legacycentral bbs

hello,

my alternator (1993 SS) is starting to howl pretty loud, so i'm getting ready to replace it. has anyone compared the 90- or 110-amp alternators from the 2.5l and 3.0l engines to see if they are a viable replacement option? i recently did this on my 1986 300zx turbo. it's easy enough to determine if the clocking is the same. more so, i wondered if the bolt diameters where the same. i know the pully for the 110-amp is 6 grove rather than five. i found with alternators for the Z that the 90 amps stayed the same while the 110-amps had a different bolt diameter and needed to be drilled out. the casing changed slightly, too, which required grinding or modification of the adjustment strap.

anyone tried this?

thanks

btw - search didn't reveal anything...

Wiring plugs are different on the newer subies, as for the bolts they should bolt right in.

They are all compatible up to at least 2007 assuming you switch the plugs to the right type.

Yeah they are compatible. You just need to swap plugs. I'm running a WRX HO alternator. Our alternators have a 3-wire setup, and the newer ones are 2-wire. The third wire is a turn-on signal.

I'm pretty sure there's a link around here from me for the place I got mine in north Texas. If not, I'll have to dig it up when I get home.

now this is a pickle b/c i was planning on buying a Napa alternator b/c it comes with a lifetime warranty and some other perks (free roadside assistance, which i'll never use), but i have to have it installed by a shop to maintain the warranty. that'll pretty much be null and void when i swap the plugs. since i don't run any additional electrical load, i'll really need to think about this.

if i understand correctly, the plug swap would just require abandoning the 3rd wire turn-on signal? i'll need to find a 2 wire plug. i don't know the wrecker yards, yet, up here in maryland. fortunately, i have some time...

thanks for the help, everyone.

alternator plug link for future reference:

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