Alternator Help

[BGizzlePatrick]

I got off work yesterday and my 97 GSX didnt start as i turned the key. I went and bought some contact cleaner and sprayed it on and jump started the car. It came on no problem but would start to die once i stepped on the brakes and throw the CEL at me.
I just took the alternator off of my GST to put it in my daily driven GSX for now. Now i was looking at ebay alternators and saw a nice alternator for 300buck that had like 160amps with lifetime warranty. My question was: Has anybody ever tried one of those? And also i saw a alternator relocation kit that puts the alternator away from the exhaust header and all. Would that maybe help prolonge the life of an alternator?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Alte...33742QQitemZ8056837446QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
nad here is the alternator
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-9...33573QQitemZ8065537173QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V
Sorry, also if i would go with that much stronger alternator, would i have to replace any of the wires between the alt and battery?

 

[beatshack]

1) I think that relocation kit makes it almost harder to work on than the stock location (you just have to remove the fan).

2) 165A is a little excessive. Here in Canada, our talons came with 90A alternators. You could order an OEM one from here. Of course you'll want to return your dead alternator to get your core fee back.

 

[Starscream]

I wouldn't buy that relocation kit. From the looks, it will be only harder to work on in the future.

165 amps sound a little excesive indeed, I would go with the stock 75 amps.

As for the alternator, check this page:

http://look.auto-parts-wholesale.com/parts/online_catalog/quote.jsp?year=1997&product=F4000-86237&application=000388640&part=Alternator&category=All&usemake=&returnurl=http://catalog.auto-parts-wholesale.com/basket.php?action=additem_framed&stylesheet=http://catalog.auto-parts-wholesale.com/stylesheet.php&phonenumber=1-888-267-1841&dp=true

 

[mn95TSi]

to just run a 160amp, no you shouldn't have to change any wiring or batteries.

stock would probably do fine for you unless you're planning on running a bunch of excessive stuff like tv's, powerful subs, lights etc ... the stock one will limit you if you're going all out.

i heard you need 7amps per 100wRMS you want to run out of your audio system to not draw off the battery.

 

[BGizzlePatrick]

OK guys,
I went and put the alternator off of my gst in the gsx and it still keeps almost dying...... I got it home and when i was driving on the freeway the stalling stopped and it was riding just fine. For about 20miles or so then i had to get off and used my turn signal and there it was again the rpm goes down to about 500 and if i floor it i can get it up to 2k before it falls again, the CL and anti-lock come on and everything dims (even radio wich isnt being used right now).
I took both alternators to autozone and they checked them and both are just fine they said so i put the better looking one (of the gst) back in and charged the battery to the max. The Battery is at 13.1v by itself with the car off. When i have the car on it goes up to 14.3v at the battery poles. If i go to the alternator positive pole i get about 14.5v so there isnt any bad cable that i can tell.
As far as the resistance I have .001 from negative pole of the battery to the engine block, chassis, and negative pole of the alternator. So i started the car and unhooked the pos. side of the battery and car keeps running even with lights on and brake lighst on. However the volt. goes down to about 12.3v
My dad told me that everything sounds fine and that the old battery was just dead and the new battery just too weak since its been sitting in the gst in the garage for about 6months without beeing charged.
Ill drive the car to work tomorrow again and see if everything goes ok. Is there anything you guys could think off that i could test to see if everything is fine now?

 

[BGizzlePatrick]

sorry, one last thing..... when i tested for resistance i got about 1.6ohms of resistance from the negative pole of the alternator to the engine and same with the positive pole to the motor.... sounds a litle high to me but im not sure....

 

[Mitsu RacerX]

the relocation peice relocates it where the AC unit is. Its not very hard to work on.

 

[ThunderValley]

Get your battery tested. Sounds like it is not holding a charge. Our cars don't respond well to running off just the altenator. Check you battery voltage on your datalogger when the key is on and when the car is started. You should see about 12v with the key on and 13.8v when running. I run an Optima Red top battery and have a new alternator and get 14.0v when the car is running.

 

[BGizzlePatrick]

conclusion..............
yes it was the old battery that was dead and i replaced it with the battery from my gst which was dead as well so it gave me the same problems..... go figure