Replacement alternator

[ricster]

Dave, you also have a dual battery in you machine if I recall. 60Amp is very low to run any extras.... spotlights, fridges radio amps, inverters etc. I replaced mine with a 100 amp when mine packed up.

I think with our 4.2's we have no electronics as standard equipment, so Nissan slapped a little alternator in there. Christ has, I think 140amp which could run the whole town.... , but I would consider, cause I know you are an overlander to rather go for nothing smaller than 100amp. This way you know your battery will always be charging even when you have aircon, fan, radio, lights, spot lights, fridge and any other appliance sucking juice out of your battery.

The price will probably be more or less the same to do it via a good auto electrician, who can modify the bracket to suit. The alternator ( 100amp ) I got required a little hammer modification and a washer spacer, and probably isn't the perfect install, but I'll get around to it one day. It was money well spent !!

[Grant]

Dave,


My standard alternator gave up the ghost and I then tried to get it up to 100 amp with no luck. Took it to a group in PTA West and they overhauled and took it to 65am. Works like a charm with our low tech Trolls. Major reason for not changing the alternator is the vacuum pump is mounted on the back.

[davejones]

Hey Cedric

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to check what alternator is currently in my patrol.. To be honest, I've never had an issue with any electronics not getting sufficient charge, until a trip down to the west coast and back over christmas... free way driving with loaded patrol in 40degrees+ temps are not ideal driving conditions for our poor 4.2D's... battled with engine temps and had to replace a battery which was fried around Clanwilliam. Cranked the aircon the whole trip.

I've traditionally just used a NL fridge. Spots rarely used. Stock sound system (although do want to upgrade).

I understand the logic around a bigger alternator; would i need to take it to a specialised/reputable auto electrician, about which i have no idea who to use? The more people working on my patrol the more uncomfortable i get. I think also the reason so many of us work on our 4x4s ourselves. Just want to take it to a one stop shop that can make and do everything for me perfectly!!

Maybe if you can give me more details on what you did in terms of your replacement?

Cheers

Dave

[davejones]

Thanks Grant - you're saying you're still on your original alternator after all these years?!

Please elaborate on your last comment regarding the vacuum pump? Not sure I get it

Cheers

[ricster]

Dave, I was a real chop, cause I cannot even remember the make of alternator I bought, and for the life of me cannot find the receipt. But... it takes the standard Bosch rectifier, which is something that is readily available almost anywhere, should something go wrong. I was also worried about the daunting task of making a bracket etc, as time was an issue( I use my patrol every day ). I took the old alternator in to a place in Boksburg, I think it was in Trichards street ( if you are going East on the N12 and take the 1st East Rand Mall turnoff, which joins the other highway coming south from OR Tambo). they showed me the Delco BIG MOTHER that Chuck Norris has fitted, and then he showed me this one ( I'll take pics tonight and post here for you).

The installation was relatively quick as the top bracket where you adjust the tension had to be spaced out with a few washers to get the tension and the curve on the bracket to coincide with each other. I plugged the wires on the back making sure the correct little wire is connected to show that the alternator is charging..... I asked Christo for help on that one.... and haven't looked back since

[ricster]

Grant is a lucky bloke.... his 4.2 is the 4.2's that are actually designed to have turbos fitted ( silver tappet cover, amongst other small mods) so he has a vacuum pump on the back of his alternator. Ours doesn't have this !!

[Grant]

Hi Dave,


My Troll is a 85 4.2 d ST, and has its brake vacuum pump is driven via the alternator. This is how I want to keep it. This is also confirms that I have the stronger motor. See the Aussie site, silver top vs Black top. Mine has 397k km with Safari Turbo and still running very well.

The original alternator is still running although it has new internals and bearings, and is running at 65 amp, which is working very well. I have however moved to LED spotlights and also changed all internal and external lights to LED. I have also fitted a Stecca digital regulator, and all power drawn for accessories runs through this. This then gives me the possibility to manage the consumption. In addition I have CTek 5 AMP

This has given me spare capacity to fit a better sound system which is an ongoing project.

[ChristoSlang]

The Delco that I fitted has been uprated in the mean time, as Louis (Aries66) mentioned on the previous page! Same low price, better performance

BTW: my motor also has the silver gasket cover, but that alone does not mean that it has the uprated pistons, additional oil squirters, etc! I think we may safely assume that all the TD42 motors that were put into Y61 wagons in SA are of the type that won't handle high (more than about 0.8 bar) boost pressures. We're also likely to have the weaker 5th gear - they only upgraded that when the TD42T and TD42Ti versions came along in other parts of the world.

[Grant]

Hi Jacking the thread, but this is the facts,


best for turboing:
GU turbo black top, has the turbo oil drain cast into the block. 28mm gudgeons, different bolt pattern on the back of the crank. Vacuum pump driving off timing gear below fuel pump.
Good for 900+ Nm if you build them properly with ceramic bits etc. EG: One Wild Diesel in Perth build by United Fuel injection and Zac. Shawn Swaffield's various vehicles over east.
precombustion chamber ports are larger. Compression ratio 22.5:1
Engine number starts with TD42Tnnnnn

second best:
Silver top (which dont all have silver rocker covers) Build date to somewhere around August 1995. Vacuum pump on back of alternator. Good for 650-700 Nm at 30 psi in short bursts if you watch your gauges with standard internals. 30mm gudgeons. "small/standard" back end on crankshaft. small precombustion chamber ports. Compression ratio 22.7:1. I've just blown one of these up being an idiot and the block and liners have disintegrated between #3 and #4. I'd keep it to under 650Nm with these. Engine number starts with TD42nnnnn

Good for mild boost only:
non turbo GQ and GU "black tops" built post august 1995 approx. Vac pump driven off timing gear below fuel pump. No turbo drain cast into block, "small/standard" back end on crankshaft. 28mm gudgeons.
12 psi non intercooled, 15psi intercooled, Thou Shalt Not Pass this boost level. reasonably lively engine due to the lower mass pistons, especially if you use 4.375 diffs. small precomb chamber ports. compression ratio 22.7:1
the pick of the bunch for moderate applications because everyone wants the "strong" ones and the lower reciprocating mass helps performance.

Unknown:
Factory turbo Y60 Safari (GQ safari import)

[davejones]

such a knowledgeable bunch!!


I'm getting the sense that uprating my existing alternator will be the better idea...


On my trip to the cape it wasnt the etg's that gave me hassles but the engine temp (as Frans once upon a time found out the hard way)... going to need to uprgrade my radiator as well. Also think i can get better performance from my turbo set up.