84 Z-28 350

Ok...so we are putting my tornado damaged camaro back togeather and I have 2 alternator issues...I had a powermaster 140 or 200 amp (can't remember which one for the life of me) alternator on it origanaly, and a spare large case gm alternator... I got them mixed up in the scramble to save stuff from what was left of our house, and I can't tell them apart... same fan and only minor differences in the case....how do you identify the powermaster. ..Also while everything is apart I got a serpentine setup...but the alternator bolt pattern is different, mine is straight across and the new brackets are for the offset case, I think I could fab somthing up, but dose anyone make an adapter? Thanks

paulo57509

I can't help you with the alternator ID, but as far as the alternators you have and their bolt patterns, you can remove the four screws holding the halves together and re-clock the mounting ears.

84 Z-28 350

Awesome I didn't even think of that, I was thinking of hooking them up when I get everything going and seeing which one works as a 1 wire...I think that should work...idk what do u guys think?...any other way prior to running it?

84 Z-28 350

Ok can't re clock either...Both ears are on the front

paulo57509

Something else to consider....

I think serpentine setups used smaller CS130 alternator. You might not be able to fit those old 10SI or 12SI alternators that were used with v-belt setups onto the serpentine brackets.

84 Z-28 350

Crap....not good, I was going to make an adapter by welding a tube that is as long as the mounting boss to a piece of scrap metal and on the other end welding 2 short pieces of the same diameter with a gap that is the same as the mounting lug, and adjusting the scrap metal legnth so it fits in the groove in the bracket...do u guys think it may work? Thanks

Damon

Forget it. But a stock replacement alternator for a serp-equipped car and re-do the wiring to fit. Much easier to change wiring than to change mounting ears/tabs.

Don't turn a 3-wire alternator into a 1-wire. It's easy to do externally (I've had to do it on some cars temporarily to get them running with hacked up wiring harnesses), but it won't work very well, in my experience. A CS-style alternator will absolutely kick butt over a one-wire at idle/modest RPMs, regardless of it's amp rating. The CS uses a totally different type of technology to regulate itself compared to older 10SI/12SI style alternators (either 1-wire or 3-wire). They hold onto voltage at low RPMs like a pit bull. Last thing you want to do is go ruining all the goodness Delco/Remy designed into them by ham-fistedly hacking the wiring to make it do something it wasn't designed to do.

84 Z-28 350

I was debating using the alternator that came with the brackets, I would need to have it tested as it had been outside for a number of years, is there a way to see how many amps it is, I am running edelbrock efi, 4 cooling fans, AC and a high end head unit, I fig I am drawing between 70-80 amps w everything on, so I would need at least a 100 amp alt
Thanks

Damon

Most typically, they were 105A units.

fireburdluvr85

With that much demand why not just go with a cs-144. I have one. Dual lt1 fans, a decent system, a/c, etc. Idle is great with it. Doesn't drop like before and it doesn't really seem to bother the lights when I have the a/c cranking.

84 Z-28 350

Will the cs-144 fit on my brackets???

fireburdluvr85

Read up on it. I had TBI and reused the brackets when I went tpi and it fit with minor grinding. I hear its not supposed to tho from other postings. I used a 140 (rated 165) from a police Tahoe 98 with a 350. Plugged right in to the harness and worked great. I did upgrade the power wire to 4 gauge tho.