Multiple questions... alternator, battery, flywheel bolts and motor mounts

[DGajre777]

Since this is a multiple question thread, it is in the newbie section.

1) Alternator and battery issues.

About 2 months ago my alternator was dying and was not charging the battery so I got a rebuilt one from Mitsubishi. I also re-wired the alternator with a 4g cable and a 100amp fuse on the firewall and kept the original factory alternator wire going from the battery to the fuse box.

Last thursday while I was driving with my A/C on, headlights on and CD player on (no subs), I saw the voltmeter go from 13.6 to 19.2 and then to 11.7 within about 1 second at 3500 RPMs and then the fuse blew. I replaced it and it worked fine.

Today I went to a glass shop to reseal my rear window, they left my headlights on for about 6 hours, so my battery was reading 8.3 volts when I got there. A guy in a truck jumped my car after we charged my battery for about 5 minutes. I drove for about 10 minutes (yes I know I'm not supposed to charge a dead battery with an alternator, but I didn't really have a choice), the alternator fuse blew on the alternator side.

So I go to walmart, pick up their SOSCHE (or whatever its called) brand 100amp fuse (since they were the only people open on a saturday night at 8 PM when I was rewiring my alternator and bought a wierd fuse holder from walmart). I charged my battery with a friend's big ass Chevy truck and then drove home for 30 minutes - and the fuse hasn't blown yet.

The alternator has a 1 year warranty and the battery was replaced at the same time the alternator was. The battery is a stock type (not Optima or other dry cell). One of the battery cells has some residue of battery acid, almost like the alternator was overcharging the battery.

I have all heat shields on, I have a big vent in my hood and since I have a 2G, I don't have the leaking power steering issue.

I'm guessing that I either have a short in the alternator or my voltage regulator is bad. I'm also thinking that maybe the cheap ass 100amp fuse is not really a 100amp fuse, but more like 85 which is why it is blowing when the alternator puts out more juice - would this be a possibility? Any other ideas?

2) Flywheel Bolts

My ACT flywheel came in today. I have a ACT 2100 with ACT's 6puck sprung hub disc, Mitsubishi TOB, clutch fork, master cyl, (slave was replaced 6 months ago), rear main seal, TOB clip, pivot ball and SS clutch line waiting to be installed.

I forgot to get new flywheel bolts. Do I really need NEW flywheel bolts from Mitsubishi when I do a clutch job? I couldn't find any information on it when I did a search.

3) Energy Suspension (not prothane) Motor Mounts 2G

They consist of lower mount inserts only, but come with 2 metal discs that look like huge washers. The univeral instructions state that it is for a "torque" mount. Does this mean it is for the front mount since it torques the most and takes almost 80% of an engine's load?

Any help will be appreciated, thanks!

 

[absolute_DSM]

That definately sounds like a voltage regulator problem.

Im sure you can just crack the alternator open and replace the voltage regulator very cheap. Be careful, overcharging is not pretty!

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I have a 165A AlterStart alternator that pushes 165A at 1600 rpm. I haven't blown a fuse yet. Have you installed any high drawing accesories recently that may have exceeded your current alternator's amps? The stock ones are just pathetic at 75-90A.

 

[calreef18]

The prothane's have washer's that go on the outside of them when you put the inserts in the lower mounts, if you check our rre's site they have a tutorial with pictures of it.

Edit, yours had washers? Lol I was thinking energy suspension, my prothane's didn't come with washers, but I know the energy suspension ones did and I bet they'd work the same way.

 

[DGajre777]

I have a 165A AlterStart alternator that pushes 165A at 1600 rpm. I haven't blown a fuse yet. Have you installed any high drawing accesories recently that may have exceeded your current alternator's amps? The stock ones are just pathetic at 75-90A.

Thanks for your input. I am looking at the option of getting the Load Boss alternator that you bought. As for high drawing accessories? None. My amp was out of my car due to a hatch glass water leak, I have stock headlights, no fogs, stock tails, 2 inverters for gauges, cig lighter is not connected, airbag module disconnected, cruise control disconnected.

If I keep burning alternators, I might have to step up to a high amp alternator. But then again, I could just keep swaping alternators for free at my local Mitsubishi dealership under their 1 year parts and labor warranty.

I'd like to know how long your alternator lasts. The last thread I read about an alterstart alternator the guy complained about it putting out less amps at idle than the stock one. Does it have any information on the build? Are all internal parts 100% or are they rebuilt like the Mitsubishi units?

That definately sounds like a voltage regulator problem.

Im sure you can just crack the alternator open and replace the voltage regulator very cheap. Be careful, overcharging is not pretty!

I'm keeping an eye on my digital volt gauge. I wonder if I'll have the same problem if/when I get my alternator replaced.

Does anyone know if Mitsubishi replaces the voltage regulator on their alternator rebuilds? I know they aren't 100% new.

The prothane's have washer's that go on the outside of them when you put the inserts in the lower mounts, if you check our rre's site they have a tutorial with pictures of it.

Edit, yours had washers? Lol I was thinking energy suspension, my prothane's didn't come with washers, but I know the energy suspension ones did and I bet they'd work the same way.

I found the link - http://www.roadraceengineering.com/instructions/energymotormountnstructions.htm. Thanks!

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

They aren't rebuilt, they are new but use the same case as the stock alt. Alterstart ships them with a 3 page computer load test documentation printout that shows how the alternator performed through its entire range and what it output.

I don't know what the other guy was talking about because I only upgraded to this alternator because my stock rebuilt one couldn't handle the amp load of all my accesories after I added 30A and 20A SPAL fans. My total accessories demand about 80 to 85A now and my stock 75A alternator couldn't charge my optima yellow top even at highway speeds. The 165A alt charges 80A at 800 rpm. My idle is set at 900 which is the exact threshhold that my battery begins charging more than is drawn from the car. The stock alt is rated at 75-90 depending on year/model...that's the max rating and not what it outputs at idle which is far less. My volts used to sink to 9.9 on idle with my headlights on, now my car idles 13.8v solid.

And btw, Alterstart gives a lifetime warranty.

 

[DGajre777]

They aren't rebuilt, they are new but use the same case as the stock alt. Alterstart ships them with a 3 page computer load test documentation printout that shows how the alternator performed through its entire range and what it output.

I don't know what the other guy was talking about because I only upgraded to this alternator because my stock rebuilt one couldn't handle the amp load of all my accesories after I added 30A and 20A SPAL fans. My total accessories demand about 80 to 85A now and my stock 75A alternator couldn't charge my optima yellow top even at highway speeds. The 165A alt charges 80A at 800 rpm. My idle is set at 900 which is the exact threshhold that my battery begins charging more than is drawn from the car. The stock alt is rated at 75-90 depending on year/model...that's the max rating and not what it outputs at idle which is far less. My volts used to sink to 9.9 on idle with my headlights on, now my car idles 13.8v solid.

And btw, Alterstart gives a lifetime warranty.

That is impressive, I'll keep this as an option. On my stock alternator at idle the volts goes down to 12.2v-12.8v for about 8-10 seconds then goes up to 13.6v with the headlights on. I will probably end up killing the stock alternator after I put my amplifier in.

Here is a link to the post with the guy I mentioned - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1461482&postcount=10

Update: I ordered new flywheel and pressure plate bolts. Alternator fuse hasn't blown yet, if it does, I'll be taking the car to get the alternator replaced.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I read that guy's post and I don't know what to think of it. Alterstart sounds like they were trying to live up to their warranty and tried a few times to help him out. They hook their alts up to a computer load test so I assume they checked it and it worked.

He sounds like he expected his 140A alt to output that max amp rating at idle speed which no alternator does. He also strangely mentions the alt "putting out" 12v or 14v, etc., when that's just the battery charge reading. If he had a turbo timer like an Apexi, it blinks when the drain exceeds the charge and he could estimate the amp output per rpm range going by that threshhold. He says a shop told him it was outputting only 90A all along. I don't know...he doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about.

But who knows...I've only had mine in for a couple weeks. Mine is a different alt than his though. He might have a 1G alt because it is 140A.