Well, I finally got tired of replacing my "lifetime" alternator every 12 - 18 months from autozoo. Between the cheap parts and the recent deal firing an employee for defending himself and his co workers, I'm done with them.

I figured an upgrade would be nice, but didn't want to spend $300 or more for an online one. I like the idea of local parts stores warranties, so I went to Oreilly and picked up a 140 amp alternator for a 6.0 truck instead of the little 110 amp they sell for ours.



The case is just a hair larger, but the mounting holes line up the same. The pulley is larger on the 6.0 alternator, but I swapped the pulleys out so it's no big deal.

One of the tabs on the alternator where the screws that hold the case together hits the alternator bracket on our truck, so the options are either shim the alternator with washers, or hit the bracket real quick with a grinder. I started to use the washers, but it seemed like a pain after I dropped one washer so I grabbed the grinder. Some quick work at the center of the bracket and it fits like a charm.




The connectors on the back of the alternator are off about a quarter turn. I was going to take the case apart and clock it so everything faced the same direction, but the sun was setting fast and the plug was turned toward the harness so it created extra slack. I think I'll take it back apart later and clock the case to the original position, but this will work for a few days. As it sits now, I have to use a wrench to tighten the charge wire bolt since a socket would hit the CAC tube.



I'm going to add a secondary charge wire this weekend, so I'll get some more pics then if anyone's interested.

 

Nice write-up and pics.

Reps sent.

 

Just repped you for another post so I can't for this one.

Pics when you get that extra wired hooked up.

Nice upgrade...gonna have to keep this in mind when mine goes out.

Stewart

 

This is good to know. Nice write-up with pics.
Sending reps

 

nice did not know a 6.0 would work
i hope not to need for a long time as i have a spare one setting on the shelf.

my dad has one form autozoo and it has lasted 3 years. and i know what you mean, that guy should have be promoted not fired

 

Nice writeup. I wish I could rep using FTE mobile. Something they need to fix.

 

Extra charge wire? Why?

 

Subscribing for more pics and the wire thing.

Is the pully that much bigger to not get the belt back on? Hard to tell in the pic.

 

Reps if I can! Great post, thank you!!!!!

Yeah, I don't understand why people do this (although it can't hurt). That fat wire goes over to the pass-side inner fender and connects to the starter solenoid - where fat wires go directly to the batts. I don't see any gain from adding another wire - surely that wire is capable of carrying this load and then some.

 

maybe if you put a 300amp alt but i would think 140 would be fine.

 

Very nice write Chris ! Was that a new one from O'Rielly if so do you have part# ? Also I think I am missing some of the back story as far as the AutoZoo employee??? Could you please explain?

 

At (maybe after?) store closing, bad guy comes in and holds manager at gunpoint. Employee went out to his vehicle and retrieves his pistol, returns to store and scares off the bad guy. Employee was fired for having a weapon in the store.

Heroic AutoZone Employee Fired for Using Gun to Thwart Armed Robbery | Fox News Insider

 

Works for me. Autozoo isn't my favorite store anyway.

 

It's a belt and suspenders approach. If you've ever had a loose connection or corroded battery cable ends, then you run the risk of affecting the current through the cables. With the way they seem to make parts disposable these days, and since the voltage regulator is no longer a $10 bolt on item separate from the alternator, adding a secondary wire just gives the electricity another path

I don't have the part number handy, but I'll look. I just looked under an 05 F350 and chose the one that was 140 amp for a single alternator application. We had to change an alternator at work on an 05 and I got to thinking "that would fit on my truck." Driving around later my voltage started going from 11 to 15 while cruising at freeway speeds, so I just stopped in and picked one up.

They only charged me $5 for a core charge, which has got to be some kind of mistake I'm guessing, but I'm thinking about hanging onto the old one and maybe finding some rebuild parts in a DIY kit, or turning it into a paperweight, or something.

 

Great write up. Thanks for sharing. Keep us updated.

Ryan