Alternator options? School me please
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Launching!
Joined: Oct 2013
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Alternator options? School me please I bought a 5.3 out of a 05 Tahoe, iirc, and its alternator bearings are shot. I'm looking for a new one and I see there a quite a few options as far as sizes and amperages. How do I determine which one I have? It has a 4 pin plug on it and measures roughly 5 3/8" at the main case without the mounting tabs. I see no part numbers any where. But appears to have a date code of 2000?
I had bought a dirty dingo alternator relocation kit and with this alternator I have just enought hood clearance with my swap. I'd like to have more clearance if possible. What are my options?
I had bought a dirty dingo alternator relocation kit and with this alternator I have just enought hood clearance with my swap. I'd like to have more clearance if possible. What are my options?
Last edited by etijsma; Dec 2, 2014 at 07:11 PM.
Alternator If you are planning on using the factory wiring then you must use the alternator for that year ECM. Turns out, the ECM does lots of tricks with the alternator. If you get one from another year it may not work due to the different internals and ECM program. Alternative is to use an earlier one wire GM alternator with it's own stand alone wire and not controlled by the ECM.
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Launching!
Joined: Oct 2013
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I had no idea the computer controlled it. I have a standalone harness and checked out the plug and it only has the 2 center pins of the alternator being used.
The car originally had 90 amps. Not sure what the 5.3 will need but in addition to it it has dual electric fans and aeromotive a1000 fuel pump.
The car originally had 90 amps. Not sure what the 5.3 will need but in addition to it it has dual electric fans and aeromotive a1000 fuel pump.
If you do a search regarding the charging circuit there is a bunch of info. With duel fans, A/C and the like I would go for a 130 amp or higher alternator. Again, stay with the year of you engine/EMU/tune or the alternator will fail to 13.8 volts. Although that will work, for the same price you will get a system that will charge properly. Auto zone has a 145 amp unit for $145.
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2013
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If you have a charge light in the dash, and plan on using it connect one side of the light to B+ and the other side to the alternator.
If you don't have or want to use a charge light. You can connect the alternator to B+ as long as you have a resistor in that wire. It is my understanding that the resistor should be 470ohms.
It may interest some to know that the alternator for a 1996 1/2 ton truck will fit, and the 4 pin connector is wired the same. However the truck does not use PCM control for the alternator, and uses the dummy light to control it. This is also a ~105 amp alternator. By wired the same I mean that the pins for both alternator are in the same place on the 4 pin connector.
Last edited by ChevyOwner; Dec 4, 2014 at 08:15 AM.
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TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Monroe,NY
I bought a 145 amp alternator from a junkyard with a lifetime warranty. You will have to change your belt because the new alternator is a little bigger then the 105 amp one. Rockauto has them for a little over a $100.
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