Alex Wong1697456877 Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 Like it's template, EDZ223, my car has developed a penchant for failing alternators and I'm thinking it's time I stopped using the cheap Lucas rebuilt units I'm using and fitting a decent fit and forget unit. The DT catalog stocks 2 lucas replacement units, rated at 40amps and 100amps. How many amps will my car need (full road going car - lights etc and fuel injection with a standard battery)? Is there another alternative? Latest failure looks like a mounting failure - will be taking it off the car later today to see. Thanks. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dent Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 Opps DPM Edited by - Andrew Dent on 4 Aug 2002 11:18:36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dent Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 Alex Try here for a source of alternators. They do have an alternative for a K powered 7, but cant see anything for a Vx 7. Worth filling in teh form and waiting. Andrew 3 wheels on my 7 ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmandsd Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 Alex - Ive experimented with a few different set ups over the years but am confidant in my current set up which utilises a Brise multi wire (as opposed to single wire) light weight alternator (approx. 2.5kgs) driving a sealed Yuasa harley davidson battery (5.1 kgs). As I don't use the car much I also use a bike battery charger continuosly connected to the car whilst out of action (supplies feed upon demand not continuously) I have to say this is the first time in racing for god knows how many years that i've found a reliable and lightweight set up - The battery and charger were cheap aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 Alex, make sure you consider the speed at which you are driving the Alternator, dont want to waste HP do we? Not that I can help you work it out as I have a Ford Engine and diferent pullys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 So much for the missing url prompt. Edited by - steve gilbert on 4 Aug 2002 14:37:21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Same experience as Dave. I run a Brise Nippon Denso alternator multi-wire. Brise did two sizes of pulleys - 80mm and 53 mm IIRC. A standard K pulley would work well with an 80mm pulley but the 53mm pulley is almost perfect for mine - gearing on the ND alternators should keep rpm below 14,000. The rev range of my engine gives problems in that the gearing has to be low so charging starts some few hundred rpm above idle. This means that getting stuck in traffic (at night with th lights on is the worst) drains the battery. I got stuck in traffic on the M6 heading back from Oulton and I had the combination of engine temps gradually climbing (radiator fan on constantly), battery draining, clutch threatening to wear out with the repetitive stop/start. I could raise the revs at standstill to keep charge on the battery, but that resulted in extra heat dumped into the coolant and higher temperatures. Still, it put up with that for 40 minutes and temp never got above 95 and battery quickly picked up a charge when I got a clear blast onto the M5. I haven't had a problem with battery since I fitted an isolator. *thumbup*253 bhp, up and running *thumbup*New boingy bits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMMO Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Peter Used to get problems with battery getting drained on my motorbike in winter in traffic using bike for short journeys. Found a 20 W halogen side light which was good enough for use in lit areas. Had the advantage of giving a bit extra light when dipped beam on. Might help reduce problem if stuck in traffic at night. AMMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Thanks AMMO. Currently I tend to drop to sidelights when at standstill and if crawling I leave it in 1st to ensure the alternator gets as much chance as possible to charge. *thumbup*253 bhp, up and running *thumbup*New boingy bits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanteam Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Is the heat from the manifold also a potential problem. Don't K-series have them on the right of the engine, manifold left? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simos Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Peter, I would have thought in a high revving engine such as yours you'd want the larger pulley to reduce alternator revs relative to the crank revs ? Have you altered your crank pulley at all ? Cheers, Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickD Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Alex, I run the standard Valeo alternator on my Vx. I'm still using the original 9-year old unit which, despite having spent several years being run at revs peaking at over 24000, has never failed. The only downside is that it is a little heavy. Of course, it will probably fail now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Simos, My crank pulley has been reduced to 80mm diameter, so the smaller pulley ends up being the right one. I did try 80mm driving 80mm, but it meant I didn't get any charge until >~3000rpm. *thumbup*253 bhp, up and running *thumbup*New boingy bits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Do Brise/Whoever actually do anything to the alternators internals, apart from messing with the windings to increase the amperage? They both look remarkably similar to the ND alternator fitted to the Daihatsu Charade. I use two of them, one fitted to my Atmo Cossie, which now revs to 8200rpm. At around 70 quid for a re-con one outright from my local automotive electrics emporium, they seem like a bit of a steal. I use the single wire one. I'm not sure what the 3 wire one comes from, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's off a Bedford Rascal van!!!!!!!!! It puts out around 50 amps (maybe 55) and is enough to power my Vx road car (7200rpm), which runs DTA ECU, throttle bodies and all the various senders, lights, wipers etc etc, and a small battery which is the equivalent of Dave Edmands Yuasa item. In fact, I have a new Yuasa battery waiting to go in to the Cossie, so that I can save several more kilos in weight. From my road car experience, I'm not expecting any problems.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 I have a spare ND alternator from a reconditioners. Brise mostly provide the mount and the pulley. The alternator is AFAIK standard, which does make their pricing seem a bit excessive. *thumbup*253 bhp, up and running *thumbup*New boingy bits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted August 5, 2002 Author Share Posted August 5, 2002 Thanks everybody. I do have my old Valeo one but it looks pretty rusty inside having been left lying around for a while. I've heard that the Bedfore Rascal one fits and maybe a toyota corolla one? Anybody know which one SBD uses? Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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