Let's finish the alternator upgrade debate please!

[AdvancedATST]

Numerous threads are on hear about upgrading our puny 45amp charging systems but never a clear simple bolt on upgrade. Now remember, first gen only people. ;)

[Cree]

Well, just the new guy here, but in all my reading, it seems we’ve got a couple choices - The Van/Starion/Conquest 75 (up to 100) amp - bolt in, clock correctly, and, depending on the year sourced, may be a true plug and play - (1986-1990 may use the same wiring pigtail - there were some changes as certain models were upgraded/introduced - the most likely connector either has the plug with side-by-side blades or “T’ed” out 90 degrees to one another). Pulley “may” be the same (is for van, may not be for alternate models depending on when that unit was switched to serpentine). Likely that the shaft the pulley mounts to will be the same diameter, so you likely will only need to swap pulleys from old to new.

Next, there’s the Caravan/Dodge “almost anything” alternator from the 1990s - up to 160(?) amps, needs some wiring and external regulator (from an early 1970s Duster or any vintage Dodge up until computer controls took over voltage regulation with OBD-1). From what I’ve read, needs minor tweaking of the mounts, and likely at least fifteen four letter words.

Then, there’s the GM CS-130 series - I’ve read mentions of it and the sheer volume of the units made mean this can be found with insane amounts (well over 160 amps) of power. Despite the multiple styles of mounting used, it will require some bracketry modification, some wiring, likely a few oat sodas, and a smarter guy than me to wire it up so I don’t let the magic smoke out of it. Unfortunately, I have not found any clear “how-to” online or in MR50 yet - and I’ve been looking.

Personally, I am waiting on the FedEx man to bring me a Starion 75 amp unit I found online and, owing that my truck’s Previous Owner (“PO” for short - for several reasons) liked to cut wires and do strange things with them, a new pigtail (It looks as though Ford used the same type of pigtail in the early 1980s) since the old one was shot. I don’t see the need for too much more, as this is simply a fun truck and I won’t be pushing massive amps for the radio nor am I going to install a gagillion-megawatt set of driving lights (and I may own the most “Base” model in the world).

Far smarter folks than me will be chiming in soon, but that’s kinda the view from this particular hill. I hope it helps.

[geezer101]

The van alternator seems to be the go-to for a swap. Gen 1 trucks have such a rudimentary electrical system that they should be easy to maintain but the hacks out there still insist on chopping up a solid wiring loom to 'fix' faults. Even if the only thing you're doing to the truck is improving the headlights and maybe towing, a bigger alternator and battery combo is wise. The Gen 1's could do with a headlight relay to take the load off the wiring while you're in there too.

[AdvancedATST]

We'll put. I'll shop for the Van alternator. Just want to put in an electric fan and I'm already running an electric fuel pump since the Weber swap

[geezer101]

Use a hose connector/adapter on the bottom hose of the radiator for the fan sender unit. I found that an early van radiator* will fit in the Gen 1 trucks but you need the to solder the side mounting brackets from a copper/brass Gen 1 radiator to adapt it (it seems the all metal radiators for the vans were easier to find than a Gen 1 truck...) I had a shop braise in a sender bung in the bottom tank for a sender unit and got them to fit the brackets while they were at it.

* the van radiator overflow return points in the opposite direction but the cores and tanks were identical along with inlet/outlet orientation. The side mounting brackets are completely different and required swapping. I had a sender unit bung soldered into the bottom tank so it will read the hottest operating temperature before returning to the engine and this also ensures the sender is submerged continuously to prevent a cooling system failure. Later van cores are much longer and there is no way to fit one in without it hitting either the bottom frame brace or the hood.

[Cree]

Since I’m still a “new guy” I can’t edit my earlier post (#2 in this thread), but I wanted to document for posterity’s sake that, although the 1980s-90s Ford alternator pigtail looks exactly like the first gen one on Mitsu alternators, it is slightly larger in every dimension and cannot be used. I did find the correct pigtail with some searching on Ebay for about $10 and it worked fine in my Starion alternator install this weekend.

[85Ram50]

So it looks like a bunch of 86 thru 89 75 amp Starion/Conquest alts are available and most seem to have a v pulley on them already.
I read a post on here last summer that said I could use the 90 amp Denso alt which is the same as my 1st Gen Dakota. But I did not understand the wiring descriptions. Would be nice if someone who knew could clearly describe how :) The existing wires just do not look to be the right size for the job they do now to me.

Cree, you have to donate to get the edit function.

EDIT- I wasn't clear. I am unsure if one of those 1986 thru 1989 75 amp Starion/Conquest alternators will bolt in to an 85 ram50