High Output Alternator HELP!!!

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chausse420

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Ok, I will try to make this short and sweet. I burnt up my 110A alternator so considering the extensive work I have done to the stereo that is pretty much the last step. I am running an RE SXX 12D2 Sub with a MTX 1501D and a MB Quart 480...somthing. Anywayz, its pushing about 2000+ watts. I have a Kinetik HC2000 and the Big 3 Upgrade as well.

So I bought a high output alternator and it wont even keep my battery above 13.5v. My car (2001 Lincoln LS8) keeps yelling at me about checking the charging system. I called the guy and all he keeps telling me is that the alternator is controlled by a regulator or maybe another regulator. Hispanic, very hard to understand. He said the computer is having complications with the alternator because of this or something along these lines. I have taken it to 3 different shops and had it load tested and it just constantly falls on its face when they crank the load up in any way. With all accessories off it struggles to keep up. I have cleaned and triple checked all connections and everything seems to be just fine.

What I am asking of anybody who can help is I am just wondering if there is anything I need to do to make this alternator work more efficiently. The guy says 100% guarantee and I can send it back and get a full refund if I want. I dont want to have to take this SOB out again, it was hard enough the first time, let along again. Is there a chance when I pulled the pulley off to get it in I tightened it too much and its not spinning as fast as it should? I would imagine it would burn up the belt if that was the case tho.

If there is anything anybody can suggest or have me do, I would be so greatly appreciated!!!

Much thanks in advance for all replies and help on this matter!
 
Search alternators and you will see the LS doesn't play well with aftermarket alternators. There are many, many discussions on this.
 
The charging system in the LS is controlled by the vehicle computer. The HO alt must have a factory internal regulator to work properly. I have tried 3 different HO alts and none have worked correctly. Search for my thread 'High output alternator resolution discussion' for more info.
 
So I am assuming there is no solution to this problem? Somebody had mentioned that the reason they are not working correctly is because the alternators are not using the factory regulator. Is this true, and has anybody ever replaced with factory regulator?

So I take it I am stuck with a 110A stock alternator and a battery??

Any help is much appreciated!!
 
chausse420 said:
So I am assuming there is no solution to this problem? Somebody had mentioned that the reason they are not working correctly is because the alternators are not using the factory regulator. Is this true, and has anybody ever replaced with factory regulator?

So I take it I am stuck with a 110A stock alternator and a battery??

Any help is much appreciated!!
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The PCM is pretty much the "factory regulator." There's only the PCM and the electronics in the alternator itself. There's nothing else to replace. I suppose you could replace the electronics in the high output alternator, with the electronics from a factory alternator. However, that seems unlikely to give you the output power boost you are wanting.

You could use an alternator with a completely internal regulator. You'd have to rewire the connections to the alternator to take the PCM out of the loop. The PCM would never be happy and you would probably always have the battery light on and maybe even the check engine light on.
 
Ok, I see, I didn't know that is was between the alt and the PCM. So it seems like the only easy solution is to get a stock 110A alt and put it in with an additional battery?

Damn, this sucks, so much work and money to get the finger from the LS once again!
 
I am talking to a geltlemen that will be hopefully replacing my regulator with a stock OEM regulator. I talked to the owner at DC Power and he thinks that if I replace the regulator that I may not get the 200A that it says it can give out, but atleast I would have a much higher output alternator than the stock. So I am going to remove the alt and take it to him on Monday and will report back with any new information that I may have to help anybody that might be following this. I know this has been a topic many times, but I cannot admit defeat! I will find something that will work and will let everybody know what I can find as soon as I can find it!

LS to you!!!
 
chausse420 said:
I am talking to a geltlemen that will be hopefully replacing my regulator with a stock OEM regulator. I talked to the owner at DC Power and he thinks that if I replace the regulator that I may not get the 200A that it says it can give out, but atleast I would have a much higher output alternator than the stock. So I am going to remove the alt and take it to him on Monday and will report back with any new information that I may have to help anybody that might be following this. I know this has been a topic many times, but I cannot admit defeat! I will find something that will work and will let everybody know what I can find as soon as I can find it!

LS to you!!!
Click to expand...

Trust me on this, you will fail time and time again. We've been dealing with this for awhile, and the factory regulator isn't the only issue at hand. I have been working on this close to a year (not constantly of course) and I've gotten really close as of yesterday. Over in the High Output thread (thanks for using the search btw) I've been working with Wrangler Power products. Right now I'm running a hairpin style stator alternator with the factory regulator. It holds up well with no load, and even some load. Once I have everything running though, the voltage decays. It never drops to battery power, but it does drop. We're working on resolving this, but no HO factory alternator has worked at this time. That's from me and other members here.

If what you get works, please by all means, let everyone know so we can lay this damn thing to rest
 
I have read up on every conversation on this forum about this matter and personally talked to many of the well respected companies and do know that you have all gone very far with trying to get his to work. I am very curious, has anybody just rewound a stock alternator to maybe...150A range and just simply tested that? Just curious if maybe it just wont take over xxx amps, so maybe a stock but rewound and rebuild alt to push maybe just slightly more power. It wouldn't be the 200A + that people (including myself) are chasing but its better than nothing. Please if anybody has tried this please chime in because if nobody has, I will buy a new alt and have my old stock one rebuild and see if maybe that might work.
 
I have given thought to this as well. I think most people would be happy with a 130amp alt. I think that once the amp ratings increase, so does the optimal field in which it runs - in this case the rpms. I think something low enough should work. Companies seem to want to use cheap parts, and or, run ridiculous amounts of amps that does nothing at idle. I'd say give that path a shot if you have the ability. Keep us posted
 
And quick question, has anybody actually replaced the chinese aftermarket regulators that most companies use in them, with a stock used/new regulator? If so please let me know because I am planning on taking my alternator to a guy and having him pull the regulator (brushes attatched) off and put it in my so called HO alternator and see what happens. Please enlighten me on what everybody has tried because I am willing to climb a mountain to figure this out, all in all, its just simply pissing me off!!

Thanks again for all support and replies!!
 
Will do!!! I will take that route and get back to ya, see if it can run stock alt and just less amps, 130-150 range! I am gettin all worked up now, god I hope this works!!! Ill keep everybody posted on any progress.
 
Dude, this isn't the 60's anymore where you can just mix and match parts. Modern cars are highly electronically controlled. EVERY load MUST make the PCM happy. On my 2000 I installed a simple utility light in the trunk. That simple, light, unexpected load on the PCM caused the factory trunk light to not energize. I had to wire in a relay to get the factory light to work. I installed a daytime running light kit in our '96 Mercury Sable. That simple device caused me to have a "light out" warning as long as I had the system plugged-in.

Good luck, but I think you'll find this issue isn't unique to the LS.
 
I appreciate the honesty, and I'm fully aware if the year as well as how highly electronic cars are these days. I do know that no matter the problem there us always a solution. And with the right determination i will figure it out, one way or another.
 
chausse420 said:
I appreciate the honesty, and I'm fully aware if the year as well as how highly electronic cars are these days. I do know that no matter the problem there us always a solution. And with the right determination i will figure it out, one way or another.
Click to expand...

When you're playing with someone else's design you may very well run into a brick wall. I guess with enough money and a doctorate in electronics one may be able to trick the stock system. I guess the car could be re-wired........
 
That very well may be, and if I do, bummer, at least I gave it my all. And the PCM can be reprogrammed, its just weather or not you can get other read ins/read outs to ignore whatever it is now pushing out. There has to be something that can be done shy of doing anything too extravagant such as rewiring the car. It may come down to putting another alt in, and if thats the case than so be it, but I want to make sure I have taken all paths before I try to take this route.
 
I do have a question for people out there. While I am trying to figure this out, where is a good place to get an alternator (OEM of course) to put in for the time being. I am looking for local auto parts stores to get it asap, I cannot have car down for long at all!!! Any recommendations would be great, I am looking to buy this later today so if somebody has bought one from a parts store that worked out great for their gen 1, chime in please I would like to put one in and have it work correctly..haha

Thanks so much in advance for all replies!!
 
chausse420 said:
I do have a question for people out there. While I am trying to figure this out, where is a good place to get an alternator (OEM of course) to put in for the time being. I am looking for local auto parts stores to get it asap, I cannot have car down for long at all!!! Any recommendations would be great, I am looking to buy this later today so if somebody has bought one from a parts store that worked out great for their gen 1, chime in please I would like to put one in and have it work correctly..haha

Thanks so much in advance for all replies!!
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The ONLY place to get an OEM alternator is the dealer. The ones sold at the chain stores also don't play well with the factory alternator. You might try a local junk yard......
 
I just saw a Popular Mechanics video on making a MKT limo. In it they mentioned the MKT had a 220 amp alternator.....

Would it fit?

Would it work?
 
LS4me said:
I just saw a Popular Mechanics video on making a MKT limo. In it they mentioned the MKT had a 220 amp alternator.....

Would it fit?

Would it work?
Click to expand...

Any idea on the year? My guess is it's just like the Gen II and non-PCM regulated. I'll search around a little bit to find out how it works.
 
And like the many other Gen I HO alternator threads............fade to black.
 
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