'96 5.7l/350 Upgrading from CS130 to CS144 alternator

[Leo Gustafsson]

During my work break I stopped by Advance Auto and they had both alternators, externally the bolt patterns look the same, but I'm not counting chickens here. With the known issue of Heat weakens the Bridge Rectifier which is the main cause of alternator failures, causing trouble with the CS130 (and being a witness thereof, on my truck) and the CS144 being internally regulated as opposed to the CS130 (perhaps this is the reason for their failures) and the extra amperage I like as well, not to mention the lifetime warranty. The primary obstacle now seems to be the rear support bracket is impossible to find at the yards here. I have a pigtail coming down from Portland this afternoon so if the weather cooperates I may get around to installation soon. I've been looking over the threads here and elsewhere but some information doesn't jibe. I dig free information is exactly what it's worth, but then I can't be the only one that's done this upgrade recently.

Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid for any information and resources for that frikken support bracket.

Gus

Edit
Uh oh! I found this page;
http://forum.gmtruckcentral.com/showthread.php/824-CS-144-Alternator-Swap/page2

 

[ak diesel driver]

Seems like leroy was making a rear arm

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Your 96 uses a cs130D, completely different alternator from a cs130. Leroy's rear bracket was for diesels, he says he has a 350 gas engine. As to the differences, you will have to change the alternator plug or run an ad244 for a bolt in swap. Get the alternator used on an 01 3500 with the duramax, it will directly replace your cs130d.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

I have the new CS44 with plug already on my bench, can't seem to find a wiring diagram in the SM, so I'm just a little lost on which wire to solder to that single solitary wire that goes to the plug on that CS130D.

All I can make out on that plug is RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous?)

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

From what I'm gathering it seems that the existing CS130 in BBB for lack of a (S)ense wire hookup the alternator cannot distiguish total load on the electrical sysem. If that makes sense, pardon the pun.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

Can anyone tell me if this "L" wire is the tickle wire that goes to the existing wire above?

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

I noticed that the SM for this truck refers only to the CS130 and the CS144, no mention of the CS130D, which led to my confusion. Up until now I've always trusted manufactuers' service manuals. Lesson learned

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

Here's a better view of what I think is the correct configuration of the CS144 plug.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

I guess this is what I was looking for;

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

I went to a former Chevy line mechanic and I'm on the right track with the "L" being tied to the Gauges circuit on these. Now I just have to detirmine where is the greatest currect draw to the the (S)ense wire to. Apart from the battery, is there an alternative place that more effective?

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

Now to find an approapriate resistor online, BOTH Rat Shack stores closed in this area. A decade ago the primary one was managed by a former diesel electric submariner ~ he KNEW his stuff!

 

[Will L.]

Now to find an approapriate resistor online, BOTH Rat Shack stores closed in this area. A decade ago the primary one was managed by a former diesel electric submariner ~ he KNEW his stuff!

Unfortunately they didn't pay high enough wages to keep knowledgeable people around in most of the stores. That's why they lost sales and going out of business.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

I got a line on that 50 Ohm 1 Watt resistor for the "L" circuit, I just purchased 5 from Mouser.com, and after I complete this project, I'd be glad to share.

Edit. Just received a FedEx shipment of something I won't share, but if you can get it in your area Finlandia Cranberry. 8th row barley and mild delicious taste.

 

[WarWagon]

Sense at the battery + post, where it matters. Otherwise at the end of the alternator charge wire. GM put it to the back of the alternators on like 2002 as it FUBARED the transmission shifting from noise, voltage changes, etc at the factory location. The entire purpose of the sense wire is to correct for voltage drop across the charge wire. Small voltages with temperature are two major factors in charging batteries esp. when you are running 100+ amps through the charge wire. 0.2V voltage drop across a wire IS a BIG DEAL as far a a battery is concerned!

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

That does seem the concensus to run it to the battery although I've read one compelling site madelectircal.com
with regard to running it the the highest current draw point as to a positive central junction location.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/remotevoltagesensing.shtml
My first guess was to the battery until I read about this. Not knowing even if this central junction location exists I'm going to the battery.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The sense is internal, that wire you're hooking up is the one that would go to the no charge indicator in the cluster, and the bulb is the resistor. You don't need to add anything else to it, just hook it up. You should also find that plug for the alternator, if you follow it up, should have another plug in it as GM used different pigtails wether it got a cs-130D, or a cs-144.

Heres what you have with just the L hooked up.
http://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/...interpolation=lanczos-none&fit=around|544:363

And heres the older style plug of the cs-144, just hook up the L, and the bulb in your cluster is the resistor.
http://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/...interpolation=lanczos-none&fit=around|358:239

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

Hmmm. There's the Charging System Warning Light that comes on at startup...

but the brown wire from the alternator goes to "Gauges" as per the wiring diagram for both the 5.7L and the 7.4L, which I'm guessing is the Voltmeter on the other side of this Gauge/Indicator panel.

I've matched that pigtail to the CS144 that's waiting on the bench and it 's more rectangular than oval.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

And the charge indicator is a gauge.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

Since they're arriving Monday, I'll solder one into the circuit as a matter of course their cost was minimal so I figure may as well incorporate one.
I was hoping to minimize voltage drop by using the 2/0 gauge welding wire for the battery cables and oversized charge/fusible link wire, but over the last year it's made no difference.

 

[Leo Gustafsson]

As I recall, the Gauge circuit (brown wire from CS130) ran 1.5-1.7 Volts I wonder if this is satisfactory minimal voltage not to fry the alternator with (or without) that resistor...