Hello Everyone, Over the past month or so I've had some serious issues with my electrical system in my car. I'm running a couple amps (in signature), and nothing too extreme. I bought a remanufactured alternator from a small one man company on ebay, and it was 140amps. It fit with the stock bracket and all the stock connectors and plugs. I was told all wiring would work, and then I don't need to upgrade everything. Well I've had issues the past couple months with my system charging. I can run the car if the battery is charged, but sometimes the Alternator doesn't kick in. I then see my voltage plummet, and my car stall. I've checked all the wiring, and I'm not sure what the issue could be. If the following ideas don't sound a good place to start, let me know. I plan on taking my alternator in to be tested, but I'm definitely getting a new battery. What's a good brand? (I'll be getting new battery terminal wires anyway I think, as one of mine is stripped). Also, what wiring should I be upgrading for the bigger alternator? I've heard about the BIg 3, can someone explain what they are, and what size I'd need? Can I buy them for our car specifically? I do have some limited skill with a soldering iron and wiring stuff, so I could make the cables if location could be provided. Finally, I've heard sometimes that a wire is run from the positive end of the alternator to the battery directly. What do I need to put in the line? Can anyone provide more details? Thanks, Click

I'd take that alt apart and see how it looks inside. It sounds like one of the brushes isn't making contact all the time.

If I take it in to get tested at an auto store is this something their testing will reveal? or if it just happens to make contact that once will they say "works great" and send me on my way?
EDIT: and if i take it apart, is it something visual I'd be able to identify pretty easily? I've never taken one apart before.

You can have it tested. There's no way to predict the outcome. It could also be a bad connection. I assume the connector is tight and the contacts are clean? Being "rebuilt" makes it suspicious. It usually means someone took a quick look at it, fixed the obvious, and then made it look good.

okay, It just works at random times, so I'm not sure again if it's sketchy wiring or the alt, or what. I figure if it works sometimes, it could test as a working unit when they test it.
If i pull it apart and take pictures would the damage be evident if the brushes aren't making contact all the time?

EDIT: and thank you so much for the quick response and help.

I got my battery and Alt tested.
Both are dead -_-.
I plan on getting the CS130 (built up CS130 for 140 amps) replaced, but is the optima battery worth it? Or is the stock titanimum worth it?

Also, Should I use amp power wire for my big three upgrade? What type of amp should i use for a 140 amp alternator.

ok so your going to do the big 3 upgrade i did this in my cavalier its easy you go online or to a local audio shop your going to want enough 4 gauge wire to go from alternator to batterie and if your using a 140 amp alternator then use a 150 amp anl fuse and youll need an anl fuse holder to.then run a 4 gauge wire off of negative terminal of battery to the chasis and a 4 gauge wire off of alternator bracket to the chasis put up your email ill see if i can find pics of it done in my cavalier if so ill email them to you.
here this is the website i ordered my stuff from love them http://www.knukonceptz.com/index.cfm

The thing I was wondering, is it says that 4gage wire is only good for up to 120 amps. But if i leave the old wiring it'll be the 4gage +stock and should be fine, right?

Also, the main thing that I'm having issues with is how to get them to connect to the terminals on the battery. It has the screw in terminals, and I'm not sure how I'd go about adding in wires (because typical connects don't seem to work). Do they make some that do?
And is there a different battery I should be getting?
I know I 've seen traditional setups with adaptors for the stock terminals.
email is austinjsting<at>gmail.com

new battery get a optima red top with both top and side posts bout 160 bucks but worth it trust me and if you go into advance auto and go to the battery section youll see gold side post adapters for gms. you pop yours out of the rubber on the wire and put those in and theres a post with a nut you can add wires to. and 4 gauge wire may only hold that idk cause my cavalier alternator was only 105 amps so i used a 110 fuse but its rated at that because it heats up and if your worried you could run a 0/1 gauge wire with the fuse instead.and the 4 gauge stock wire should be ok with a higher alternator but im not sure.

are the red optima tops really worth it? I'm just a kid and on a limited budget. What makes them better?

http://www.optimabatteries.com/home.php


The Good !!!

These Battery's are Tough and can handle a load of draw
mount in any position and don't leak
At my collage where I work a standard battery can handle a couple hundred amp draw for about two minutes before they start to fall off

Optima batteries can take MAX LOAD ON THE tester until they are drained !!!
I have broken Snap -on Battery load test equipment trying to show this



The BAD

these batteries do not like to go completely dead a standard battery charger will not be able to recover a completely dead optima battery - worse using a regular charger could damage the battery ONLY IF COMPLETELY DRAINED or real weak ..



THE UGLY

These Batteries are not cheap but if you upgrade to one and keep it properly charged I guarantee you will never look back !!!

My two cents

well unfortunately, I already got my new battery and finally got my alternator back (After a week+ I call the guy and ask if he'd sent it, and he said he'd look at it on the next monday...).

I just strengthed and tightened all my grounds to begin with as well, and then installed the new parts. Haven't had time for the big 3 yet (SCHOOL IS CRAZY!)

Thanks for the help though.

I ended up going with the walmart brand, as odd as that sounds. I looked up on consumer reports and they were the best value and one of the top performers. Only put me back about $75.

I came across this thread while looking for a solution to my charging issues on my car and I went to the website listed and ordered the parts you listed and got them today and installed them today and wow, what a difference. It will be interesting to see how it does when i take the car out to a show tomorrow in the 90+ degree heat with the dual electric fans running. Before this upgrade, I would have issues with the charging system at idle when the fans were running and my ignition would start breaking up since the voltage would drop. The company sent the parts out and I got them in 2 days. Thanks for the info that should hopefully take of the problem, I know that I have a full 14.65 volts at idle now out of the 140 amp alternator that I didn't have before.

glad i could be of help