Sharng my CS130 alternator upgrade experience
05-06-2013, 06:11 AM
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Sharng my CS130 alternator upgrade experience
This will be a write-up about my installation of a GM CS130 alternator.
My 96 tacoma 3.4L alternator went out last week and I wanted to upgrade from the stock 60 amp. The goal for me was to get at least 100 amps and spend less than the tacoma replacement.
Supplies:
CS130 alternator ($90 reman unit with lifetime warranty from Advance auto)
DIY bracket (only needed if you get the alternator with mounting holes not 180 degrees apart like me)
Couple of weatherpack connectors
Couple feet of 8ga wiring
GM Connector ($10 at Advance)
125 amp fuse
Total cost after Advance auto coupon code ($40 off $100) was like $70 because I had the other supplies.
As far as I know, the CS 130 went on many Gm cars and trucks from the late 80s to mid 90s. There are at least two versions of casings that I know of (and didn't know before buying mine).
Mounting holes 180 degrees apart:
And Mounting holes less than 180 degrees apart:
Tha tacoma alternator has mounting holes 180 degrees apart, so if you can get the CS130 that also has those it should be a bolt on afair. Unfortunately I didnt know this and bought the one with the other mounting holes. Then no local parts stores had the "correct" one, so I figured I'd just make it work. What I ended up doing was making a small flat bracket to connect the odd angle mounting hole to my lower engine alternator bracket(adjustable end). I made it such that I can still adjust the belt tension and nothing is affected.
The good news about my mistake is that now I have the choice of three alternators in the future if I need one: stock, gm cs130 with 180 holes, and gm cs130 with odd angle holes. Nothing I did is irreversible.
I made a jumper harness with weatherpack connectors so that I can switch back and forth between the tacoma alternator plug and the GM one I bought at Advance auto just by disconnecting a weatherpack.
I also re-clocked the alternator housing by 120 degrees to better line up the plug. This was difficult because you take off three screws and the main pulley. Re-clock it, and then you have to tighten down the 3 screws a little at a time and go back and forth between them so you tighten down the housing uniformly. This took about 20 minutes and guarantees the rotor doesnt get stuck or has a hard spot in it's rotation.
I wired the GM connector as shown where the largest wire (sense wire) goes to the terminal. This terminal then runs 8ga wire to a 125 amp fuse and then to the battery + terminal.
This is the wiring for the other two wires of the GM plug. (Note I used the alternator output terminal as the "Sense" wire connection as said above). The colors below don't match to all plugs. Mine had all black wires. So just go by location.
My 96 tacoma 3.4L alternator went out last week and I wanted to upgrade from the stock 60 amp. The goal for me was to get at least 100 amps and spend less than the tacoma replacement.
Supplies:
CS130 alternator ($90 reman unit with lifetime warranty from Advance auto)
DIY bracket (only needed if you get the alternator with mounting holes not 180 degrees apart like me)
Couple of weatherpack connectors
Couple feet of 8ga wiring
GM Connector ($10 at Advance)
125 amp fuse
Total cost after Advance auto coupon code ($40 off $100) was like $70 because I had the other supplies.
As far as I know, the CS 130 went on many Gm cars and trucks from the late 80s to mid 90s. There are at least two versions of casings that I know of (and didn't know before buying mine).
Mounting holes 180 degrees apart:
And Mounting holes less than 180 degrees apart:
Tha tacoma alternator has mounting holes 180 degrees apart, so if you can get the CS130 that also has those it should be a bolt on afair. Unfortunately I didnt know this and bought the one with the other mounting holes. Then no local parts stores had the "correct" one, so I figured I'd just make it work. What I ended up doing was making a small flat bracket to connect the odd angle mounting hole to my lower engine alternator bracket(adjustable end). I made it such that I can still adjust the belt tension and nothing is affected.
The good news about my mistake is that now I have the choice of three alternators in the future if I need one: stock, gm cs130 with 180 holes, and gm cs130 with odd angle holes. Nothing I did is irreversible.
I made a jumper harness with weatherpack connectors so that I can switch back and forth between the tacoma alternator plug and the GM one I bought at Advance auto just by disconnecting a weatherpack.
I also re-clocked the alternator housing by 120 degrees to better line up the plug. This was difficult because you take off three screws and the main pulley. Re-clock it, and then you have to tighten down the 3 screws a little at a time and go back and forth between them so you tighten down the housing uniformly. This took about 20 minutes and guarantees the rotor doesnt get stuck or has a hard spot in it's rotation.
I wired the GM connector as shown where the largest wire (sense wire) goes to the terminal. This terminal then runs 8ga wire to a 125 amp fuse and then to the battery + terminal.
This is the wiring for the other two wires of the GM plug. (Note I used the alternator output terminal as the "Sense" wire connection as said above). The colors below don't match to all plugs. Mine had all black wires. So just go by location.
Last edited by dfoxengr; 05-06-2013 at 06:17 AM.
07-08-2013, 02:52 PM
#7
Registered User
Great write up...Im wondering if this would work on the 3.0, since the 3.4 and the 3.0 are basically the same block. some installed pictures would be great. Keep up the great work
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