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Thread: Upgrading the alternator

  1. #41
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    Summit claims to have the Denso rebuilds for $113.99 with free shipping. They will add a $30 core charge, but that's still cheaper:

    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/d...hoCaIoQAvD_BwE

    Because Denso discontinued these, and knowing Summit will usually just have the manufacturer drop ship, I suspect they will flake after they take your money and try to substitute something else. Good luck! Tim
    I had one on order for over half year and cancelled it. They said they were waiting for cores. I know a guy who used to work for Denso and still has contacts. We called the other day and were told They are NLA and won’t be produced again. Fortunately if you look hard enough on the internet you can find a Denso one. After the ones on amazon we’re swooped up I looked for days til I found some and ordered a few.
    That smells like regular! She needs premium DUDE! PREMIUM!

  2. #42
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Best with the denso is to just rebuild it... theres a few videos on it.

  3. #43
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    Re: Upgrading the Alternator

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post

    PS: You can also weld with 140A, I just wanted overkill so that's why I went with 250A.

    can you elaborate on your welding set up? ive seen people rig up a second alternator, which seems safer than one thats still powering the van..very curious as we get further out in the boonies...id imagine some sort of bulkhead fittings and a switch for full field..?

  4. #44
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    If you research the web you can find information on how to build your own. I just took a short-cut and installed a Mobi-Arc unit. Here's a video on the unit I have: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1F9dcs-eGw

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  9. #45
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Yes- that's the same conclusion I'd come to... in all my research, I found no indication as to which method is preferable, other than one obscure reference on ebay to the one wire hook up aging the alternator faster.

    For me personally, it's a moot point now- I went through two CS144s supposedly new from Amazon, only to have both damaged in shipping. Turns out GM doesn't make that model any more, and I was dealing with counterfeit junk, which explains why they didn't care much how they packaged them.

    Via a tacoma forum, I found a Denso model, 210-0461, from early 2000's Suzukis that has an identical housing as ours and puts out 105 volts. Just have to swap the pulley. I will be putting it in this week. I'll let you know how it goes...

    Thanks again Tim...

  10. #46
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    That's awesome information! Thank you. In checking that part number you gave (Denso 210-0461) I found these are plentiful, inexpensive and used on several different vehicles. I don't know how they compare in design to the van alternator, but they look similar enough I think the same rule of Denso quality VS the other remanufacturers would still hold true. The ones I found on the internet looked like they use the same pulley. Could you elaborate on the pulley issue and also confirm the off-set/mounting is identical?

    Regarding the wire harness, I did a search and found a "plug & play" adapter:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/16285429297...caAlRqEALw_wcB

    In case you wanted to modify the van harness, I also found this:

    https://www.amazon.com/Alternator-Re...15387481&psc=1

    Here's the pin lay-out (I labeled the bottom left image):



    Labels are identical to the Denso van alternator schematic on post #27, so you can simply match them up by function. Tim

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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

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    It came in today, and yes, except for the pulley, they are indeed identical. The Van pulley is a 4 rib, the Suzuki is a 3 rib and about 1/8" narrower. All other measurements are the same.

    I suppose a guy could swap the belt and just run a bit narrow on the fan, but I think I'll just swap the pulleys...

    I'm using the pigtail from Amazon and just cutting and splicing...

    And to give credit where credit is due- here is the Tacoma Link where I discovered it...

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/...rnator.630459/

  12. #48
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    well i wouldnt say identical, the suzuki alt looks beefy! and after all this time a tacoma alternator would fit with a harness adapter as well? ill also ad that a 85 to 89 mitsubishi eclipse has the same alternator as our vans as well..

  13. #49
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    Re: Does a 2wd alt = a 4wd alternator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Harbilly View Post
    Thanks Gwen!!!!I saw the Christmas tree lights twice yesterday and can 'hear' the alternator as well. My 4wd alt keeps unbolting itself and I keep tightening it back in. Might explain why I can hear the bearing!In any case with 350,000 km seeing the Christmas dash is only to be expected!Cheers,Bill

    where is the alternator located ?

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  15. #51
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    thanks Tim

  16. #52
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Did this Suzuki denso alternator work? Just curious the outcome or if anyone managed to get it fit on the van.

  17. #53
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Quote Originally Posted by tlight View Post
    Via a tacoma forum, I found a Denso model, 210-0461, from early 2000's Suzukis that has an identical housing as ours and puts out 105 volts. Just have to swap the pulley. I will be putting it in this week. I'll let you know how it goes...
    Quote Originally Posted by VanNoob View Post
    Did this Suzuki denso alternator work? Just curious the outcome or if anyone managed to get it fit on the van.
    Following up on this as well. Since Denso 210-0461 seems unattainable at the moment, I went with a Bosch AL4507X which is supposed to be the same fitment.

    But my AL4507X housing looks exactly like the AL214X alternator in my van already. Unlike tlight's photo where the Denso (is it a Denso?) looks bigger.

    Where I ran into problems is the pulley. The "Suzuki" alternator has a 17mm shaft, but the "Toyota" alternator has a 15mm shaft, which means you can't put the Toyota pulley on the Suzuki alternator. I'll have to look at the pulleys again to see if a 3 rib belt would line up correctly and run straight.

    At least I grabbed an extra pulley at the junkyard (which was way too expensive, I think I could have gotten a new one for the same price, but they cut me a deal on my other parts, so I guess it works out), so I might see if I can get it machined to a 17mm opening.

    01 Suzuki Grand Vitara, 02-04 Suzuki XL-7

    • DENSO 210-0461
    • MPA: 13982
    • Wilson: 90-29-5601
    • USA Industries: A2982
    • Bosch: AL4507X
    • Lester: 13982
    • ACDelco: 3342590
    • NAPA Mileage Plus: 13-9589
    • BBB Industries: 13982
    • Beck/Arnley: 1861115
    • Suzuki: 31400-52D00
    • Visteon: 13982
    • Remy: 12378
    • NAPA Mileage Plus: 13982
    • Precision Parts Remanufacturing: SKA108
    • DENSO Auto Parts: 102211-2400
    • USA Industries: A2795
    • DNS: A13982
    • NAPA Mileage Plus: 213-9589
    • Suzuki: 31400-85D00


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  18. #54
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    I have not finished installing it, but i had the exact same issue, I got a Wai 13982n alternator. I also could not find a denso from a source I trusted. The Wai alternator was local and cheap.
    For me also the toyota pulley did not fit,I bought a new pulley, but it did not fit either, so I gave up, and took it to a local alternator/starter repair shop.
    (Don’t know why, but these shops are everywhere over here. All (almost) retired men that fix electrical motors and alternators in their sheds)
    The guy had two boxes with old pulleys for me to fit. I found one, that I thought fit perfectly, but the repair guy did not agree. He showed me, you should set both alternators on a flat surface, with the pulley down. Then compare or measure the distance from the mounting to the flat surface. If it is exactly equal, the belt will line up.
    The guy put the pulley I found, on a lathe, and corrected it for me.
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    Looking at the pictures, it looks to me like the rotating inner part is half an inch longer, it is longer at the backside of the mount.

  19. #55
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    Re: Upgrading the alternator

    Quote Originally Posted by Jan-Willem View Post
    He showed me, you should set both alternators on a flat surface, with the pulley down. Then compare or measure the distance from the mounting to the flat surface. If it is exactly equal, the belt will line up.
    The guy put the pulley I found, on a lathe, and corrected it for me.
    Ah yes, I just discovered that too. The length of the pulley shaft seems to be different, so the backside of the Toyota pulley would also need to be machined down a bit.

    It's too bad I cut my belt getting the alternator out. It had worn down to 3 ribs. It would have made a great test belt for 3 ribs!

    The good news is that I've figured out how to get the alternator out the top side on a 4WD with just the overflow tank and bracket, lower fan shroud and the alternator tightening adjustment bolt removed (it's still a tight squeeze!).

    I also learned that the Bosch alternator is 95 amp, while the Denso is 105 amp. Makes me wonder if there are more differences to the Denso alt, but a different pulley and shaft diameter/length would seem like weird changes for supposedly interchangeable alternators.

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