Picking the right alternator

[illuminatus]

While I am not sure if it's the power steering pump, a pulley, or the alternator I am leaning toward the alternator. I have a belt squeal when I start the car when it's cold or when it's really warm outside. When it's cold, if I turn off my fog lamps (which are used as running lamps BTW) and turn off all other unecessary accessories this squeal goes away. Also, my alternator belt is about to go out on me so I'm thinking the problem lies with the alternator. To my understanding a 65A alternator comes stock with standard transmissinos and a 75A alternator comes stock with automatic tansmissions. However, while browsing Advanced Auto's website they sold bearings for an alternator for my car which was rated for 110A (dunno where I can find one of those).

I plan on putting my old 300W amp and sub in my car and also my 250W radio. What alternator do you guys think I should get?

 

[Acezwild88]

i just rplaced mine with a rebuilt one that i got down at a napa i think it was. ive got a 12 i think it is pushing 500w or somethin like that and it dose fine. i also have 55w foglights it dose fine. good luck

 

[Crawl]

same problem here but its a chipped underdrive pulley causing the problem for me. best price i could find was autozone will sell me 1st gen Alternator rebuild for 100$ (i have a 2nd gen GSX but the 1st gen GSX alternator will work fine)

 

[super97gst]

While I am not sure if it's the power steering pump, a pulley, or the alternator I am leaning toward the alternator. I have a belt squeal when I start the car when it's cold or when it's really warm outside. When it's cold, if I turn off my fog lamps (which are used as running lamps BTW) and turn off all other unecessary accessories this squeal goes away. Also, my alternator belt is about to go out on me so I'm thinking the problem lies with the alternator. To my understanding a 65A alternator comes stock with standard transmissinos and a 75A alternator comes stock with automatic tansmissions. However, while browsing Advanced Auto's website they sold bearings for an alternator for my car which was rated for 110A (dunno where I can find one of those).

I plan on putting my old 300W amp and sub in my car and also my 250W radio. What alternator do you guys think I should get?

just see how many amps your 300W amp is drawing. an amp that small shouldnt draw enough to need a large alternator. i would prolly go back with stock size unless you plan to upgrade stereo systems sometime.

 

[4geze63]

canadian modle dsms came with 95 amp alts.

 

[Crawl]

same problem here but its a chipped underdrive pulley causing the problem for me. best price i could find was autozone will sell me 1st gen Alternator rebuild for 100$ (i have a 2nd gen GSX but the 1st gen GSX alternator will work fine)

Forgot to mention Im running a 1600watt mono amp , with fog lights on 24/7, yet to see a problem

 

[1998gst]

I am having the same problem with the squeeling but after it warms its fine I think it is the harmonic balancer not the alternator though. Although I believe I have a short somewhere. Everytime I hit the brakes flash my brights, sometimes a turn signal everyting in my car dims and then it comes right back to normal. My regular voltage when I am riding around town is anywhere from 13.9-15.7. I am thinking about going with a bigger alternator also I just don't know which size I wanna go with.

 

[just_passed_you]

I just had mine replaced.
The 13.9 - 15.7 numbers are fine.
Shouldn't it be @ 14 anyway?

There's an optional alternator you can get, it was put into the VR4's.
A little more spendy though. I just got a remanufactured one.

Don't forget that if you remove your heat shields from the exhaust manifold
you'd better anticipate replacing the alt on a regular basis.

After my alt was installed I had to tighten the belt a few days later.
Sounds like your belt just just needs to be tightend

 

[illuminatus]

I've tightened with belt about 5 times now. It just keeps on stretching.

 

[just_passed_you]

Ok...
how have you tightened it?
We had this same problem on a VR4.

You have to losen the lock nut, and then tighten the alt bolt, then tighten the lock bolt.
Other wise it's not going to stay that way.
How much slack is in the belt now?