I am embarking on a competion stereo system. I am going with an High Amp altenator, to keep from having to use all the capacitors and unneccessary equipment. Has anyone ever bought an Altenator from Motor City reman???
They are advertising a 160 amp for $149 shipped. I called and spoke to them, and the gentleman said he garentees it to put out between 160 and 190 amps.
So does anyone know of these guys ???

 

a good cap I still would think wouldn't be a bad idea. even with a high output alternator your still stand the chance of power variations which can cause some change in the sound. in this case the cap could be serving two functions. one to be a power reserve the second to be a ripple filter.

EDIT: forgot to address the question itself. I have heard of them before off this site I don't remember where or what it was about though. think they worked ok but you might want to check with the search button.
I know there has to be something on this site about them

 

I guess that's not bad output for the price but it's not really a lot of output compaired to what else is out there.

Also, caps = cheap fix. They're not needed if your charging system (battery/alternator) can keep up. Pepole like them because they're flashy and because they're a cheap fix.

 

yes.. cheap fix... well not so cheap sometimes. lol.. And it depends on exactly how much you are indeed trying to push. But then I look at it practically and think. If i am driving down the road in the middle of the night with my stereo on.. do i want my lights to dim when the amps are pulling the most power?. I have seen several..(and by that i mean at least 50 cars in my area) that have that going on.. the blinking headlights. Not to mention I do believe it puts less strain on the alt and battery, since it is not drawing spikes.

 

actually caps are basically worthless. the good ones make a BARELY noticable difference, most of them make none. the good ones also cost as much as a decent alternator. skip the cap, just do the alternator. i've got 340 amps of fuses, a 2800 watt rms amp running my 12's, and a 600 watt amp on my components, i'm fine without a cap.

if you want to make a BIG difference on the cheap, upgrade your underhood wiring, negative battery terminal to frame and head, the power wire from your alternator to battery, and (optional) the ground to the firewall at the back of your head. this will make 10x the difference any cap will. do it all in at least 4 gauge, preferably 2 or 1/0.

 

I appreciate the input guys. That is what I am trying to avoid, the dimming lights,
I was told the car only needs 65 amps to run all the necassary components, and with the stock altenator it puts out around 85. The guy that I am getting to do all my installssaid, I need an additional 90 amps for the new stereo system, so inturn a 160 would do the trick. But if you guys think I should install a cap for a good back up, I will. I have been out in left field for a while on stereo systems, just now getting back in the loop.
Just give me your thoughts on the caps.

 

i did. trust me, caps are junk, skip it. do the underhood wiring and that should cure most if not all of your dimming. thank me later

 

Thanx again mean, did a little research and like you said, the manufacturer of the altenators recommends that I change the wires also to heavier gauge wires. Thanks for your input, and also I would rather spend $25 bucks for a few wires, than $250 for a quality cap!!!
So I guess its a no Brainer

 

Consider this before you buy anything: the higher your alternator's output the higher its output will be when you're idling. I plan on really overbuying on my alternator in the spring with the new enclosure/subs/amp. With my stocker and current setup I'm fine all the time during the day but at night with the heat and headlights on my voltage drops and my lights dim at stoplights. It's fine when I start driving around but it bothers me none the less. I'm currently running an aprox 1 year old rebuilt stock unit.

 

Yeah thats the whole point, I am gonna run the black outs all the way around, and gonna put the Iroc Fog lite assembly and grill in it when everything is complete. The little town we live in, they look for a reason to pull people over, especially if the lights are gonna go dim, at a stop lite.
Plus when all things are complete and the stereo is in, and the interior is finished, and I reclear coat the car with about 4 coats, I am gonna give the car to my daughter for her 16th Birthday present

 

are these alternators reliable and from a reputable company? I've never heard of them before...

I am looking into the power master 200A, but I need to know if the CS144 fit's in our stock location... cuz they specify that only the 'large' models (I assume CS144) put out 120A @ idle, and 200A+ @ hwy....

also, where the heck to you buy powermaster alternators??

 

summit has powermasters.

 

anything local? I hate mail-order for parts like this

oh and also, does the CS144 fit in our stock location?

I'm planning on getting it for my WS6 but they are identical alternators...

 

Scrap, I called them last week about the 160 amp, and the 200 amp. The gentleman I spoke with said that they have been making the high amp altenators for about 5 years now, and the company has been in business for about 12 years. He also said the 160 actually puts out a great deal more at idle, than the 200. He also said when tested the 160 usually winds up at more around 190. They also offer a small warrenty on the equipment. so chek them out at www.motorcityreman.com

 

did he say how much at idle with each model?? cuz that's pretty much ALL I care about.

$239.99 for a 200A for my car... that's a bit better than $359 for the powermaster... but I dunno... if I buy it and it fails, then I'm out $260 rather than going with a highly-reputable brand...

tough one.

 

http://sethirdgen.org/cs144.htm kinda? That's what I'm doing in the spring.

 

Gummie, thats the same as I am referring to, the big 160 amp, is in the replacment case, so it bolts to the factory brackets, and everything looks original I have seen some of the things people throw under the hoods, and even seen a few that actually run 2 alternators, I just want to try to keep it looking stock under the hood. But you are hittin on the same outline as to what Im trying

 

it's okay, I found that the 'large' powermasters are actually the CS130Ds...

those are the thirdgen stock alternators, right? I know it is for my WS6