According to the ebay ad the altenator puts out 135A with stock setup including external regulator. Anyone use this or have opinions? Considering this in lieuof modifying the wiring on my son's 70. Again opinions pro-con? TIA Pete

Here's a link if it works

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33573&item=7984401712&rd=1

Why do you need that big of an alternator Pete?
1, An alternator only puts out what is required. If the car only needs 40 amps, that's all the alternator will put out.
2, The greater the output, the more heat is generated. One problem with large output alternators is heat. They use the same case and cooling fan as smaller output alternator but generate more heat if used to capacity.
3, If a larger alternator is needed, one has to increase wire size on the alternator output.
4, You do not need to modify any harness wires to change to a SI or CS alternator (as shown in the tech refs). One can buy a harness adapter kit for either internally regulated alternator that requires no harness cutting or soldering. They run about $15.00. M & H is one place that sells them.
My last junkyard alternator ran me $20.00. Looked like they just replaced it before they junked the car. Had the auto parts store test it before I installed it.
Just my opinion.
I ain't comfortable buying these things off EBay anyway. Too many non-car guys out there lately.

John the reason I'm thinking of this altenator is it's plug and play and I NEED things electrical to be as simple as possible. The reason for a larger than stock altenator is we're thinking of going to an electric cooling fan setup, taurus or windstar. My son will be adding an aftermarket cd player and amp as well. Knowing him he'll also want to add subs and woofers and the rest of that crap and I want to make sure things are "right" so as to avoid problems. When it comes to electrical stuff I'm very much a visual learner. Give me specific part numbers(or applications) and a detailed drawing and I'm set to go. If I have to interpert(sp) I'm lost. You know how some people have a mental block when it comes to math well besides that one I'm also "challenged" when it comes to electrical. Let me do it a few times and I'm set. Thanks for the input. Any further suggestions? I'm ALL EARS. Pete

According to the ebay ad the alternator puts out 135A with stock setup including external regulator. Anyone use this or have opinions? Considering this in lieuof modifying the wiring on my son's 70. Again opinions pro-con? TIA Pete
A big con would be if ever it went bad and you needed another one,you won't find one in that amperage rating at a auto parts store. Since your son plans on adding high draw items, first I would convert to a internally regulated high output alternator as shown here http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref14.html It gives some part#'s too. The only changes to the factory harness is at the voltage regulator and alternator. You can do them yourself or buy the adapter harness ( M&H Part # 27555.from http://wiringharness.com/ )as John suggests. Next, add madelectrical's new system. http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/chevymain2.shtml All this is , is replacing the junction block on the rad support and using this as your new main buss bar. Wire all of you add on accessories from here. If you want to use the horn relay as the new main buss bar, you would need to upgrade the wire to the horn relay to a 8g. This method works best when you have added higher draw items.
Why do you need that big of an alternator Pete? The higher output alternators have greater output at idle. I my case, I first added a 100amp alternator. With 2 electric fans, electric fuel and water pump, MSD, and headlights there just wasn't enough output at idle to power all of these and voltage would drop off. I had to step up to a 140 amp. Very few would ever need the max output, just more output at idle and slower engine speeds.

Honestly, I'd want to see a charging current vs rpm graph before sticking with the external regulator setup. The peak output current isn't the only important number. The current at idle is important when running electric fans.

You're going to have to update the main charging wiring anyways so why not just go to a new CS130 style alternator that's available everywhere?

Peter

For what it's worth, I bought a 105 amp alternator from those guys (Alterstart) and have had no troubles with it...