Alternator Relocation to avoid frame rail
I've been struggling with routing the oil lines to a remote oil filter I'm hoping to locate on the right side frame rail between the rad and the front of the strut rod. I'm using TTI spool mounts on a 73-76 A-body. The problem is getting (2) -10 hoses past the stock 2014 alternator. I was willing to try the Jeep alternator because it mounts slightly higher and inboard.
Well...I ordered the Jeep alternator from E-bay and it arrived yesterday. It sat half a rainy day on the front porch and was damaged in shipment by Fedex. The output stud was bent, rendering it unusable. I offered it up on the engine right before bedtime and went to bed hopeful I could make it work. The box includes a sheet showing the tested alternator output.
This afternoon I took a closer look. It still interfered with my 68 A-body frame rail though not as much as the 2014 VVT alternator. The actual interference was only the underlying piece of steel that forms the rail flange. I zipped that off so it was flush with the upper layer of metal. That was just enough for the alternator to mount flush with the mounting bosses.
The pulley did not line up with the water pump pulley. I did my best to measure the offset and came up with 0.48 - 0.54. I currently have the damper removed so was only able to put a straight edge across the water pump pulley. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember the difference between the early blocks, and the VVT blocks being .545. But I'm not 100% sure that is the number.
My plan was to remove the front cover, and set up an appointment with my son on a Saturday to mill the rear surface of the upper mounting boss by my determined dimension. The green tape in one picture shows the area to be removed. This would effectively move the alternator forward to align the pulleys. I would also make 2 round spacers, 1" O.D. x 13/32" I.D. (10mm mounting bolts) to fill the 2 spaces when the alt moves forward. One bad thing is the milling MAY break through a cored out area on the front of the cover.
The output stud on the Jeep is higher and in a different location so it increases clearance with the oil piping. The small alt connector is different than the newer alternator so that has to be changed in the wire harness. It is easier to mount as the 2 bolts insert from the front and there is ample room. (The VVT alternator bolts are side mounted and the 2 lower ones are long enough to interfere with the frame rail so don't allow removal) The upper mounting boss on the cover needs to be drilled through to provide clearance for the thru bolt that threads into the upper ear on the alternator. The lower bolt thread into the cover.
I was on a roll with the wheel of death so cut the frame flange back to within 1/4" of the vertical face. This allowed me to actually mount the 2014 alt to the engine for the first time.
With both variations, I still do not have a definitive oil line routing! I have an assortment of 3/8" NPT 45* and 90* elbows and -10 fittings. It's perplexing because I spent a good part of my engineering career cramming 10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lb bag.
I'll take another look tomorrow (after maybe yet another trip to the hardware store) but right now I'm leaning to the standard alternator.
I just need to get the oil lines routed.
Side note: About 10 yrs ago I put the 73-76 K frame in the car cause I was thinking 451 Stroker with Schumacher mounts. I fully welded the K, reinforced it, sandblasted and painted it silver POR because it was supposed to be more durable than the black. Well it's holding up well but the black Rustoleum topcoat is flaking off. It'll come out when I paint the engine compartment.
I've been struggling with routing the oil lines to a remote oil filter I'm hoping to locate on the right side frame rail between the rad and the front of the strut rod. I'm using TTI spool mounts on a 73-76 A-body. The problem is getting (2) -10 hoses past the stock 2014 alternator. I was willing to try the Jeep alternator because it mounts slightly higher and inboard.
Well...I ordered the Jeep alternator from E-bay and it arrived yesterday. It sat half a rainy day on the front porch and was damaged in shipment by Fedex. The output stud was bent, rendering it unusable. I offered it up on the engine right before bedtime and went to bed hopeful I could make it work. The box includes a sheet showing the tested alternator output.
This afternoon I took a closer look. It still interfered with my 68 A-body frame rail though not as much as the 2014 VVT alternator. The actual interference was only the underlying piece of steel that forms the rail flange. I zipped that off so it was flush with the upper layer of metal. That was just enough for the alternator to mount flush with the mounting bosses.
The pulley did not line up with the water pump pulley. I did my best to measure the offset and came up with 0.48 - 0.54. I currently have the damper removed so was only able to put a straight edge across the water pump pulley. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember the difference between the early blocks, and the VVT blocks being .545. But I'm not 100% sure that is the number.
My plan was to remove the front cover, and set up an appointment with my son on a Saturday to mill the rear surface of the upper mounting boss by my determined dimension. The green tape in one picture shows the area to be removed. This would effectively move the alternator forward to align the pulleys. I would also make 2 round spacers, 1" O.D. x 13/32" I.D. (10mm mounting bolts) to fill the 2 spaces when the alt moves forward. One bad thing is the milling MAY break through a cored out area on the front of the cover.
The output stud on the Jeep is higher and in a different location so it increases clearance with the oil piping. The small alt connector is different than the newer alternator so that has to be changed in the wire harness. It is easier to mount as the 2 bolts insert from the front and there is ample room. (The VVT alternator bolts are side mounted and the 2 lower ones are long enough to interfere with the frame rail so don't allow removal) The upper mounting boss on the cover needs to be drilled through to provide clearance for the thru bolt that threads into the upper ear on the alternator. The lower bolt thread into the cover.
I was on a roll with the wheel of death so cut the frame flange back to within 1/4" of the vertical face. This allowed me to actually mount the 2014 alt to the engine for the first time.
With both variations, I still do not have a definitive oil line routing! I have an assortment of 3/8" NPT 45* and 90* elbows and -10 fittings. It's perplexing because I spent a good part of my engineering career cramming 10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lb bag.
I'll take another look tomorrow (after maybe yet another trip to the hardware store) but right now I'm leaning to the standard alternator.
I just need to get the oil lines routed.
Side note: About 10 yrs ago I put the 73-76 K frame in the car cause I was thinking 451 Stroker with Schumacher mounts. I fully welded the K, reinforced it, sandblasted and painted it silver POR because it was supposed to be more durable than the black. Well it's holding up well but the black Rustoleum topcoat is flaking off. It'll come out when I paint the engine compartment.
