Which Alternator on swap?

[Ben's Z]

Should I use or which alternator is preferred on the L28ET swap to a 77? Keep the externally regulated or make the change to the internally? Not a big wire snipper, like to keep things as close to original as possible incase I or a future owner want to ever got back to the original engine.

[tecreatta]

I'd swap in an Maxima alternator form the early 90s cars or a gm one wire.

[motomanmike]

I've used the later 280zx (pretty sure its the same as the maxima) on both my 73's. Its an easy swap, just wire in 1 diode on the plug and switch a few wires. The writeup is well documented in here. 14592 is the Remy part number i've used on both. Bolts right up to the existing mounts. Makes your headlights much brighter at night. The write up says to jump some pins in the plug where the regulator would plug in but I left it plugged in with no modification on my cars and it worked fine and all my gauges still work. I've been running the one for the past 3 years and have logged about 10k miles on it. Not sure if the 73 is unique in that sense or not. I'd stay away from the 10si GM alts. The mounting has to be fabricated slightly although its not too troublesome. I've seen guys have alignment issues in addition they don't charge well at low RPM with the 1 wire set ups unless you can find a really small pulley to fit it. 1 wire alternators are also notorious for overcharging, 15-16 volts or even higher i've seen numerous times.

[NewZed]

The 77 external and the ZX internally regulated alternator both put out 60 amps. The turbo alternator was rated at 70, but the parts store all replace it with a 60 amp if you get a rebuilt.

 

The 90's Maxima alternator is not a straight bolt-in, you have to change the ribbed belt pulley for a v-belt pulley. The mounting points are the same, the pulley isn't. It takes a little bit of ingenuity to get the v-belt located and mounted right. And you would still have to rewire for internal versus the 77's external.

 

If you decide to go internal but want to keep the wires intact, you can run jumper wires at the connector instead of cutting. It would probably come out cleaner looking anyway.

[tecreatta]

I've done the 90's Maxima alternator swap to my 79zx. You do in fact have to swap the pulleys. Not hard with a speed wrench

[NewZed]

No, it's not difficult. But you do have to devise a spacer that will fit inside the case and around the Maxima shaft since the clamping surface on the Maxima alt is recessed . Plus the flats on the interior of the pulley (a 78 pulley anyway) need to be rounded out to fit over the Maxima alt shaft. And, if you want the pulley center to be in the right spot, you'll probably have to relieve the Maxima case of a small amount of material, otherwise the V pulley will rub. And you'll need a different nut, since the Maxima nut has a recess inside before the threads start. You'll end up with one or two threads for clamping otherwise. Someone recently noted these problems in a different thread also.

 

Just saying, it's not a straight bolt-on.