Junkyard Alternator Upgrade

[MMcc]

Hey All -
I was in the junkyard yesterday pulling seats out of a 1999 Suburban 2500. The thing was immaculate. I'm headed back this afternoon for another go.

Wondering about the alternator - its looks stock and beefy. I haven't looked at model numbers/amp ratings but it is physically a lot bigger. For $18, why not drop it in my '97 Burb? I'm in the early stages of building mine into a camper/overlander and plan to install an aux battery with isolator and all that.

Is there any reason that this isn't a great idea!?

 

[RawbDidIt]

Do you know that it's more powerful than your current alternator? If not, then it's a lot of work just to be right where you started.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

 

[Kran]

i believe 140a was the biggest factory size. i think some police trims got 180-200a units?

if its physically a lot bigger then its considered a "large case". typically large case units have better cooling and output at idle

 

[Schurkey]

Wondering about the alternator - its looks stock and beefy.... ...it is physically a lot bigger.

Will it fit your accessory brackets?

Is it controlled the same way your current alternator is? Does this have an internal regulator if yours has an internal regulator? Is it controlled by the vehicle computer if yours is controlled by the vehicle computer?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

That would be a 124 or 140a CS-144. Would be better to grab an AD-244 off like a 2002 5.3.

 

[Supercharged111]

Will it fit your accessory brackets?

Is it controlled the same way your current alternator is? Does this have an internal regulator if yours has an internal regulator? Is it controlled by the vehicle computer if yours is controlled by the vehicle computer?

97 was the break year for computer controlled alternators in the Vortec trucks. Early ones weren't, late ones were.

 

[Kran]

the stock alt on my 99 was 1 wire, internally regulated. the 1 wire (brown) was a turn-on trigger thats it. true PCM control (2 wire plug) only came about on the GMT800 platform at least for the US market.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

the stock alt on my 99 was 1 wire, internally regulated. the 1 wire (brown) was a turn-on trigger thats it. true PCM control (2 wire plug) only came about on the GMT800 platform at least for the US market.

My 99 Tahoe had a 2 wire setup as did the 2001+ 0411 GMT400 based vans. The 2002 5.3 Tahoe AD244 alternator is compatible with BOTH setups. The regulator works with or without the "F" terminal hooked up to the PCM.

 

[454cid]

If it's an oem, and cheap go for it....the CS144 is not a bad alternator.

I'm not sure how to tell if its oem or a rebuild, though.

 

[kennythewelder]

So, is this a plug and play swap, or do you need the connector from the donner truck? Do you need the bracket from the donner truck? Will the fan belt from a 105 amp alt still fit,or do you need a new longer belt? What all will work from my 105 amp alt, if anything? My truck is a 97, 5.7L. with the big 5 up grade.