Ecklers states this is a plug and play direct fit with out any modifications. Has any body done this with success?

Corvette Alternator, 140 Amp, Chrome, 1969-1982
1978 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STANDARD
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1969-82 (C3) Chrome 140 Amp Alternator

Part #: 41384 Price:

Fitment:
1969 thru 1982
See applications below for exact details.

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1978 CORVETTE STANDARD

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'1978 CORVETTE STANDARD'

 

Ecklers says it fits so I would assume it does. I went to the local auto parts house and found one for mine that would work. I just had to reclock the shells to get the connectors in the right place. Works fine. This one should fit with no changes.

 

Great...no worries about resistance or wires heating up ?

 

It should work OK. Once you start getting significantly higher output then it might matter. I've seem where other guys install high capacity alternators when they use cooling fans and electric water pumps and such. Unless you have an accessory that draws a bunch of amps more than your system usually sees then it's no problem.

Just make sure your grounds are good and clean. Normal Corvette stuff.

 

Thanks, my only issue is at a stop light with the A/C and headlights on... and you try to lower the windows....I am hoping this 140AMP will address this...

 

I believe that the wire carrying this 140 amps to the rest of your electrical system is 10 gage (it was on my 77). If so, it's maximum capacity is approx. 100 amps.

The tables indicate you need a minimum of 8 gage to safely carry the full output of a 140 amp alternator. Suggest you do some research on the web to satisfy yourself what your stock wiring will safely carry (I changed mine to 8 gage).

 

I have had a CS-144 140 amp alternator for a number of years now with no issues with stock wiring. My only issue with my car was a gen light that flashed at idle with the high beams on with the lows-Hella Euro Halogens-55/60 watt lows with 100 watt highs-no other high amp draw accessories other than stock. As others have stated, as long as you do not have non stock high amp draw accessories like electric fans, amps etc, you will be fine. The advantage of a CS-144 140 amp alternator for me was up to 80 amps at idle, running much cooler than a 12SI alternator, and barely breathing at the amperage I need for my accessories-it will last much longer. The stock alternator (63 amp) provides its maximum rating at about 2,000 RPM and will run hot as hell at maximum load.

Hope that helps!

 

I purchased a 140 from summit racing and it put out about the same amps as stock at idle but it did jump up quick at @900rpm. I only got a year out of it before it went bad
My advice is if you're running electric this and that, spend the few extra buck to retro fit the newer style alternators! CS130 or newer.

 

I previous to the CS-144 had a 100 amp 12SI-not a good idea! I had the same issue, same amperage at idle as the OEM 63 amp 12SI. The CS130 is good, but the CS-144 is better. I paid $170 for a new CS-144 alternator and it has been great. I have a slightly higher rated CS-130 (140 amps versus stock 130 amp CS130 in my DD Grand Prix). The Cs144 has much better cooling capacity than previous GM alternators-housing and fan- and charges like a power station at idle which solved my issue.

 

I agree 100%, which is why I went from a mid-60 amp alternator, to a 105 amp. Does not die in situations like you described. Did not want to go higher because don't have any high demand accessories and did not want to change out any wiring. Also, did not have to re-clock. The three wire connector will reach around and fit OK. Last time I tried to re-clock it took forever to get it all back together.

 

So with the stock lay out except the hella head lamps...(I actually switched them out with sylvania xtra vision but same power drain result) should I be okay with stock wiring as per Ecklers?? Plug & play as stated?

 

This http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CHROME-100-105-amp-1-or-2-wire-GM-alternator-CS130-TPI-Streetrod-Hot-Rod-/231170828234?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35d2dae7ca&vxp=mtr is a lot better alternator than the stock and will produce good amperage at idle, the one at ecklers may not.

 

You will need this adapter plug for the cs130
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Powermaster-140-Harness-Adapter-10SI-to-CS130-/261417353557?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cddb04155&vxp=mtr

 

I'm not a big fan of the over-rated 10SI or 12SI alternators. You're saying you have questionable power at a stop light and that's when these over-rated alternators just can't deliver much extra current compared to the stock design. A CS130 will probably generate more current at idle then any stock 10SI or 12SI alternator can generate at any rpm and it will 100% outperform a over-rated alternator still using a 10SI case.

You can get away with leaving the stock wiring as long as you don't run any other high current accessories off it and you also don't do something silly like boost a dead battery and then go for a drive to charge it. The alternator would be cranking out it's 140A into the stock wiring designed for a 63A alternator which isn't likely to end well.

 

So according to Ecklers the 140amp they supply is made by Powermaster. Are you saying it is either a 10SI or a 12SI?therefore my idle issue won't be improved? You suggest the CS 130 with my stock wiring. Is that correct? Has the bearing issue with the CS130 been corrected?

 

when i upgraded mine , i ran a separate 10 gauge lead from the alternator to the starter. I've added 70 watt bulbs in the hella H4 housings and 100 watt aircraft landing lights thru the Daniel Stern suggested harness right off the alternator. i even put a new interstate AGM battery. i couldn't be more pleased.

 

To review:

You will not have any issues running stock like electrical accessories with a higher amp alternators. If you do run high amperage draw accessories like my 100 watt hella Euro high beams, run the high amperage wires directly off the alternator, NOT the battery, like I do with a relay for the high beams only. The power draw will go directly from the alternator to the accessory without going through the stock wiring.

Do yourself a favor and go with the CS-144 alternator which is rated at 140 amps as a factory alternator and NOT up rated to that amperage. The CS-144 is plug and play (use the wiring adapter mentioned above) and it fits perfectly in the stock location. It is a much better alternator than the 10/12SI and even the CS-130. If you are upgrading alternators, skip the CS130 which is better than the 10/12SI but not better than the CS-144.

Lastly, a dead battery will NOT cause the CS-144 or other high amp alternators to fry the stock wiring BUT it will charge a dead recently revived battery (for a start) quicker than a stock alternator. A dead//weak battery will signal the alternator to charge at a greater rate than a fresh battery but it is NOT anywhere near the 140 amp rating of the CS-144. How do I know that? 25 years of having the battery die on occassion for failing to disconnect the negative terminal after a long period of inactivity and getting the car started and having the 100 amp 12SI and CS-144 charge the battery-zero issues.

I did not buy mine here but an example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150-Amp-High...-/250329603285


Hope that helps!

 

The wiring between the battery and the alternator need to have capacity for all that the alternator can put out. If everything [electrical] in the car is in good shape, including the battery, you may not have any problem. But, if the battery goes bad...or the car becomes hard to start...or etc, etc, etc, you may get to a situation where the alternator is putting out way more current than the wiring was meant to handle. That's when insulation melts and catches on fire . Many Corvettes have gone up in smoke...quickly...with such "issues".

You can do whatever you want with your car. But having an alternator with twice the [SAFE] capacity of 40 year-old wiring is not my idea of a "good idea".

 

if your stock wiring is not in good shape, electrical fires are always a possibility, regardless of alternator used. The question is: is it absolutely necessary to replace the wiring to use a high amp alternator? The answer is no, it is not absolutely necessary if your wiring is in good shape. Is it advisable to upgrade the alternator battery wire from 10 to 8 gauge or thicker-of course, that would be prudent! Have I been using high amp alternators with stock wiring for 25 years with zero problems with high amp draw from the high beams and with dead/weak batteries? Yes with zero issues. Again, A dead weak battery will not draw anywhere near the capacity amperage rating of an alternator, OEM or not. Battery charging is NOT the same as high amp draw from accessories such as music amps, electric fans, etc that will draw their rated amp capacities when needed from the electrical system and this condition is only a problem if the wiring is from the battery, not directly from the alternator.

Other things to consider:

1. All cars including the C3''s have fusible links designed to melt/blow under excessive load and/or shorts in the system.

2. Wire in a 80 amp fuse into the wire from the Alternator if you are concerned about excess amperage. With a stock electrical load, it will not blow-dead battery or not.

3. I recently had to jump my car before my engine rebuild began with my Costco battery from 1998 and once the car started, I do and did check the battery wire from the alternator, and it was barely warm. You might get 25-30 amps from a stock alternator on a weak/dead battery and MAYBE 45-50 amps from a high amp alternator. There is a reason for this reduced rate. If you charged a dead battery at 140-150 amps in the car, the battery could explode and/or boil over in the car.

Lastly, I would be willing to bet that 90% of vette fires have nothing to do with high amp alternators melting the stock wiring.

Everyone needs to do what they are comfortable with but they also need to know what the real risks are of doing certain things.

PS-now that my engine will be out of the car I will probably wire in a heavier/new alternator wire since it is real easy now with the engine out as well as everything else off the car!

 

Yes, I should had added to my post that you'd better know the charging wiring is in good condition if you're going to do this. You don't need poor connections being stressed further by the higher current.

FYI, you can run 200A through 10awg 90*C wire in free air for a long time without melting the insulation. Playing with the current source at work I had to go to about 500A before the wire actually started heating up quickly. Any weak spots in the connections will burn-up quickly before the insulation is damaged. Bad connections are where your car fire will start.