I fear for my alternator....

[NickF509]

I'm not really into having an amazing sound system but the eclipse I bought came with one. Here is the setup:

(2) Eclipse Aluminum Cone Competition Subwoofers
- (4) Kicker Tweeters
- Eclipse 6x9 Speakers
- Pioneer 5.5 Speakers
- Phoenix Xenon x600 1 Amp
- MTX Thunder 4244 Amp
- X2i Kicker Crossover
- Eclipse CD3000 Receiver
- Exide Marathon Lead-Acid Battery (recently added to the trunk for extra juice)

The problem is this is all run off of a stock 2g alternator. Along with a couple gauges, turbo timer (which I want to remove) and electronic boost controller.

My original thought was it has an extra battery so it should be okay but then after reading a decent amount the Alternator would still be overtaxed would it not? The extra battery really wouldn't do anything because the alternator would still be under heavy load right at startup to replace the draw from the batteries even if there is two.

My theory seems sound because if I start the car with the radio on it squeals .

What do you guys think? Would the second battery really at all?


Also what should I do to help the problem? Go with a Saturn alt? Go with something else? Dump the subs and the huge amp? I want something easy to install as I've never replaced an Alternator but I'll have help from a mechanic. The mechanic normally works on state vehicles so I'm sure this will be a little different to him as well.

 

[agarc023]

Galants come with a 90 amp alternator that should bolt up the same as your current one. Saturn alts are a little more do-it-yourself, but not a huge deal either. Not to mention that it is pretty damn hard to kill one.

 

[92AWDHX40]

That should be fine i have two jl amps about 850 watts for years running on my alt and no problems.

 

[99gst_racer]

Go with a Saturn alternator. Not only are they far more reliable than our OE alternators, but you can get a 140 amp Saturn alternator for under $150.

 

[miguelmcv]

What year, model, type or How to order it (Saturn Alternator).

 

[LiquidX]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cus...tant-improvements-saturn-alternator-swap.html

 

[Anubis_4_99]

your system really isn't that "amazing" your running 800W worth of amps, which isn't huge at all, my last system i was running a 1330WRMS amp for the subs alone, and had a 200W 4 channel for my speakers. and that's still a fairly mild system and can be handled by a capacitor.

if you want, get the galant alternator, but you in no way need to worry about a high output alt yet with those specs. if you in the future plan to do a major system then yeah upgrade to the saturn, but you don't need it right now.

 

[92AWDHX40]

I hav a jl 500/1, and a jl 300/4 i push mine hard, my 300 is trash now so ill be getting another soon, but my issues have been faulty or bad altenators over the years.

 

[NickF509]

I just thought i'd update everyone on what I ended up doing. After doing some research I went with an Alterstart 150 amp alternator. It is more expensive than the saturn alternator but it is plug and play.

We haven't hooked it up yet but I did take out the second battery which was installed completely wrong and mostly nasty. The second battery was spliced into the cable coming from the main battery to the amp by just cutting and stripping everything and taping it all together.

We are planning on putting the new alternator in next Sunday. We were going to this Sunday but found out that the previous owner lost the lock nut socket. Also that 150 amp alternator requires you to run a new wire to the battery so thats going to be fun as well.