Altenators..Ford? Dodge?

[AWard]

When puttin a cummins from a 95 dodge into a 99 ford that had a powejoke in it... Can i use the altenator from the dodge? what do i need to make it work ? i dont feel like makin brackets for the ford altenator... .

 

[DieselTim]

alt

The Dodge alt needs to have a regulator installed to work, it is not self regualating. You can add a small regulator to the back of it if you want.



Dieseltim

 

[FordCummins]

Any good starter/alternator rebuild shop can do it for about $40. This is what I did with the 96 12V in my 99 F350

 

[RyanB]

That is the best way of going about it... so I think anyway. When I did my conversion I hated the idea of putting a GM ALT on the cummins and having to make brackets and get a different size pulley... it just didn't look right or look stock! Some swear by it and I don't know why. I took my ALT into the shop to have it rebuilt anyway and had them wire in a tach wire and hook me up with an external regulator. It worked great and the tach is dead on!



RyanB

 

[MMcCallie]

Using a non-stock alternator is definitely the hard way. I've eaten at least 3 belts in the very few months it has been driving. Bought my brackets from autoworldmt.com for my 32 lb. Mitsubishi alternator. The brackets have had to be redone a few times, very difficult to line up.



I only kept this alternator because it is monster putting out 300 amps, with dual rectifiers. It was very expensive but has proven to be a great performer, one of the things i kept from my PSD. If i ever have to replace it, i will go with a more powerful Dodge replacement for less crowding of the air filter intake tube and engine coolant reservoir. Perhaps one from an ealier year that doesn't need an external regulator.

 

[RyanB]

My ALT shop told me they could no problem but out more amps than the stock 200 or 250 (been a while and I forget how much) but it wasn't a concern. I don't have a system in my truck other than just a deck and I don't plow or anything like that.



Autoworld is one of the places that pushes real hard to use the alternator that came from the truck (Ford or GMC) and I think its totally backwards when its soooo easy to just wire in a regulator. I also hate the idea of loosing belts for the very reason your having problems!



RyanB

 

[AWard]

Anybody have a item number or anything on a regulator i could get from an auto parts store that would work?

 

[Steve Graham]

The early 1st gen's (89) used a remote regulator attached to the firewall. Ask for one of those.

 

[Nordby]

I used a two-wire regulator from a 1985 Dodge 1500 gas truck to run the 1997 factory cummins alternator (nippondenso). The guys that rebuild starters/alternators say these are some of the best made. Go to Napa (or your favorite parts store) and have them spec out a regulator for a mid-1980's half ton truck. Should be two wires - one is power, the other is for the field side of the alternator.

jon

 

[Nordby]

Here are some part numbers - cut/paste from my conversion thread.

Got my charging system working - with help from some folks on here. Used the alternator (nippondenso) that came with the 1997 cummins engine. Used a regulator from a 1985 Dodge pickup, about $15, Napa part #VR38SB. The V could be a U, hard to tell on the box. Bought a plug to fit the regulator, Napa part #VRC38, about $8.