Hi

What's the best alternator for a 75 vette with AC ?
Here is a list i found



Thanx

A

 

If you have the original alternator have you considered rebuilding it? If not then choose the 63 amp that the local store has in stock.

 

The "best" alternator would be a CS130 or CS144 transplant. If you want to select from just what you provided, get one of the top two most expensive. As it will always be: cheap is cheap. You get what you pay for.

 

CS-144 if you are not going to replace your stock alternator…I would not buy a remanufactured alternator of any type….they generally will not last…buy a new one.

 

There is no one answer, as you can see from above. It depends on your car, your budget, your goals and your mechanical skills.

If your mechanical skills are low, choose one of the alternators on your list, depending on your budget. Get one with the best warranty, because even the best remanufactured part is subject to premature failure. Remember that most remanufactured parts are done by only a few companies and are then rebranded by the seller.

If your goal for your car is to 'improve'/modify it, then a modern cs130 or cs144 should be considered. Both put out substantially greater amperage (100+) than your stock alternator and, more importantly, put out much more amperage at the slow to moderate speeds of a street driven vehicle. HOWEVER, changing to one of the CS series alternators will require you to change some of your wiring (because the plug from your alternator will not fit the CS models), and it is usually recommended that you supply thicker gauge wiring from the alternator to handle the increased charging amperage (some people have upgraded to a CS, kept their stock charging wiring, and lived to tell about it.)

If you are interested in upgrading to a CS alternator, use the forum search for CS130 or CS144. There is a LOT of info about these upgrades, or don't hesitate to PM me.

 

Correct!

The conversion to my CS-144 was pretty straightforward since I do not have any very high amp load in total that would over stress/heat the stock wiring-I did not upgrade the wire from the starter to the alternator due to this fact. You do need to go to a thicker wire if you are going to pulling mega amps with the new alternator. I was most interested in the high amp output of the CS144 at idle versus the stock 10/12SI alternator.Most of the internet sites that sell new CS-144 140 amp alternators will also have the adapter plug mentioned for about $10-plug and play-easy.

Lastly, the CS130, although a good high amp alternator is not as good as the CS-144 140 amp alternator since GM redesigned the alternator housing for better cooling with the CS144 versus the CS130 AND designed a more efficient fan for the alternator than the CS130. If you are going to upgrade, you are better off with the CS144 than the CS130…just an FYI.

 

Do you need an alternator? Have you had yours tested?

 

The original CS130 (1986 to 1994) was redesigned in 1994 and became the CS130D. This GM redesign provided the original CS130 with additional cooling, to improve it's durability. GM changed the case completely, provided 2 internal fans and improved cooling to the regulator. The CS130D more closely resembles a Chrysler alternator than the solid case appearance of previous GM alternators.

I put a CS130D into my 77 because it is significantly lighter than the 144 and because it has the same dimensions as the original 10si alternator, avoiding potential interference problems. Also, the stock 130D comes in 105 and 140 amp versions, which will meet all of my needs.

 

You are correct that the CS130D was a redesign of the original CS130 which was the alternator I was referencing originally, not the CS130D, which does look more like a Chrysler alternator and one of the reasons that I did not consider that one when upgrading my 10SI alternator. I did replace the CS130D on my DD 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix a few years ago with a slightly higher powered version, the 140 amp one versus the OEM 105 amp version, and it has worked fine even though i am not a fan of higher powered amp versions of lower amp rated stock alternators generally. One of the aspects of the CS130D I do not like is the very open case…on both my Pontiac GP and Chrysler 300 (same style), the alternator allows lots of dirt/salt and moisture into the case. I chose the CS144 alternator for my replacement since even though it does have a bigger housing, it fits perfectly in the stock location, looks like a stock looking alternator (more so than a CS130D) and is considered one of the best modern type alternators made by GM with a stock OEM rating of 140 amp that can provide up to 90 amps at idle. Hope that helps!

 

I installed this alternator in my '75 last weekend. 80amps from Summit Racing. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tff-7127nb