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Installing/Modifying a Delco Alternator for use in a DeLoreanMy aftermarket Delco 110 amp alternator packed-in after thirteen months of service (and far less than 1000 miles) due to a faulty rear bearing! I spoke with the vendor from whom I purchased the alternator (and consequently, his supplier) and, despite being out of the warranty period, they would honor the warranty. Pretty good! Even so, always looking for the tough way out, I decided to crack it open and repair it, which should be cheaper than shipping it back. In the meantime, I went ahead and bought a cheap new one to get things going again. You can pick up a remanufactured 105 amp Delco CS130 alternator indended for a mid-1990s Saturn for $90 (with an old alternator, or a hunk of metal resembling one, returned as a core). You'll need a few other items to get it working on the DeLorean:
The alternators from the vendors come in a variety of outputs, the Saturn replacement is only 105 amps, but that's more than sufficient for a stock DeLorean. Even though the alternator is $90, you still need the above hardware and extra bits. Should you get an alternator from the vendors or just get a Saturn one? If your DeLorean already had a Delco alternator, 105 Amps is sufficient for your needs, and you already have the wiring harness, hardware, and small v-belt pulley, then yes, the Saturn CS130 will save you a few bucks, since you can get it locally (and on a weekend), swap the pulley, and plug it in and drive. Keep in mind that you will need an impact gun to get that front shaft nut off! However, if you're starting with the Motorola (or Ducy!) or if you need/want more than 105 amps, it's really not much more to just get the plug-in package from a vendor. That will definitely save you some time, too.Update: I've repaired my broken Delco 110A and I'll add a repair page for the CS130 at some point. 
Busted Delco. Note rear bearing, which completely failed. 
Side-by-side comparison. Left: "DeLorean" Delco. Right: Saturn Delco and necessary spacer hardware. 
The difference is the front housing. The Saturn variety is a bit smaller and needs about 12.6mm of padding in order to match up to the DeLorean's mount. I found an M10 spacer and a couple of M10 washers that fit the bill perfectly. 
Finally, you must ditch the S-belt pulley and replace it with a V-belt version. I just swapped with the one from the old alternator, which is a high-performance (small diameter) bit. |
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