Looking for alternator for a '87 7.3L N/A

[ourtravelingsouls]

Howdy all!

After a bit of troubleshooting and belt changes, I've finally figured out the alternator on my bus is on it's way out...

I've been looking for a replacement alternator but I can't seem to figure out what I need/what fits.

Also mentionable is that what seems to be the field wires, they aren't hooked up at all. I can't tell if it was re-rigged to work without them or not but one thing is for sure and that is you can hear the alternator's bearing is not having a good time anymore.

This is the alternator currently installed... I can't find a part or model number anywhere on it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bTcchf3irag2vhJv1

Doing some looking around I see that there are different current outputs for different alternators. Not sure what I should be looking for there either. Also it looks like converting the pulleys to a single-belt system might be a thing?

Thank you all for your time,
- E

[cadillackid]

alot of these alternators were designed to run SI style (that 2 pin connector) or single wire style.. single wire replacement alternators came into vogue in the mid - late 90s as replacement items..

on my DEV bus I used a bosch SB-200 series 200 amp replacement alternator.. you can run it single wire or SI.. and it is 200 amp. you typically keep your pulley and move it to the new alternator..

this is the one i used on that bus.. there are a ton of different SB200 part numbers.. this one worked for me.. uses the standard style mount..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Christopher

[ourtravelingsouls]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

alot of these alternators were designed to run SI style (that 2 pin connector) or single wire style.. single wire replacement alternators came into vogue in the mid - late 90s as replacement items..

on my DEV bus I used a bosch SB-200 series 200 amp replacement alternator.. you can run it single wire or SI.. and it is 200 amp. you typically keep your pulley and move it to the new alternator..

this is the one i used on that bus.. there are a ton of different SB200 part numbers.. this one worked for me.. uses the standard style mount..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Christopher

Awesome information! Thank you!
A few things I'm noticing on this alternator... two positive leads to run to each battery individually... and then one lead that's just a positive terminal with no real designation... what does that terminal do?

Also am I getting 200A if I just run it single-wire like it's set up now?

[cadillackid]

when I asked about the wiring.. they said the 2 leads are not isolated.. and in fact when i hooked up a wire to ne lead, I had + voltage on the other lead (bus turned off).. they are just there as a way to have 2 large wires going back to your batteries to minimize voltage drop.

the Sense wire when done correctly should be a separate wire run, so that the alternator can sense the voltage at the batteries themselves and not form its output..

these bosch alternators do an auto-sense about once per minute or so.. where the alternator briefly reduces its output.. (you'll see the volt gauge blip down then right back up), thats its way of getting the top-charge voltage on the batteries in one-wire mode (no sense wire connected). thats how I run mine.. the sense wire was damnaged somewhere in the harness on my bus so I run it in no-sense mode.. my bus had a Reman engine installed in it in 2004, im guessing they busted the wire when that was done.
-Christopher