Junkyard Alternator Upgrade

Looking to upgrade my alternator, in my 90 XJ. I have searched and have not found quite the answers I am looking for, so maybe someone here can help me out if you have already done the swap. I believe it is pretty common, which is why I was surprised I could not find the answers.

I want to upgrade to the 136 A alternator from a Durango, Dakota, Ram etc. I know it has to be 97-98. The modifications to the bracket will be no problem and I am sure I can figure that end of it out. The question is what size wire should I upgrade too. What else will be needed to make this swap complete and not half assed. Hopefully someone here has done it and can let me know your experiences.

Zaminski said:

Looking to upgrade my alternator, in my 90 XJ. I have searched and have not found quite the answers I am looking for, so maybe someone here can help me out if you have already done the swap. I believe it is pretty common, which is why I was surprised I could not find the answers.

I want to upgrade to the 136 A alternator from a Durango, Dakota, Ram etc. I know it has to be 97-98. The modifications to the bracket will be no problem and I am sure I can figure that end of it out. The question is what size wire should I upgrade too. What else will be needed to make this swap complete and not half assed. Hopefully someone here has done it and can let me know your experiences.

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Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the '90 still use the GM Delco style alternator !!!
The newer style XJs use the Nippon Denso style alternator and I doubt the mounts are the same.
You will need to locate vehicles using the GM style alternator to upgrade your alternator.

Renix, uses the ACDelco.. so the stock 136a is out of the question. If I remember, a while back on rockauto.com they had a 200a delco for 100-150$-ish? A few make a 125a I think. And then hoalternator makes some nice ones, but at a cost. Also xena and mean green.

Correct - the ND from the Dakota/Durango/ZJ/WJ won't work. You're using a Delco CS-130 series.

OK - it won't bolt right in and work. There are a couple of possibilities for you, tho...

1) Get the guts from a higher-powered CS130 and install them - rotor, field, and electronics. Use the same case, as the mounting tabs are a bit odd.

2) Find a local shop that does rewinds, and have them do one up for you. The shop I use I built a couple of pages for on my site, and Rod does good work. He'll get you up to 140A no trouble (he likes his equipment to go out and stay stable, so he doesn't like to go any farther than that.)

3) Find a CS144 (larger frame, still internal regulator) that will fit and install that. It's been done, but you're probably looking at some minor mounting modifications to make it work.

4) Install the ND, but you will have to install an external regulator to make it function properly! A 1970's Chrysler regulator can be used, or any marine-type regulator (better anyhow - more durable) such as made by Prestolite. You won't get persistent codes with the regulator bypass, since the RENIX ECU doesn't care about alternator function (as long as it gets good supply voltage and current, it doesn't care about anything else.)

Options 1 and 2 are probably easiest, since they just require removal, disassembly, reassembly, and reinstallation of the alternator (with #2 being easiest - since you're not doing the teardown and rebuild!) However, all of these options should be doable for you - which you select will depend on resource availability and skill/comfort level.

(Oh - and this isn't really about "go-faster" mods, so I moved it to Mod Tech for you.)

Best XJ charging system upgrade article, read it and bookmark it: http://www.olypen.com/craigh/charge.htm

CS-144 alternators vendor: http://www.olypen.com/craigh/charge.htm

You can source your CS-144 from a salvage yard. Both CS-130 and CS-144 alternators were used on numerous vehicles, and some are "clocked" differently than others--just something to be aware of when picking up a different one.

You might have to grind a little if mounting the CS-144 in the OEM low location, NBD.

x9999, cs-144