should I go 200 amp?

[RAMAIR1]

Looks like my alternator took a crap on me....volt light came on, headlights got dimmer and dimmer. Luckily I made it home, turned the ignition off, then tried to fire her back up...nothin'. Anyway, my question is this... should I pay to BIG $$$ for a 200 amp alternator or just stick with a stock replacement. The only extras I have on the car or plan to put on are some type of scan tool, hot-wired pump and maybe an upgraded stereo. Nothing exotic at all. Will I still benefit from the extra juice or is it just overkill?

Thanks

 

[Tim Riecks 6]

I tend to go overkill on just about anything I do. When I had to have my alternator rebuilt it was no different. I had a local place rebuild mine with the 200 amp stator and smaller pulley. Total was $160 or $180 for the rebuild and another $20 I think for the pulley. From what I've heard the charging systems are marginal even though they are 120 amp from the factory. There was also a 140 amp stator that I could have had put in, but the gorilla in me just had to have the 200 amp.
I'd just go for it anyway because you never know what you might want to do to the car in the future. You could need it someday.

 

[S10xGN]

If you're willing to settle for a 140A unit, search for the thread on the Impala SS alternator...

 

[norbs]

Actually you would be suprised how many amps a stock tr actually takes. I have a crazy electric fans and the 200 amp just keeps up enough baarely with the small pulley! Turn the a/c on, headlights on and a few other things and the amps could easily total over 80 amps. RIght now i am taking about 130 amps at idle and i can't figure out where its all going!

 

[RAMAIR1]

Thanks everyone for the input. Now I don't know whether to go with the SS alt or just stay with stock. I'm leaning toward the SS unit.

 

[gokada]

Maximum Results With Minimum Effort

Or you could say maximum alternator with minimum cost.

The SS alternator is pretty cheap and should be more than enough for electrical requirements.

 

[Ormand]

You need to consider more than max amps. Some alternators put out higher max, at the expense of lower idle amps, so check the "curve" and make sure you're getting an alternator that makes more power all across the rpm range.

 

[RAMAIR1]

Thanks again everyone. Looks like I have some time to think about it...too much damn yard work to do, can't find time for the GN.

I had the car out of the garage yesterda though to do a couple things. It started right up, no volt lamp, nothing. I let it run for a while in the driveway. When I cae back to it, the volt light was on and the stereo had shut itself off. I pulled her back into the garage, kicked it off, then tried to restart it....nothing. I gotta get this done ASAP, I want to DRIVE IT!!!!