You're preaching to the converted Ryan !

Nice work on the photos ! I'd say the 3G swap was the single best mod I've done to my 86 ...period.

It was also a virtual bolt on for us V-belters.

Nice to see the proof though

Sixlitre

 

--------------
Yes the mustang 3G will work. I have done this swap and have pictures I can send you if you shoot me a private question. However you will need to do some minor modifications to allow it to physically fit as the 3G uses a larger casing.

 

for the un educated: what did you get those off of? most anything with a 5.0 would have one right?

 

ford taurus too. like 90s or so. goto the parts store, have them look it up & open the box. then the yards will have miles of tauruses to choose from. honestly this 3G isnt going to put out too much more than my large case will. i just hope it will last longer than the last 4 large case units i had to swap out

 

This is what my research last week yielded Andy:
94-96 Mustang V6
95-96 Windstar V6
94-95 Mustang 5.0
94-96 Thunderbird 3.8 V6 non SC
93-96 E/F series trucks vans 4.9L V6

If you want to buy one right from da zone the PN for a Duralast is from a 94 Mustang PN: DL7734 It's something like a $40 core though. I'm gonna try and find one in a bone yard.

 

The $20 alternator testsed above was from a 1990-95 Ford Taurus 3.8L

All of these Ford vehicles had the 130amp 3G

(1994-95) Ford Mustang 5.0L
(1994-00) Ford Mustang 3.8L
(1994-97) Ford Thunderbird, Mercury Cougar 3.8L
(1990-95) Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable 3.8L
(1993-99) Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable 3.0L
(1995-98) Ford Windstar 3.8L & 3.0L
(1991-94) Lincoln Continental 3.8L
(1992-97) Ford F Series Pickup
(1992-96) Ford E Series Van

Be carefull there was a 95amp 3G, it's ok, but not high-power
Most of the 130amp 3G's will crank out 140-160amps.
there are about 6 different mounting styles. 2 are good:

Ford part # F6UU-10300-FA is a 130amp 3G alternator that will fit the later serp trucks.
Last I checked dealer cost was over $225, shop around.
That part number was on:
(1997-03) Ford E Series Van, F Series Pickup 4.2L
(1995-01) Ford Explorer, Ford Ranger 4.0L

 

Ryan, when you say be careful, there was a a 95amp alt..How can you tell the difference, between that one and the 130? I'm assuming the 95amp can be found in those models you listed as well??

 

The vent holes patern in the front case can be used the ID the size.
Large Case is 1/2" larger OD than the Small case

Small Case Frame OD: 135mm - 5.3in
Large Case Frame OD: 148mm - 5.8in

 

thats why the later model serp belt trucks with 3G stock were only 95amps
sucky stereo, mech fan, there wasn't a need for than much power.

 

Ryan,
I have a quick question for you our anyone else that would know.
I have a 93 5.8 bko with the stock alt. I pulled an alt of the shelf for a 93 e350 5.8 with the 130 amp option and set it next the bko alt and they looked exactly the same. The question i have is wouldnt this be a direct replacement for mine except for maybe a extra cable from alt to battery to hold the extra current. All of the other plug ins look the same. Thanks tom

 

Yes. make sure the mounting tabs are clocked correctly

 

so that i understand correctly. the top one will be a direct bolt on in an 88 5.8? Ive been wanting to upgrade my alt for awhile now. just not really sure about how or which one to get

 

yes the top alt is a direct bolt in like Crazed just did:
http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25824

 

Make sure your wiring is up to the test first. An inline fuse is a good idea also.

 

One simple fact... the 3G alts do NOT hold up to off-road use. Ask anyone who wheels in muddy/dusty environments and they'll tell you that they've gone through several 3G alts.

 

After 30,000 "tests", I can say that the 3G with some minor modifications is one of the best designed alternators to stand up to off road use. I can get you some stuff that starts around $900 which is better, but not that much.

Definitely better than Denso or GM designs. Both of which have thin cooling fins and tight places that clog too easily with mud and dust. As for remote mount rectifiers, they are cool, only cost as much as a 3G if not more.

You are better off with the 3G, blow it out with compressed air, never water. And maybe tune it up every couple of years. nothing is bullet proof when you are abusing it hard. Even the EMS alternators will fail.

 

lol, i just bought two of them. funny thing is that when i went to the battery place to see what they charge to rebuild my hi-torgue starter, the guy said the same thing. of course he is a chevy guy and said a 140A ambulance package alt would be better suited. he tests alot of them and said it will not hold up in my truck. they dont sell alts so he isnt trying to sell me anything, just always gives me good advise... hmmm

 

One simple fact... the 3G alts do NOT hold up to off-road use. Ask anyone who wheels in muddy/dusty environments and they'll tell you that they've gone through several 3G alts.

I must be one lucky SOB then. My 3G is 2 years old now in my bronco. I run alot of extremely dusty trails out here in cali. I have abused my battery where it drops to 10 volts and the alt recharges it completely. I did a fair amount of winching this weekend and it dropped below 10 volts the whole time when winching yet the 3G is still alive.


oh by the way. This one was a $15.00 junk yard pull.

 

mine survived my old engines blow up.
crank broke which snaped the belt off it.
and spewed alot of oil over it.

From what I've read no alt is great at mud and dirt. the problem is after the trail run, the dirt sitting inside causes the problems. If you clean it out before the , it should live longer.

 

man i was bummed when the guy told me that too. really i trust the guy, i just didnt want to hear that after buying two of them. blasting them with air should work for dust and maybe a "sock" of some sort as a filter around it? at the very least clean water to wash the mud out

 

i have been hearing about the 3g having a weak regulator, plus since its an internal regulator, once it goes, its time to get another alt. wasnt it Soderblom that said that he blew one of his 3g's by just holding the window button to long or somthin simular? it just makes the large case alt seem like a better setup, plus it puts out almost just as much power.

 

i have been hearing about the 3g having a weak regulator, plus since its an internal regulator, once it goes, its time to get another alt. wasnt it Soderblom that said that he blew one of his 3g's by just holding the window button to long or somthin simular? it just makes the large case alt seem like a better setup, plus it puts out almost just as much power.

Bah ! Wive's tales !!!!

Just do the 3G conversion, the large case is old technology and huge into the bargain. It's easy, cheap and very, very effective. Cured just about all that ailed my 86 electrically.

True Soderblom has it in for the 3G, Ryan's output print outs prove the 3G works from idle up and I've had mine on for three years and it's still kicking !

I believe it was Steve83 that said you can buy the regulator kits for cheap and they can be changed fairly easily.

Sixlitre

 

i have been hearing about the 3g having a weak regulator, plus since its an internal regulator, once it goes, its time to get another alt. wasnt it Soderblom that said that he blew one of his 3g's by just holding the window button to long or somthin simular? it just makes the large case alt seem like a better setup, plus it puts out almost just as much power.

autozone sells the regulators for $42.


I have winched with my G3, one single 800CCA redtop. when the winch turns on the volts drop to 10 or lower if doing a long pull. It just keeps charging.

 

ryan in the pic of the 3 alternators mine is the style on the bottom. and of course its a 95amp. did those rigs that came with the 130amp use that style at all or where they all like pic 1 & 2.

Thanks
late

 

autozone sells the regulators for $42.

Ouch. The external ones are half that for the large case, 1/3 of that if you want the el-cheapo bargain basement special.

Ryan, kudos to you for obtaining real results. Your tests tell me the 3G does great on the RTI ramp, but it doesn't tell me how it does in the real world.

I dunno how anyone would ever do it, but I'd like to see test results immediately after both a 3G and a large-case have been made to do an identical, hard winch pull in the same engine compartment on the same motor on a 95 degree day.

It's common knowledge that heat is the enemy of basically anything electrical; as I look at a 3G and a large case it's a no-brainer to me that the large case is gonna run cooler.

 

I'm not sure I am following you guys. Here are some pics at this site of two 3G alternators. One is Large case, the other is not. Both are 3G. So, my 1995 3g stock is the small case. if you look at the size of the case it's obvious which is which. You can also look carefully at the holes, you will see a difference. So, for me it's just a matter of converting from the small case 95A 3g to a large case. These pics are for the newer trucks mounting pattern. Look at the pic ofthe alts. from the front. You will notice a "Y" casting with holes inside. Now, the large case has 2 large holes within each Y casting, while the small case has 4 small holes. That's how I tell.


http://www.alternatorparts.com/Ford_3G.htm

 

why not stick another fan on the pulley like the large case? that will move some air around it

Might work..........the fan requires a spacer so it doesn't rub the alt body, is the shaft of the 3G long enough? I'd guess not, since it was never built w an external fan. Also, I'd be a little concerned about it properly moving air into the holes (most alts w external fans have large slots)...............and doesn't the 3G have an internal fan? If so I'd wonder if the two fans would cancel each other out rather than work together.