best alternator for ls swap?
"the alternator worked good for me, but when I swapped to my Holley EFI, I no longer had the wire from the pcm to control the thing, so I swapped to a 220 amp one wire alternator...self exciting, no wire from the pcm." -soundengineer
Originally Posted by soundengineer
I never said I couldnt use it with the Holley EFI....
I probably did say that the Holley EFI did not provide a signal to allow it to charge.
I probably did say that the Holley EFI did not provide a signal to allow it to charge.
Old guy problems....
somehow I think this post has gotten off topic now..LOL
what was the OP's original post about?
oh...which alternator was best to use...LOL... were way past that now..LOL
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
I have ZERO PROBLEMS with mine
and if it does fail... I can still replace it with a standard alternator as most parts stores also sell light bulbs with wiring sockets
I couldnt tell you who sells the regulator separate...but I know they exist and I know the LSx alternators can be converted.
I had a local shop here in nashville tell me they could convert it..its not that complicated
also, you are mostly paying for the high amperage alternator with the powerbastards stuff.... the regulator is like a $30 part..LOL
and if it does fail... I can still replace it with a standard alternator as most parts stores also sell light bulbs with wiring sockets
I couldnt tell you who sells the regulator separate...but I know they exist and I know the LSx alternators can be converted.
I had a local shop here in nashville tell me they could convert it..its not that complicated
also, you are mostly paying for the high amperage alternator with the powerbastards stuff.... the regulator is like a $30 part..LOL
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Which alternator? I'm just using a stock one and the Holley efi and it charges fine. Is the 12V going to the right pin in the plug? If you get tired of patching things together Holley sells a yellow wire with the plug for $14 or something. I've read that some alternators will self excite once you hit 3k rpms or so, not sure which ones or if true or not, but either way from what I recall the Holley has no input into what the alternator does, so if the alt is good then the issue seems to be turning it on. At this point I'd do one (or both) of two things - take a test light and double check that 12V and/ or order that Holley plug just for the sake of eliminating one variable.
Someone will doubtless correct any errors I've made, so wait for someone else to chip in before taking any of this as fact.
Someone will doubtless correct any errors I've made, so wait for someone else to chip in before taking any of this as fact.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
I fIgured it out. Must have a short in the battery kill switch. Hooked the wire from the back of the alternator right to the battery and it started charging over 13v. UOTE=chuckd71;19231728]Which alternator? I'm just using a stock one and the Holley efi and it charges fine. Is the 12V going to the right pin in the plug? If you get tired of patching things together Holley sells a yellow wire with the plug for $14 or something. I've read that some alternators will self excite once you hit 3k rpms or so, not sure which ones or if true or not, but either way from what I recall the Holley has no input into what the alternator does, so if the alt is good then the issue seems to be turning it on. At this point I'd do one (or both) of two things - take a test light and double check that 12V and/ or order that Holley plug just for the sake of eliminating one variable.
Someone will doubtless correct any errors I've made, so wait for someone else to chip in before taking any of this as fact.[/QUOTE]
Someone will doubtless correct any errors I've made, so wait for someone else to chip in before taking any of this as fact.[/QUOTE]
Oh ya! For those who contemplating using a one wire alternator, best of luck. Unless the design has significantly improved over the past 20 years, they suck with any load at idle. Especially with the headlights, ac on and electric fans running, much less any significant stereo amplifier. Many street rod guys jumped on that bandwagon a while back and regretted it then switched back to a normal alternator that is more efficient. Looking for significant success stories. Is it really that big of a deal to add/include a simple wire through a lamp on the dash to switched ignition power? How about when the alternator fails on a road trip in small town America. With a one wire you are sheet out of luck. With std alternator most any parts store has them on the shelf. Just my opinion.
HAS to be "pretty"...Screw it, if it doesn't work.
As for the lamp, don't think you can delete the lamp, and run a strait 12v out there. The load the bulb provides is needed.[The turbo Buicks are noted for eating alts when this mistake is made.]
