Alternator in truck from a different car model?

[zayres29]

i added a 3 wire alt to my truck just a few weeks ago, i did one straight to battery then got a resistor from radio shack and ran that wire to the ignition and the other one to a power distribution block and it is charging 14.4 now. you can google it and find wiring diagrams for alts and you can also put GM alt on a ford

Ok, but do you absolutely need to use the other outputs on the alt if it's a secondary alt? Also, I'm not trying to replace the original alt in my truck, it's only a few days old.

yes this is possible i am doing this exact thing on my truck i have a '91 c1500 and i am putting a 400a mechman alt on it as a secondary for an 18v system but the new alt is for a new body style truck with the ls based engine call mechman and they can hook you up proper you just need a single one wire turn on lead and you are golden

[zayres29]

i added a 3 wire alt to my truck just a few weeks ago, i did one straight to battery then got a resistor from radio shack and ran that wire to the ignition and the other one to a power distribution block and it is charging 14.4 now. you can google it and find wiring diagrams for alts and you can also put GM alt on a ford

Ok, but do you absolutely need to use the other outputs on the alt if it's a secondary alt? Also, I'm not trying to replace the original alt in my truck, it's only a few days old.

yes you need to use all wires for it to charge not unless you get a 1 wire alternator

not true

[Miguels]

i added a 3 wire alt to my truck just a few weeks ago, i did one straight to battery then got a resistor from radio shack and ran that wire to the ignition and the other one to a power distribution block and it is charging 14.4 now. you can google it and find wiring diagrams for alts and you can also put GM alt on a ford

Ok, but do you absolutely need to use the other outputs on the alt if it's a secondary alt? Also, I'm not trying to replace the original alt in my truck, it's only a few days old.

yes you need to use all wires for it to charge not unless you get a 1 wire alternator

not true

trust me, my truck had a si10 alt in it and i upgraded it to the cs130 and pluged up the charging wire and when i turned on my truck it was 12.3 volts even if i was at 2k rpm. i got the red wire from my pigtail and wired it to distribution block constant power and still at 12.3 volts, then i was reading about the alternator voltage regulator needing to get excited before being able to charge so i read on it some more and it said to get a 500ohm resister and put it on the white wire and run it to the ignition and bam i was charging at 14.4. you can also use an idiot light and that will help charge too, mine is GM though so for might be different but could be easy if you read about it.

edit:as long as the excite wire and volt sense wire is connected you are good

some fords have external regulators so you might just be lucky and plugging in the charging wire is good enough

Edited December 3, 2011 by Miguels

[AUDIOADDICT02]

I have a Nissan Versa´s alternator on my suzuki swift, works awesome

Doesn't surprise me that you make anything work when it comes to car audio!!

i added a 3 wire alt to my truck just a few weeks ago, i did one straight to battery then got a resistor from radio shack and ran that wire to the ignition and the other one to a power distribution block and it is charging 14.4 now. you can google it and find wiring diagrams for alts and you can also put GM alt on a ford

Ok, but do you absolutely need to use the other outputs on the alt if it's a secondary alt? Also, I'm not trying to replace the original alt in my truck, it's only a few days old.

yes this is possible i am doing this exact thing on my truck i have a '91 c1500 and i am putting a 400a mechman alt on it as a secondary for an 18v system but the new alt is for a new body style truck with the ls based engine call mechman and they can hook you up proper you just need a single one wire turn on lead and you are golden

Ok thanks man, really cleared up my confusion there. I'm currently upgrading/improving most parts on this truck to make it as reliable as possible. I'm hoping to get started system wise by the beginning of the year, so stay put!

[AUDIOADDICT02]

i added a 3 wire alt to my truck just a few weeks ago, i did one straight to battery then got a resistor from radio shack and ran that wire to the ignition and the other one to a power distribution block and it is charging 14.4 now. you can google it and find wiring diagrams for alts and you can also put GM alt on a ford

Ok, but do you absolutely need to use the other outputs on the alt if it's a secondary alt? Also, I'm not trying to replace the original alt in my truck, it's only a few days old.

yes you need to use all wires for it to charge not unless you get a 1 wire alternator

not true

trust me, my truck had a si10 alt in it and i upgraded it to the cs130 and pluged up the charging wire and when i turned on my truck it was 12.3 volts even if i was at 2k rpm. i got the red wire from my pigtail and wired it to distribution block constant power and still at 12.3 volts, then i was reading about the alternator voltage regulator needing to get excited before being able to charge so i read on it some more and it said to get a 500ohm resister and put it on the white wire and run it to the ignition and bam i was charging at 14.4. you can also use an idiot light and that will help charge too, mine is GM though so for might be different but could be easy if you read about it.

edit:as long as the excite wire and volt sense wire is connected you are good

some fords have external regulators so you might just be lucky and plugging in the charging wire is good enough

Yep, mine has an external voltage regulator & I have the wiring diagram so it should be easy then.

[tlee2]

They make universal ho alts too

[Miguels]

this is the wiring diagram for the ford alt, you can call mechman and they can hook you up with an alt that only needs one wire to make it charge, the diagram is if you want to get an original alternator

[AUDIOADDICT02]

They make universal ho alts too

True, but the biggest I found was 100 amp, I was thinking more like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-TRUCK-CKRV-NEW-ALTERNATOR-200A-HIGH-AMP-2005-6-0L-/250883714026?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3a69d5abea#ht_1257wt_1110

[zayres29]

spend the money and get a mechman unit he could probably even work something out with you that would actually fit your truck the right way

that one from ebay probably does 200a yes but at like 5234985720956 rmp

[AUDIOADDICT02]

this is the wiring diagram for the ford alt, you can call mechman and they can hook you up with an alt that only needs one wire to make it charge, the diagram is if you want to get an original alternator

Ah, I see, thanks man!