So, long ago... I had converted 350 TPI to 427 Carburetor (Small block N/A). 3 years ago I bought a new March Serpentine system with a Meziere Electric Water pump. This caused me to convert my factory Driver-side mounted alternator Set up (with the 7mm screw Power Wire and the black clip wire that runs alongside the driver-side valve cover) to a single-wire alternator, Passenger side mount.

In the last 3 years, I've rebuilt my alternator 5 or more times...I lost track, may be 6. Initially 3 years ago, I hooked it up to my stock power wire, it grounded itself as I mounted it. Burnt out pretty quick, I then upgraded my output from factory amperage to higher. I think the alternator shop said 145. Blew out again and rebuilt. And again it blew out and rebuilt. I took the pulley off the alternator and downsized it, to increase speed because at idle 1000rpms, it was very low output until I got on the gas. And again it blew out. Rebuild shop says wtf, can't keep warrantying this, they suggested that I add a Ground wire from my alternator to the Head accessory bolt. Did that, blew out. I Increased the size of the Power Wire from the battery (from factory) and matched the aforementioned Ground Wire to the Aluminum cylinder head. It's got to work good now, it lasted all year last year! This year, not so much. put about 50 miles on this year, blew out.

Any suggestions on what else I could be missing that might be obvious? I'm getting another rebuild now, new ground wire because that wire was in rough shape. Is there a chance that my smaller diameter pulley and my 3000rpms on the freeway is frying my alternator?

 

I don't know what "blew out" means. Somebody needs to do some proper failure analysis on the alternator for what failed and why. Obviously your alternator guy just throws parts in and doesn't know how to find root cause. Find somebody else that knows how to do failure analysis.

 

oh sorry, I hear the words "internals were fried" Just kind of keeps happening, yes seeking other alternatives which is why I turned here. Thank you

 

Right: be a bit more specific about what part(s) went bad. Maybe, some more info about what it was doing before it "blew out" might help too. Like, was the voltage out of range (let's say, outside of around 13.7 to 14.2 V at the batt terminals); did the alt, the charging wire, or the batt, get hot; and so forth.

"Internals are fried" is BS. The sort of thing I'd expect someone to say who knew how to take one apart and put it back together, but who has NO CLUE how it actually works. There are only a very few parts in an alt that can "blow out"; rectifier assy, diode trio, regulator; not much else. Windings hardly ever fail: if they did, it would be SPECTACULAR, as in, molten copper dripping out, flames, mass quantities of smoke, and so on. Brushes wear out but don't "blow out". Same for bearings.

A 1-wire setup is BS to begin with. That may be the short answer to why it keeps failing. Hook it up RIGHT - 3 wires - and it might last forever, like factory. Since that's how the factory did it and they don't seem to have any problems until Skillet comes along and thinks he's gonna "improve" it somehow.

 

Here's a visual to dramatize Sofa's spectacular winding failure

 

Pretty difficult to point to anything specific based on the limited info you provide here. Either your alternator guy is clueless, or else you're installing/connecting it wrong. But after 6 (?) attempts, you'd likely do well to find another source of alternators.





I hate when ^^^^that happens.

 

In the end, i got my alternator back. They said everything on the inside was replaced and agreed the higher RPMS may have lead to its early demise. I'll just go and search for a reputable supplier to have as a backup for when this one goes. Done spending time/$ on this shop. Thanks for all your replies