Alternator question

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Theodore
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:26 pm
Location: East Tennessee

Alternator question

Post by Theodore »

While working on the cooling system of our 1990 Grand Wagoneer over the weekend, I noticed Im only running 2 belts (courtesy of PO) and with working A/C I have work to do to swap pulleys on both the alternator & power steering pump to get back to stock.

While removing the alternator of unknown capacity, the internal bolt holding the terminal came off. I took it to a local alternator shop who offered to rebuild it to 105a, swap the single for a double pulley, and fix the terminal.

This evening, reading forums I’ve seen mention of upgraded alternators causing dash fires; an ammeter bypass, use of a voltmeter, etc.

Our 1990 Grand Wagoneer has a voltmeter stock in the dash.

Question: is a 105a alternator a bad idea given what I have? Have seen that 75a(non-A/c) & 85a (A/C) alternators were standard.
1990 Grand Wagoneer - "Theodore" - AMC 360, fuel-injected, TF727, NP229 - Sand Metallic - restoring to stock - Build Thread

Topic author
Theodore
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:26 pm
Location: East Tennessee

Re: Alternator question

Post by Theodore »

Poking around this morning, I found a post that leads me to believe upgrading the alternator is ok, given later model Grand Wagoneers have voltmeters in the dash vs ammeters.

https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5878
1990 Grand Wagoneer - "Theodore" - AMC 360, fuel-injected, TF727, NP229 - Sand Metallic - restoring to stock - Build Thread
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candymancan
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:32 pm

Re: Alternator question

Post by candymancan »

Dont worry about fires on your 90 with a high amp alternator. That issue is for older Jeeps with ampmeters. Our 90s (yours and mine) dont have that issue. The issue would be the ampneter seeing 150 amps lets say at max anperage on my alternator and the wires catching fire immediatly.

Remember things only draw the power they need, a blower motor that takes 15 amps.. will draw 15 amps.. a 100w light that draws 8.3amps. Will draw 8.3 amps. The alternator will only put out what is drawn from it. It doesnt pump 150 amps in the wiring of the car

I have a 150amp alternator from power master in my Jeep btw. I got it to power the 7 100w round 6.5 inch offroad lights i have on my roof and bumper. And the 4 led lights on my roof basket for 360 degree light.. and the led reverse lights under my bumper.

Prior i had like a 90 amp on there.. and it could barely power the engine with the headlights. Fogs. And a.c or heater blowers on full blast. Especially at idle. My lights would go dim and voltage would drop when at red lights.

With the 150amp i have, its not only 150 amps.. but also charges higher at idle too. I also got a thr biggest battery i could fit. 1000cca from walmart. And now i can power my headlights. Fogs. The 7 100w lights. The 4 led floods, and the blower motor on max at idle and have no real power loss.


I would skip having yours rebuilt to 105.. itll probly be cheaper to just buy the power master 140/150 amp alternator on amazon. You might have to switch the casing around on it to fit the jeep though. The outer casing can be take off and reversed for different mounting options on vehicles. I had to do that with mine.
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

Topic author
Theodore
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:26 pm
Location: East Tennessee

Re: Alternator question

Post by Theodore »

Good deal, thanks CandyMan. Gotcha - was what i was hoping/thinking was the case. ? - did you have to change any existing/stock wiring to accomodate? Am assuming all the new loads required net new wiring/fusing. I'm planning on a return to stock, and am working my way thru the wiring removing butt connectors, etc. That work's just about complete.

it feels like ive pulled a loose thread & things continue to unravel, and am into a full-blown case of 'while i'm in there...'; what started out as engine/EFI OBD1 tuning, fixing wiring issues, and a new chip turned into a misfire, due to bad rotor phasing (Thanks for the help BILL_USN1). Misfire caused the exhaust manifold gasket to blow out; fixed that, an oil pan leak, and A/C - for a very nice running vehicle on the highway; only to discover an issue w/overheating at idle in a slow drive-thru. Right now, i've pulled the radiator for a cleansing/refurb (had quite a few deposits), found a radiator shroud in Cape Cod (Thanks, dsii); noticed i'm missing belts & have no pulley slots to run them - need to swap pulleys on the alternator & powersteering pump. hopefully, by the end of the week, first of next week - i'll have it back on the road. Parts are presently coming in from the 4-winds.
1990 Grand Wagoneer - "Theodore" - AMC 360, fuel-injected, TF727, NP229 - Sand Metallic - restoring to stock - Build Thread
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candymancan
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Re: Alternator question

Post by candymancan »

Only thing i did for wiring on the alternator qas increase the gauge sizes for the ground and charging wire. There are charts online that can show you how thick wires need to be for whatever amps at how many feet.

https://www.google.com/search?q=150+amp ... -cVb5ko0VM

For 150amps. I upgraded the charging wire to 4AWG. 4AWG is plenty for the like 2 feet fron the battery to alternator, i believe stock was like 6 or 8.. you always want oversized for wiring like this coming from the battery/alternator I also upgraded the grounds to equivalent sizes. Remember any positive wire whatever the size you use. You need an equivalent sized ground wire. So if you use 2AWG positive.. use 2AWG negative as well.. this pertains to anything you wire up.


Nothing on the Jeep needs upgraded in wiring sizes. Theyre all sufficient for what the Jeep has. The issue on these Jeeps is there are virtually no relays for things. So the headlights and power windows and so forth have power going to the nain switch directly from the battery.. then th3y go off the switch to the windows... instead of a relay for each window and each windows getting power from the battery through a fuse. Make sense ?

Relays will cut wire length needed to go from 1 switch only from say 10 feet of wiring going three ways to just a few feet instead and directly from the battery itself.. allowing the windows and such to get more voltage. The switch instead should act as a trigger for the relays.. Not as a relay itself

Id ssy the only thing you should be worried about wiring ways on your 90 is just check the condition of the existing wire and replace if needed. Ive found many wires where they were welded together from shorts under th3 drivers carpet/seat. And the insulation shrunk exposing other wires in the engine bay.


Check the orange wires on the harness near the carberator.. and the oil sending unit and so forth. Some wiring on this Jeep isnt fused either.. which can be potentional hazards. Ive found plenty of bubbled.. fused and shrunk wiring on my Jeep. Or chaffed from rubbing things. Check your fuse panel.. make sure you have appropriate sized fuses. One time i was putting my headline back on.. and screwing in the visors cut into the visor wiring.. shorting it out.. qell that small 20ga wire melted all the way from the roof.. to the wires it was bunch up in.. down the pillar. Down to the drivers floor.. all the way to the fuse panel... and that should never have happened.. why did it happen ?? Because some moron put a 30amp fuse in there for the dome lights.. when it should have been somewhere around 5 lol

One of the big ones is the wiring all under the drivers seat. There isa connector there that gets wet wheb these things leak in the rain and it causes all sorts of mess. Mine actually burned itself into the carpet.

Ive also heard of the blower motors causing fires in the dash as well. But when i checked mine the wiring was 10ga wire and looked brand new. 10ga is more than enough for a blow motor. 10ga can handle somewhere around 30amps at 8 feet.. easy
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

Topic author
Theodore
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:26 pm
Location: East Tennessee

Re: Alternator question

Post by Theodore »

Thanks, Candyman, am nearly finished working my way thru the under hood wiring; have found & removed a significant number of bad splices, etc.; hopefully Im nearing the bottom of the rabbit hole on this one. Will be a few more days before all the parts arrive & will be able to begin reassembly.
1990 Grand Wagoneer - "Theodore" - AMC 360, fuel-injected, TF727, NP229 - Sand Metallic - restoring to stock - Build Thread
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