Battery.....Alternator.....Or.....Power Cap!?

[whitey]

Hi all,

Rite, got the usual prob! Winter, crap battery, big sounds, lights, heaters etc!
Alternator struggles to charge battery at all, headlights and digi dash etc etc flash, runs at 12Volts when all on so no charge!

Wondering what I should do!? For starters, I know I will need a new battery coz mine is fcuked, but what you recommend for a battery!? Not bothered how much really within reason!

Secondly, so that I dont kill this battery, shall i uprate alternator or get a powercap for stereo or both?

If I uprate alternator, what one can I use? Gsi/GTE? Are these better? How much shall I expect to pay? Hard to fit? All the usual questions!

Or will simply keeping alternator and getting a power cap and meaty battery do the job!?

Help, ta in advance!

Whites :twisted:

[mikeoxford]

wouldnt bother with a power cap.

unless u have a car literally FULL of ice?

anyway

invest in a heavy duty battery, and heavy duty alternator.

maybe items off a diesil astra or similar?

if you goto nova-land.com in the ICE section there is a how2 guide on upgrading your alternator for big ice.

[whitey]

Cheers Mike!

So any alternator off of any diesel astra will be the best!? And will fit fine?!
Just don't wanna go down scrappy and spent ??'s on something shiten!

Whites

[Alex]

go down your scappy and get a cavalier/astra alternator. this will sort your problems. Novas have a 65AH alternator max? I think cavs go up to 105AH. i got a 75AH one from a cav and it made a huge difference. Try and get a bosh one, as they are better quality than the delco-remy ones. They fit straight on. :D

[mikeoxford]

Try and get a bosh one, as they are better quality than the delco-remy ones.

agreed


They fit straight on. :D

MAKE SURE it is a similar size, ok you can buy a bit bigger, but there are some models that DONT fit.

best bet is to take yours out, goto a autoecetricians and find something with higher amperage but similar size, read the guide on nova-land? it says even alternators off other manudfacturers cars will suit...........[/b]

[locky]

DONT 4GET u may need 2 change the alternator belt coz i had 2 when i put a cavalier alt on i had 2 get a smaller belt 2 take up the slack, also there wasnt much room 4 adjustment!

[mikeoxford]

DONT 4GET u may need 2 change the alternator belt coz i had 2 when i put a cavalier alt on i had 2 get a smaller belt 2 take up the slack, also there wasnt much room 4 adjustment!

and just to publicise another matter, although it wont concern you

having twin 40s means you need the modified top bracket and also lowered alternator bracket, and the alternator belt is far too big, so even with standard alternator you do need a shorter belt.

i need to write the numbers down from mine ideally because if it snapped and i lost it i wouldnt have a clue what to buy as it came with the twin 40s i bought

[Dicko]

get a 60-65amp battery. think i paid ?35 trade for a 62amp battery from PDS in stoke works a treat. you gotta be carefull with alternators as they can be a different size and different puley wheel whcih are not really changeable. i think you can get a good alt off a cav around 60amps more than enough. otherwise go for the easy option of a bosch unit off a gte/gsi. just turn off your stereo 2 mins b4 u get home give it a quick boost

[mikeoxford]

just turn off your stereo 2 mins b4 u get home give it a quick boost

you should do anyway to avoid attracting attention from undesirables to your stereo where you live

[whitey]

Allways do that! Loada pricks live not far from me! My car is like rite opposite my window, which is always ajar and i have LOUD alarm, snap off steering wheel, no locks and a chopper by the side of my bed!

So they wont nick the car and unless there is 4 of them all with a van reversed up and all there to grap one item from the install each and do one real quick, I will be down like a shot with a fucking axe and my good old replica!

Whites