Alternator...

[muleskinner]

I went to pick up my Altermator I ordered from ORiellys for a 1989 Festiva and it was the wrong one compared to the old one. Apparently the old one is for a 1990 Festiva. That's what the guy said when he looked it up. So I had to reorder. The one that was wrong was smaller, the plug was wrong and it's $20 more. Plus he said it is for a 1989 Festiva!

So someone who had the car before me switched out the Alt with a different kind and changed the wiring harness I guess! Would that be true?

I'm not sure whether to go with the one that is actually for the 1989 or stick with what I had!?

[Huli]

Re: Alternator...

I would see if the one that fits has some sort of benifit. More amps? Better regulator? Etc.

I don't know about yours, I do know that there are 3 different ones for my 93 and 2 of them are really the same and higher output.

[FestYboy]

carby or efi 89?... there is a differance in harness...

[muleskinner]

carby or efi 89?... there is a differance in harness...

An EFI.

[FestYboy]

that's why a 90 works and an 89 doesnt.... 89 EFI uses alot or 90+ electronics (save for the distributor, and lookup tables in the PCM).

when dealing with the parts morons, you MUST specify "automatic trans" for your car, or in most cases, you can use 90 as a substitute year, otherwise, they'll look up manual trans parts and it will be wrong.

[Banana Bonanza]

So someone who had the car before me switched out the Alt with a different kind and changed the wiring harness I guess! Would that be true?

Could be, cheap people that own old cars tend to mix and match parts depending on mechanical abilities and parts prices. And time they want to spend tinkering. I have a Delco 10si alternator (found on 70s era GM vehicles) on my '89 Festiva. Cheapest 63A alternator with a built in regulator you will find. But I had to make a custom bracket. Wiring already screwed to OEM alternator so I just hot wired it myself, one of easiest to wire alternators ever, people use them on old tractors during 6V to 12V conversions, and all sorts other oddball things with engines. And it just barely has room back of Festiva engine. Much bigger diameter than OEM Festy alternator. Works fine though.

[Movin]

Would that be the "one wire" alternator? All you need is the battery wire. They are 100 amp now though. Without computer input to adjust idle that would probably be too much alt if you really needed 100 amps.

[muleskinner]

I have the new Alt in now. Everything works great!

Had some blue smoke come out the exhaust the first 5-10 minutes after starting. Haven't started it in a week. I didn't see that at all before that. ?

[Movin]

I have the new Alt in now. Everything works great!

Had some blue smoke come out the exhaust the first 5-10 minutes after starting. Haven't started it in a week. I didn't see that at all before that. ?

Oh man yeah, the massive polar amps through the rear defogger gives a blue ion field like you wouldn't believe!!!

Don't believe it! Change the oil and watch it. When you let things set awhile and they are not in perfectly new condition some driving can bring things back to normal. Try that.

[muleskinner]

Change the oil and watch it. When you let things set awhile and they are not in perfectly new condition some driving can bring things back to normal. Try that.

Thanks man! I did and everything is back to normalcy!

[Banana Bonanza]

Would that be the "one wire" alternator? All you need is the battery wire. They are 100 amp now though. Without computer input to adjust idle that would probably be too much alt if you really needed 100 amps.

Nah, dont like the one wire ones, they tend to not charge properly at idle and they tend to be significantly higher priced. Since you just hook the field wire (F) to the B terminal anyhow, the only real difference between the three wire and one wire is the exciter circuit where you need either to wire a resistor or an incandescent idiot light into the thing via the D terminal. I like having an idiot light. Have had wires fatigue or whatever and without the idiot light coming on, could got stranded. Course an ammeter and voltmeter be even better.

Most alternators with built in voltage regulator of any brand are very simular, you just have to figure out which terminal is which.

By way anybody uses a 10si alternator, get one of the ones made from all new parts with lifetime warranty. The rebuilt ones anymore are done as absolutely cheap as possible in some third world country and dont work well and dont last well. I have especially good luck with the ones assembled from all new parts sold by O'Reilly. The Autoboned ones are the worst. Plus last time I took an Autoboned one in for replacement they looked and said no record of me buying it. With the cash register receipts having the disappearing ink, makes life interesting. Suggest scanning a copy of receipt if you do buy any parts there before the ink evaporates.