good work, cables are very nice!!

[Indigo04]

I have about $20 tied up in my big 3. I had the 4ga left over from a stereo shop dumpster dive about a decade ago. I literally got a armload of various wire out of the dumpster, I doubt I'll ever get a score like I did any more with all the scrapping/stealing methbillies out there.

I got the posts at autozone and should have got the copper ends there as TSC was about $.75-$1 more per package. But I got Hobart ends at tsc.

Using a MAPP gas torch is the easiest way I found to solder them.

[killian96ss]

Yeah, wire and cable is pretty expensive these days. I still have at least 60 rolls of various sized tin plated wire and cable from 18 gauge down to 2/0 gauge from when I used to run a wire manufacturing dept for Marinco/AFI. I usually do all my own wiring projects, however Gary at Innovative Wiring does such a good job with his battery cables I just had to go that route. My ZR2 was the test vehicle for his cables, so I got to see first hand how he makes them. He does use a mapp torch, various sized solder pellets, and a hydraulic crimper to make the terminal ends.

Steve

[Indigo04]

I used a pair of vise grips to crimp mine and the solder came from a roll. Sounds like he is doing something right though.

[Indigo04]

I found more corrosion on the main fuse under the battery tray and at the terminal on the fuse box. Cleaned it up with a wire wheel and tested everything with my dmm 14.6v on start up then I took it for a drive to get it nice and warm 14.1 at the battery and fuse box.

Eta: 14.05vdc at the battery today after driving for a few hours in 91deg weather.

[Indigo04]

Fixed it for good today. Snagged this ad244 out of a 03 yukon xl. Got a new dayco belt pn 5060960 or 6pk2440.



The two cs130d alternators, one from the dime, one from a 2002 GMC 2500 6.0L and the 03 Yukon ad244 on the truck pumping out the amps. It had a 3 wire plug, what do I do with this? I got the plug with it.



Juice readings.

[Horsehammerr]

Sorry , but I may be missing something. Big Three ?

[HenryJ]

Sorry , but I may be missing something. Big Three ?

They changed to larger battery cables.

[Indigo04]

See the giant 4ga wire coming out the back of the alternator and the bit 4ga ground going to the side of the bracket? I also have a ground going down to the frame rail as well. I think I have about $20 invested in all the crap doing this. but my voltage don't do nowhere near what it used to with the old alternator. Also the stock belt had 125K miles on it.