AMGDave

Why not drive the white CE while Bucky is in ICU? Then you could take your time and do whatever you'd like to Bucky. Or is the white CE inoperable...?

Saijin_Naib

I've no idea the status of the white CE. I've yet to see it personally, and we've not inquired as to its condition.

My thought is whatever money I spend to pick that car up (1, 2, 3, 4k whatever) is money that could be put directly back into Bucky to get it repaired sooner. If I get that car in the meanwhile, I'm further away from solving my problem.

AMGDave

Yes, but buying the white car would also eliminate the time crunch. If you take Bucky down for surgery, you'll be seriously pressed for time to get all the work done (assuming you don't have any other car to use long-term).

OTOH, if the white car isn't roadworthy for some reason but has a good motor, well, there's your donor engine! Then you could put your old motor on the engine stand, take it apart, rebuild at your leisure (if the bottom end isn't shot), and put it back in the white car later on.

Multiple options here, but as long as you can get the white CE for a decent price, I'd seriously pursue that route. If it's really nice, drive it and fix Bucky. If it's crap, swipe parts from it to get Bucky running, then fix up the white one as you have time. Never hurts to have a parts car around!

Shoomakan

I'm with AMGDave on this. At the very least, it's the source of an engine. Get Bucky running and you have an entire parts car that is in good condition parked on the side.

Saijin_Naib

Pretty sure my alternator just **** out on me whilst driving.

Awesome night

Going to do the brush pack replacement for now, though I really want to do the AL166x swap :\

bsmuwk

nice truck!

Saijin_Naib

It was. The towing guy told me the only 3 brands they tow with any regularity are Benz/BMW/Lexus. He then told me to get a Chevy.

chlippo

is the AL166X considered un upgrade or it is the regular one the M104 got?

Saijin_Naib

Pretty sure my alternator is 80A or below (when it worked lol).

AMGDave

Dude, forget the AL166, that is only 100A. Go for the 143A or 150A. Under $100 used, although you may find an eBay one cheap too. Details here. PDF file with interchange info is here. I have 150's on pretty much all my cars now... mostly for the increased charging at idle speed, not for the peak output.

Saijin_Naib

I'm not too sure how much larger I want to go (in terms of collateral work [battery leads, posts, etc]) and drag on the engine. The 90 300ce came with the AL66x (80A), and Bosch lists the AL166X (100A) as the direct/recommended replacement for the AL66x. The AL0169X is also listed as used on the M104, so I think that'd be about where I'd cut off my search for more amperage.

AMGDave

With the larger alternator, you don't need to drastically upgrade the wiring, although it won't hurt if you do. The 100A units still don't put out much at idle. That's why I went with the 150's, which push ~90A at idle rpm. There is minimal extra drag, not enough to notice from behind the wheel anyway. I would at least go with a 110-120A unit if you still don't want to go all out.

Mechanically it's a bolt-on, btw, and electrically too if your current alt has threaded posts instead of blade connectors (only the smaller units have blades, 70A for sure, maybe 80A too). 90A+ all have threaded post connectors.

Saijin_Naib

Well, my alt was killed by engine oil being pushed out of my busted headgasket and into the alternator. That coupled with brushpack issues. Shop said they can likely fix it with just the brushpack if they pull/clean the housing, or I can go for the all-new alt. I may go for the AL0169X if I have the funding. Might as well do an upgrade at the same time as a repair, right?

AMGDave

Heck yeah. Especially since the cost is basically the same either way!

Saijin_Naib

Say I go with the AL0169x, do I need the 120A pulley in your PDF file?
104-155-00-15?

What else would need to be done?

AMGDave

If the unit comes with a pulley, make sure it is the same diameter & width, if so, great. If it doesn't have one at all, or it's different in size, swap over the one from your old alternator.

If your old alternator has blade-type connectors, you will need to either cut off the old connectors and crimp/solder on ring connectors, or (better yet) upgrade to larger wires from the junction block on the fender to the alternator.

Various photos are here. You don't need to go crazy like I did with dual 4ga cables. A single 4ga or dual 8ga would be plenty for a 120A unit.

Saijin_Naib

I have no idea what mine has. It looks like most of the AL66x pictures I find are posts with nuts on them. Is that the regular post type you're talking about?

http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto...ml?3593=102861
http://www.dragtimes.com/images-clas...0691573612.jpg

Is that actually it? Looks like posts with nuts on them to lock tabs down in place.

Also, it says that the AL66x is external fan, while the AL0169x is dual internal fan. Does this matter?

AL66X (Advance Auto Parts)
Pulley Diameter (Inches):1.97
Pulley Diameter (Millimeters):50.00
Pulley Style:6S
Fan Type:External
Regulator Plug
Clocking:10:00
Voltage:12
Pulley Included:YES
Terminal Connections: D+
Plug Style:381
Internal Regulator:Yes
Regulator Type:Internal
Fan Included:Yes
Amperage:80

AL0169X (Advance Auto Parts)
Pulley Diameter (Inches):1.97
Pulley Diameter (Millimeters):50.00
Pulley Style:
Fan Type:Internal
Regulator Plug
Clocking:3:00
Voltage:12
Pulley Included:YES
Terminal Connections: D+,W
Plug Style:381
Internal Regulator:Yes
Regulator Type:Internal
Fan Included:Yes
Amperage:120

AMGDave

Hey, that could be it. Cool, if you already have post terminals, no wiring mods will be needed! You may have to re-clock the alternator, depending on the donor... the 0169x has the terminals about 90° different, this may work fine or it could interefere with something. Re-clocking is easy on a new or rebuilt unit.

The fan is irrelevant, btw. The internal is nicer, IMO.


AL-0169x:

Saijin_Naib

Guy I'm talking to is saying the bolt pattern is different, might not line up.

That could be a big WTF moment. Any way around that?

AMGDave

Fortunately, the guy you are talking to is wrong.

Saijin_Naib

You serious? I mean, I know I called Tennessee but still. He sounded confident that the AL66x and the AL0169x have completely different bolt patterns.

If that is not the case, why would the Bosch Part Finder not show the AL0169x as an option? I know it was used on the later 3.2l m104 in the 300se, so I figure it should work, right?
http://www.boschautoparts.com/Vehicl...AT=Alternators

Called Bosch.us hotline, a tech should get back to me eventually. Fingers crossed.

AMGDave

Naw, man, you got me... it was an April Fool. You can't use anything except the stock 80A on your car. Wait - THAT was the April Fool.

All the serpentine-belt alternators shown in the spreadsheet I linked to above are interchangeable. Think I have AL 0785X on most of my cars. Bolt patter in the same. The newer/larger units may have a slighly larger bolt hole but that makes no difference for installation or operation.

Don't expect Bosch to tell you anything other than the original unit fitting. They aren't in the business of custom mods & upgrades and don't want the liability in case you booger something up along the way.

Saijin_Naib

Bosch.us guy said the AL0169x is about an inch longer than the AL66x, and an inch shorter than the AL0162x. He said the clocking and bolt holes should line up perfect, it uses the same Plug type, slightly different post type (but still compatible), and provided I have an extra inch of depth to mount, should work perfectly fine.

I think I'm going with the AL0169x then. It seems like a big enough upgrade (an additional 50% over my al66x) without going crazy.

Thanks for the assistance Dave

Shoomakan

I've read this a few times over, and still don't get what the advantage is of having a bigger alternator.

I mean, unless you're running a monstrous sound system and some crazy lights, I never imagined needing one.

bsmuwk

When you're using a the radio, blower motor, windshield wipers, headlights, foglights, seat heaters, moving the power seats, have lights on in the interior....it's a lot of strain on that tiny alternator.