Replacing Festiva alternator; sources, upgrades, etc?

[bobstad]

I'm getting serious about a replacement alternator on my '91 Festiva L 5-speed.

In a previous thread awhile back; someone mentioned a Ford Probe alternator would give me increased amperage, which is desirable they'd mentioned.

I'd imagine that same alternator on the Probe would also come with a variety of other cars too; and could probably sell for less, designated for one of those?

Checking at the NAPA website; they sell six different replacements for Festivas. Three have detailed descriptions; though the apparently more expensive can't be shipped and all information including price has to be gotten from the local NAPA store.

I don't think of NAPA as being a low-price outlet; if also a nice place locally, friendly and informative here.

What I'm asking is which alternators with added amperage will fit; and the least expensive source for the most reliable cost-effective units?

In the past, a distant time ago; my habit was to pick a rebuilt unit though not the least expensive. The most expensive standard Festiva NAPA had a description for was one rebuilt by Bosch; I think ran pretty steep, about $240. I'd of gone for the one less than that though not their cheapest one.

My nose suggests there could be on-line sources for better deals than which NAPA provides; though I'm not internet savvy when shopping for automotive things. Anyone willing to be informative; weigh in. On any of the points I've raised.

[getnpsi]

I'm pretty sure I use the protege alternator in my swap, the plugs were all the same. 1990 engine

[bobstad]

post script: If I were to stick to replacement with the same amperage as the standard Festiva alternator; wouldn't that have less of a drag on the car's engine?

Or is there a significant difference? I could end up adding electrical devices taking more juice; though really not something too seriously considered.

I'm sixty now and loud stereos seem too much effort for the rewards. I like my music a lot however; so perhaps I'd change my mind.

I guess an alternator with more amperage would charge the battery more quickly, and lessen the drain when using the wipers and headlights simultaneously; which happens often here in Puget Sound as well as on the redwood coast of northern California which is where I've come from recently and could return to and/or more likely, visit.

Just how excited do I need to be about an increased amperage alternator; and why?
.

[getnpsi]

If you never had your lights dim with what you had, then there is no need for a higher amps alternator. As cars mid 90s+ came with more and more on board electric equipment, that caused the need for more 'juice produce'. Grass roots 5.0 mustang guys liked the 65 amp alternator and v-pulley setup better than the SOL serpentine belt with the 85-110A alternator, claiming it freed up the same power as spending $129.99 retail for fancy aluminum underdrive pullies. It was probably the fact they ditched power steering and the A/C but with millions of mustangs out there i considered it had merit, but not enough merit for me to downgrade. I like my tunes.

[twinkie7238]

Ohio generator makes a direct replacement alternator that produces a true 160 amps at 14.6 volts, the downfall is that it is a bit pricey roughly $350, but works very well... check them out at www.ohiogen.com

[navdoc101]

Not about the Alt. , but about the music part. I'm 63 & love my music. A good quality head unit & speakers are very much worth it. Its not about volume/loudness its about the sound quality! So you might , probely do need a better alt. I'm thinkin' about the same upgrade. So what IS a good inexpenseive upgrade?

[navdoc101]

Just did a search for "Alternator Upgrade" & got a lot of info. Try it , you'll like it. Search that is. Seems 1991 Mazda Protege has a PnP 80 amp. for our cars.

[htchbck]

I used an alt from an early 90's MPV once. I want to say it was 85 amp, same plugs and everything as my '91 Festiva. But I'm not positive about the amperage, it was a long time ago and I wasn't using it to upgrade (it was a 5 speed with no AC and no sound system) I just did it because I needed an alt replacement and that was the first thing I found in the junkyard lol.

[eurotiva]

I run a capri 85 amp. I had to change the plug but its only 2 wires

[rbrown]

What is the stock Festiva alt rated at?

[navdoc101]

50amp

[Movin]

post script: If I were to stick to replacement with the same amperage as the standard Festiva alternator; wouldn't that have less of a drag on the car's engine?

Or is there a significant difference? I could end up adding electrical devices taking more juice; though really not something too seriously considered.

I'm sixty now and loud stereos seem too much effort for the rewards. I like my music a lot however; so perhaps I'd change my mind.

I guess an alternator with more amperage would charge the battery more quickly, and lessen the drain when using the wipers and headlights simultaneously; which happens often here in Puget Sound as well as on the redwood coast of northern California which is where I've come from recently and could return to and/or more likely, visit.

Just how excited do I need to be about an increased amperage alternator; and why?
.

Why indeed!! Take your alternator apart, clean the housings, put in long
life roller bearings and new brushes.

Your electrical system should be looked at as a whole. Far more effective
than a bigger alt would be a new battery, When you start pumping 12 amps
through it to recharge it after a start, it will be charged in 1/2 the time that an older battery takes to get charged. Once charged the battery will only consume 2 amps or so.

Next, you would be amazed at how many cars, especially ones in rust prone areas have poor grounds. If the ground is not the same through out the car the alternator will have to work harder to provide voltage everywhere. You all know about performance exhaust but never think about performance electrical...big cable and clean grounds frees up HP in the alternator and it does not work as hard.

Get bluetooth hearing aids with the 16 or 20 band graphic equalizer built in.
Get a quality deck and you will hear better music and have no need for the welding cable,gold ends and caps big enough to challenge the local power company, to say nothing about the weight of special batteries..

New wiper blades in the rainy state, you will not need to run the wiper motor so much.

HID headlights make more light with less power by a lot, and they don't
fry your leg with heat if you get to close outside. Lower heat means things last longer too. Your alternator will love you!

LED lights use very little power to produce more light. They produce so
little heat it is hard to feel if they are on. Almost any incandescent light source on a car can be replaced with LED or HID technology.

Radiator...what??? Yup, a radiator with plugged up cores will run that
great big electric fan a lot more than a new radiator will.

AC..switch to hybrid freon that is legal to use most of these run 100 PSI
less head pressure. This not only runs your big condenser fan less but does
not drag the engine down as much to pump it.

Use window track lube to reduce the load on your power window motor.
You would not believe the difference in amps! All the components last way
longer too.

Now why is it that when ever a fuse blows guys go buy a bigger
alternator Do you really want to crank out more juice
to support your wasteful ways?? Look at all you got going on and help
your electrical system out a little!!!

Its the picture man, the big picture. We destroy the forest to save the
eagle..wrong wrong wrong, manage the whole forest and the eagle
will thrive. You go to the Doc with joint pain and he gives you drugs
that cause chest pain and heart failure..It don't work, you have to treat the whole, not just your specialty.

[bobstad]

I think 35 amps is what the stock Festiva alternator is rated at.

The Ford Probe which was suggested as a good alternator upgrade in a thread awhile ago after I first found my alternator is on the way out; if I remember correctly, was 50 amps.

[rbrown]

Why indeed!! Take your alternator apart, clean the housings, put in long
life roller bearings and new brushes.

Your electrical system should be looked at as a whole. Far more effective
than a bigger alt would be a new battery, When you start pumping 12 amps
through it to recharge it after a start, it will be charged in 1/2 the time that an older battery takes to get charged. Once charged the battery will only consume 2 amps or so.

Next, you would be amazed at how many cars, especially ones in rust prone areas have poor grounds. If the ground is not the same through out the car the alternator will have to work harder to provide voltage everywhere. You all know about performance exhaust but never think about performance electrical...big cable and clean grounds frees up HP in the alternator and it does not work as hard.

Get bluetooth hearing aids with the 16 or 20 band graphic equalizer built in.
Get a quality deck and you will hear better music and have no need for the welding cable,gold ends and caps big enough to challenge the local power company, to say nothing about the weight of special batteries..

New wiper blades in the rainy state, you will not need to run the wiper motor so much.

HID headlights make more light with less power by a lot, and they don't
fry your leg with heat if you get to close outside. Lower heat means things last longer too. Your alternator will love you!

LED lights use very little power to produce more light. They produce so
little heat it is hard to feel if they are on. Almost any incandescent light source on a car can be replaced with LED or HID technology.

Radiator...what??? Yup, a radiator with plugged up cores will run that
great big electric fan a lot more than a new radiator will.

AC..switch to hybrid freon that is legal to use most of these run 100 PSI
less head pressure. This not only runs your big condenser fan less but does
not drag the engine down as much to pump it.

Use window track lube to reduce the load on your power window motor.
You would not believe the difference in amps! All the components last way
longer too.

Now why is it that when ever a fuse blows guys go buy a bigger
alternator Do you really want to crank out more juice
to support your wasteful ways?? Look at all you got going on and help
your electrical system out a little!!!

Its the picture man, the big picture. We destroy the forest to save the
eagle..wrong wrong wrong, manage the whole forest and the eagle
will thrive. You go to the Doc with joint pain and he gives you drugs
that cause chest pain and heart failure..It don't work, you have to treat the whole, not just your specialty.

Also. You car runs off the battery. The alternators job is to keep the battery charged.

And when a fuse blows on mine, I buy a larger fuse...

[Movin]

I might be wrong but I think EFI is 50 amps and carbies are 45 amps...they
do not count the power to run the choke.