What would you suggest to get?
There are some remanufactured units (105 amps) on e-bay for
reasonable prices but I never know with stuff off e-bay.
It allways looks like quality is questionable.
Whould more power alternator (140 or 160amps) be better choice?

 

Lots of guys think a 140A alt is better, somehow, than a 105A alt.
If you have a 105 now, and don't have a lot of high amp accessories (e.g. winch, welder, refrigerator, etc. ) that are continually draining your battery even while the engine is running, then a higher-amp alt will do nothing but cost you more to purchase.
The high amp alt will not charge your battery faster, or better, or anything like that unless the standard amp alt cannot keep up with your loads.

Where to buy? I always buy locally when I can...makes it easier to exchange when there is a problem. (and, all too often, there IS a problem.... )

Larry
code5coupe

 

I bought a new lifetime replacement warranty 105 amp unit for my 1989.
No exchange required. Part # 7888-11 Motor City Reman. $89.95.

www.motorcityreman.com I researched this and saw no need to go to the 140 amp unit, although they have one. My original alt. lasted 18 years. I'm having it locally rebuilt as a back-up.

 

replace the CS-130 style with the CS-144 out of a LT1 car..

that is what I did, works much better

 

replace with CS144

 

Do not buy this type of stuff on Ebay. Not worth the risk IMO.

 

I got mine from the dealer (91). Expensive, yea a little. It was about $150 or so. But it was right, it worked, genuine parts.

 

with most of that statement.

But...... I will add this.......A higher power CAPABILITY will make the alternator run significantly cooler even with no unusual loads on the system buss.

Example:

You have a 105 amp alternator. With all your electrical loads applied to the system bus the current is 90 amps (theretical number, could be MORE).

The load (90 amps) is consuming 85% of the capacity of your 105 amp alternator. The result is the rectifiers, field coil, etc in your 105 amp alternator will generate considerable heat.
How much heat? 85% of the amount of heat the alternator, as a system, was designed to withstand.

Now add MORE heat from the surrounding engine, exhaust manifolds, etc. Unfortunately your 105 amp alternator is now stressed to it's maximum potential even though the LOAD on it is less than it's 105 amp max design load capacity.
How good an idea does that 105 amp alternator sound like now?

I'm a big believer in engineering BUT...... But, the 'managers' (bean counters) are usually in a position to affect the final outcome of a system in terms of what PARTS are used that control the 'bottom line'.
The results are a LOT of systems are sent out the door with 'marginal' parts that will last for awhile. The 'bet' is they will last until the product is out of warranty.
This is a typical case of 'management' thinking they know more than engineers. Call a guy a 'manager' and he thinks he's a real rocket scientist. Doesn't matter if he's just the 'manager' of the supply cabinet.
Dammit, it sucks but that's the world we live in.

Anyway........... a larger amperage alternator WILL run cooler and last longer.
Get a CS-144 alternator and you won't have to change the danged thing again in another 16~18 months.
It WILL run cooler and last longer and it will do it even if you DON"T have additional electrical buss loads than what your Vette came with from the factory.

In honor of CFI-EFI............RACE ON

 

Ask Brian86 what he thinks about Ebay alternators and compressors, I think he bought two that were garbage. Ebay vendors sell cheap parts, and expensive lessons.


As far as amp ratings, get the highest that will fit your car. GM upsized the alternator a bunch during the C4 run, way more than they increased the electrical demands.

 

The CS130 was failure after failure....POS junk.I even had one that grenaded,the case broke apart,and it was a reman a/c delco unit.Upgrade if you can.

 

Are there any differences between cs-130 and newer cs-144 alternator ( instalation wise )?

 

I think you have to trim a bracket to fit. Going by memory, try a search. I heard this failure issue come up on some rebuilds, that's one reason I bought new with lifetime warranty. My opinion, buy new. A higher output alternator won't do a thing for you unless you have the requirement for one.

 

I had to 'modify' the top mpunting arm at the alternator end.
The 'mod' took about 20 seconds with a file to remove about 1/16" inside the 'fork'. It will still work with the CS-130 alternators too.
Not that I'd ever go back to them. The CS-144 has been on there so long I've forgotten the year I put it on there.
I was replacing the CS-130's every couple of years at best. That got a little old. Not that it's hard to replace one, it's just the 'inconvenience' of doing it when I 'could' be applying Zaino.

My Vette's sit a LOT... and everytime they are cranked up it's a good bet the alternator will be called on for it's MAXIMUM potential just to recharge the battery.
A few times of this added with summer heat plus underhood heat and they are TOAST.
Of course, a Battery Tender will help a lot. But still sometimes they sit uncranked for a month or two without the Battery Tender so..... the larger alternator is more resistant to failure even though my Vettes came with Cs-130 alternators.


Oh, thanks where they are due.......
I got the tip to replace with the CS-144 right here on this forum a few years back. I've got CS-144's on both my '84 and my '91 C4's now.

 

That is the main problem. I have rebuilt this thing so many times that
it looks like it survived 2 world wars.

CS-144 it'll be. Thanks for all inputs.

 

The later model CS144 alternators had 140 amps compared to the earlier CS144's which had 120 amps.

I bought the CS144 alternator for a "96" GS Corvette which is a 140 amp.

 

This is the best advise I've seen written on the subject.

 

I quit counting at a dozen (and that's with 59,000 miles), but the AC Delco reman has been the best. As far as I can tell, the problem is idle output (about 35 amps the last time someone slapped a Clampon Meter on one) and heat, proximity to the header. A higher amp alternator may, but may not, deal with this better. The aftermarket has responded with a few gadgets: Fans which you install in the inner wheel wells to dissipate heat (seems likely they'll just draw more amps); the "Iceberg" alternator which uses a large heatsink on the outside of the case (a member tried one and cooked it in 2 months), and again, an assortment of higher outputs which unless you're getting 50 amps at idle (600 rpms for most), probably can't match the load of the fan (worse if you're running two) and the a/c on high. GM issued a Bulletin several years ago essentially stating that they couldn't make an alternator that matched idle demand (and pretty much told their Dealers that they weren't going to reimburse them for alternator warranty claims if the complaint was dim lights at extended idle). So who knows - maybe there's a better mousetrap - maybe there isn't. If I was taking an extended trip, I'd carry a spare, which is what one of the Corvette Mags recommended back in '90 or '91.

 

 

true 'dat.

i've got an acdelco reman that's bulltits for 3 years so far. i also keep a spare.

 

Just look at a cs-130 and a cs-144 side by side. I converted my 86 to the cs-144 two years ago. I'm happy with it. It will run the fans and lights at idle with no problem.