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100amp alternator upgrade for 200tdi Defender engines

10K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  rdavisinva 
#1 ·
Ive been searching high and low for a alternator that would fit in the stock location, work with Vbelt, have a idiot light sender and a "W" or tach output.

After seeing that bripart makes a 100amp upgrade for this and the disco 200tdi I was deadset on finding out where they sourced this alternator from to save on shipping and retail.

LOOOONG story short you can use a 1993-1995 Range Rover 4.2 aka vogue alternator, with very minor modification.

Bingo 100AMPS!!!!!!


Materials Required:

Alternator: LR# YLE10100, Remy 14362, Marelli 54022470 or equivalent
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Five feet of 4 gauge stranded primary wire
two 4 gauge heavy duty ring terminals/lugs
one 12awg-14 ring terminal
One washer about 8mm ID (whatever you have laying around)
Your old alternator
Some heatshrink or electrical tape

Materials possibly required:

New slightly longer V belt (depending on alt pulley diameter)
I used a Gates #7405 10mmx1044mm


Tools

Assorted metric sockets
Pry bar
crimper or vise
Lighter or heat gun
Voltmeter
8mm allen key
Impact gun

How To:
  1. Disconnect battery
  2. remove fan shroud if equipped
  3. remove intercooler pipes
  4. remove mounting bolts on old alt
  5. remove old alt
  6. remove nut on the starter solenoid hot side with cable going to battery
  7. remove engine wiring harness (mark the water, oil and IP pump connections)
  8. remove old shitty brown wire from harness that went from the old alt to the starter solenoid
  9. using old shitty wire for length estimation make a 4g power wire with HD lugs on both sides (make sure to check that they fit on studs on new alt and starter, dill out if needed)
  10. tape up or heatshrink the engine harness and reinstall all connections
  11. run new 4g cable from where new alt will be to the starter following engine harness
  12. Using impact gun or a wrench and allen key remove V belt pulley from old alt, remove flat spacer and set aside, remove external fan and set aside, remove the spacer closest to the alt bearing and put aside
  13. remove serp belt pulley with impact or wrench and allen key from new alt
  14. using spacers removed from old alt (depending on what you have a trip tot hardware store for washers or spacers may be needed , mine bolted right up) install the v belt pulley on the new alt
  15. mock up the new alt on the engine to make sure that the Vbelt pulleys are parallel to one another and the the belt wont be running on a crazy angle
  16. using a dab or grease or glue stick the random washer from the parts list above to the new alt bottom rear foot on the inside
  17. This is needed because the stock alt has a 80mm mounting spacing for the bottom feet and the new alt has 83mm so we are taking up that space (FYI the britpart kit does the same exact thing)
  18. Loosely bolt up the new alt
  19. Connect the new charge 4g battery cable to the large stud on the new alt marked B+
  20. cut off the stock spade on the brown with white stripe smaller wire that also ran to your old alt and replace it with the small ring terminal from the parts list
  21. install this smaller wire to the middle stud on the alt marked D+
  22. If you have a tach wire (white is stock color) connect this the last stud marked "W"; disregard if you dont have this
  23. reinstall all the wiring to the starter solenoid, making sure that you put the spade connection on there as well
  24. tighten your alt belt using the pry bar to get it snug
  25. reinstall fan shroud and intercooler pipes
  26. reconnect battery cable
  27. start truck
  28. check voltage at battery (should be more than 13.5v)
  29. Done


pic of old alt and measurements credit to Miles
 

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#5 ·
Loved this write up. It was very helpful and exactly what I was looking for. However, while pulling the new cable around the backside of the engine from the starter, one of the electrical connections came off and I have no idea where it goes. Been searching for three days between wiring schematics, the internet and talking to people and I’m stuck. It’s the white wire. White brown is going to oil pressure and the other is going to the fuel cut off solenoid in the injector pump and if anyone could tell me where the white spade connector goes, it would be super helpful.
 
#7 ·
White wire is switched power, what's not working?
 
#8 ·
Not turning over. Other side of the engine. Way I read the schematic is that the white wire you’re referring to is for a tachometer, which isn’t equipped on my year. (ROW ‘85/86). White one I am taking about (completely wrapped black in the photo is in the other side of the engine, near the fuel injector pump etc.
 

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#14 ·
My only caveat, and this is super minor, is that a 100A alternator really should have a double pulley or multi groove belt (as in the RRC installation). If it ever gets to a place where it's actually putting out 100 amps it'll slip a single v belt pretty easily. It's very unlikely in this situation as it's never ever going to be spinning enough to get much past maybe 50-60 odd amps max. even at wide open throttle.
 
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#18 ·
Ive been searching high and low for a alternator that would fit in the stock location, work with Vbelt, have a idiot light sender and a "W" or tach output.

After seeing that bripart makes a 100amp upgrade for this and the disco 200tdi I was deadset on finding out where they sourced this alternator from to save on shipping and retail.

LOOOONG story short you can use a 1993-1995 Range Rover 4.2 aka vogue alternator, with very minor modification.

Bingo 100AMPS!!!!!!


Materials Required:

Alternator: LR# YLE10100, Remy 14362, Marelli 54022470 or equivalent
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Five feet of 4 gauge stranded primary wire
two 4 gauge heavy duty ring terminals/lugs
one 12awg-14 ring terminal
One washer about 8mm ID (whatever you have laying around)
Your old alternator
Some heatshrink or electrical tape

Materials possibly required:

New slightly longer V belt (depending on alt pulley diameter)
I used a Gates #7405 10mmx1044mm


Tools

Assorted metric sockets
Pry bar
crimper or vise
Lighter or heat gun
Voltmeter
8mm allen key
Impact gun

How To:
  1. Disconnect battery
  2. remove fan shroud if equipped
  3. remove intercooler pipes
  4. remove mounting bolts on old alt
  5. remove old alt
  6. remove nut on the starter solenoid hot side with cable going to battery
  7. remove engine wiring harness (mark the water, oil and IP pump connections)
  8. remove old shitty brown wire from harness that went from the old alt to the starter solenoid
  9. using old shitty wire for length estimation make a 4g power wire with HD lugs on both sides (make sure to check that they fit on studs on new alt and starter, dill out if needed)
  10. tape up or heatshrink the engine harness and reinstall all connections
  11. run new 4g cable from where new alt will be to the starter following engine harness
  12. Using impact gun or a wrench and allen key remove V belt pulley from old alt, remove flat spacer and set aside, remove external fan and set aside, remove the spacer closest to the alt bearing and put aside
  13. remove serp belt pulley with impact or wrench and allen key from new alt
  14. using spacers removed from old alt (depending on what you have a trip tot hardware store for washers or spacers may be needed , mine bolted right up) install the v belt pulley on the new alt
  15. mock up the new alt on the engine to make sure that the Vbelt pulleys are parallel to one another and the the belt wont be running on a crazy angle
  16. using a dab or grease or glue stick the random washer from the parts list above to the new alt bottom rear foot on the inside
  17. This is needed because the stock alt has a 80mm mounting spacing for the bottom feet and the new alt has 83mm so we are taking up that space (FYI the britpart kit does the same exact thing)
  18. Loosely bolt up the new alt
  19. Connect the new charge 4g battery cable to the large stud on the new alt marked B+
  20. cut off the stock spade on the brown with white stripe smaller wire that also ran to your old alt and replace it with the small ring terminal from the parts list
  21. install this smaller wire to the middle stud on the alt marked D+
  22. If you have a tach wire (white is stock color) connect this the last stud marked "W"; disregard if you dont have this
  23. reinstall all the wiring to the starter solenoid, making sure that you put the spade connection on there as well
  24. tighten your alt belt using the pry bar to get it snug
  25. reinstall fan shroud and intercooler pipes
  26. reconnect battery cable
  27. start truck
  28. check voltage at battery (should be more than 13.5v)
  29. Done


pic of old alt and measurements credit to Miles
I connected the red 4g red power. Cable to the b+ and the other end direct to the positive solenoid. I also connected the 2 thick browns to the b+ and the slim brown and yellow to the d+. As soon as i connected the battery up the battery warning light stays on even without the key in. Once i turn on the engine the red light flashes. Tested the battery whilst it's on and it's not charging the battery. Stays around 12.3 v. Any thoughts on the problem anyone?. Did I connect something incorrectly.


 
#19 ·
Sounds like you introduced a new red 4g Cable that now runs from the B+ Terminal to the starter solenoid?
Sounds like you also left the 2 old brown wires in place and also connected them to B+.
The small brown with yellow is the IG warning lamp wire and when connected to the correct terminal, the lamp will come on when the key is switched on with the engine not running.
When the engine is running the IG warning lamp will go out when the alternator is charging.
The IG warning lamp small brown with yellow wire should be connected to D+.
As long as you didn't do something silly like put an LED bulb in the IG warning lamp and somewhere in the old alternator loom, the brown with yellow is not crossed with the brown wires or grounding, and the alternator is not defective, the system should charge and operate as described here.
 
#21 ·
The alternator needs field current via the IG warning lamp.
Without field current, there is no magnetic field, and without a magnetic field, the alternator will not produce electrons.
When the key is switched on, the (+) current flows through the IG warning lamp filament making it glow and energizing the alternator field coils.
When the engine is started, the IG circuit and the IG warning lamp power is balanced when the alternator produces a charge, so the IG warning lamp filament stops glowing.
 
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#23 ·
To test the alternator:
Hook a non-LED conventional 12V light bulb between the D+ terminal and the B+ terminal with the brown with yellow wire discontinued.
The light should glow when the engine is not running and this will energize the field to allow the alternator to charge.
Start the engine and the light should stop glowing and go completely out.
The alternator should charge the battery, if not, the alternator is bad.
 
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