S14 DIY Alternator upgrade.

Don't be mislead, if it's your first time messing with the alternator and your working by yourself (like me) it will take like 6-8 hours. Mostly reading the manual :read and figuring out how to remove stuff and where stuff goes. Adjusting and placing the belts is pretty easy, and anybody doing this upgrade should replace the belts with new ones, also check your grounds. I found my ground had rusted through ( I replaced it with 2 gauge and found new chasis grounding points). Think twice about replacing the PCV valve (its right there above the alternator, but a huge PITA). My pcv hose was fragile and busted and I couldn't believe how hard it was for me to replace (made me regret replacing it).

I went down to economy auto salvage or something like that in Grand Prairie, TX (about 15 min. drive) after my alternator belt broke. You'll know when this happens becuase your abs battery light will come on. You can drive up till your battery goes dead like 20 min. I upgraded to a 98 Mercury Villager 125 amp on my 95' se confirmed NO grinding was necessary. Economy auto salvage(?) has alternators and hundreds of other parts hanging on hooks in sections devided by car manufacturers. They go for $20 bucks or so there, but they didn't have any alternators with the same connection. I took my old one for reference, nissan and apparently Mercury connector are the same and look like this.
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compatible rate around 110-125
I ended up next door at
All discount auto salvage: 3965 East Main
Grand Prairie, TX 75050
(972) 641-6595.

I paid $70 bucks for a alternator marked 98' Mercury Villager (should have been $60 IMO).
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The biggest difference from the stock one is that it's bigger, has a gold pulley with more ribs, positive, has negative connection in a different location, has smaller bolt hole that holds it on (just drill to fit)

The best advise I have for anybody doing this is remove as little as possible, but as much as needed. If something is in the way remove it. There are two way's to do this. This is how to do it from the top (more work, but took this route since I was changing all the belts.

Remove fans and top radiator hose according to Field Service Manual (FSM).

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drill out the two holes on the bottom of the Alternator where the bottom bolt goes
use a belt two sizes larger ( ask counter person for two up) I had to back twice and exchange the belts before I found some that worked perfectly.
use Scruff63's method qouted at the end of this article.

Maneuver the Alternator in place ( I put mine in from the top, try different angles) and bolt in the bottom bolt.
Place the positive and ground. Positive is the larger cable with the red cap, negative is the smaller gauge wire with the black top.

Bolt down the top of the alternator where the bracket goes The way I finally got the larger alternator on was to unbolt all three bolts to the alternator bracket, barely screw on the bolt that goes through the tensioner/adjuster (the long bolt) to the alternator and then screwing on the last two bolts that screw on to the block.

Put your belts on and tighten to spec.
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=253102

References
Thanks to scruffy63 for answering my PM's :bowdown
[QUOTE=scruffy63]well I got the bottom bolt and nut on. but I couldn't swivel the alternator to where it needed to be. it was banging against the top bracket. The one that bolts on to the block. all you have to do is loosen the 2 or 3 bolts holding on the bracket put the alternator where it needs to be then tighten down all the bracket and tensioner bolts. If it sounds complicated its really not. You'll figure it out for sure once you're actually looking at it.

as for your other questions I have no clue. I just wanted the extra amps when I needed them. not all the time.[/QUOTE]

http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=131961&page=1[img]

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