Thermostat housing

[timber]

A 50 amp alternator will be good for most applications, but if you put an electric winch you might need something extra, so the batteries can be replenished faster. For that, the best alternative will be de Delco One-Wire alternator that doesn't require an external regulator and comes in many outputs and are easy to come by.

I will definitely get a new alternator. Probably the one-wire. That part is a no-brainer thanks to your info. In the above, did you mean 35 amp is good for most applications? Is a 50 amp sufficient for an electric winch?

Tom

[timber]

I went to the Doorman website and search for thermostat housings by bolt diameter. .

I should have said bolt to bolt distance.....

[timber]

Love the custom paint!

Thanks River. Not sure if it will cool any better, but its worth a shot! I am waiting for someone to ask me if it is going to be a circus vehicle.

[timber]

A 50 amp alternator will be good for most applications, but if you put an electric winch you might need something extra, so the batteries can be replenished faster. For that, the best alternative will be de Delco One-Wire alternator that doesn't require an external regulator and comes in many outputs and are easy to come by.

I will definitely get a new alternator. Probably the one-wire. That part is a no-brainer thanks to your info. In the above, did you mean 35 amp is good for most applications? Is a 50 amp sufficient for an electric winch?

Tom

How does this alternator look for my purpose of possible adding a winch later. The mount looks like it will need minimal adapting and it has a 5/8" pulley and 63 amps.....

https://www.amazon.com/ALTERNATOR-COMPA ... C93&sr=8-3

[Esteban]

I will definitely get a new alternator. Probably the one-wire. That part is a no-brainer thanks to your info. In the above, did you mean 35 amp is good for most applications? Is a 50 amp sufficient for an electric winch?

Tom

A typical car alternator can't supply all the power needed for an electric winch. As an example, a Warn VR EVO 10-S WINCH draws 358 amps at maximum line pull. The idea is that the alternator can replenish the battery fast enough within winching cycles. But I leave that to die-hard mud loving members . Here's a good article from Motor Trend. For occasional winching, a 60 amp alternator will be fine according to the article:

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1806- ... -winching/

How does this alternator look for my purpose of possible adding a winch later. The mount looks like it will need minimal adapting and it has a 5/8" pulley and 63 amps.....

https://www.amazon.com/ALTERNATOR-COMPA ... C93&sr=8-3

It will serve you well and down the line it will be easy to upgrade, since the mounting will be the same. Please note that you also have the 12SI alternators from GM that have higher amperage with the same dimensions.

[RiverPatrol]

You'll want to get this pulley for that alternator: https://www.speedwaymotors.com/GM-Alter ... ,1868.html
It's wider for the belt to fit correctly.

[timber]

[/quote]It will serve you well and down the line it will be easy to upgrade, since the mounting will be the same. Please note that you also have the 12SI alternators from GM that have higher amperage with the same dimensions.[/quote]

Thanks Esteban for all the insights. I ordered a 120 amp from OReilly's today. I will let you know how it works out....

Tom

[timber]

It will serve you well and down the line it will be easy to upgrade, since the mounting will be the same. Please note that you also have the 12SI alternators from GM that have higher amperage with the same dimensions.[/quote]

Thanks Esteban for all the insights. I ordered a 120 amp from OReilly's today. I will let you know how it works out....

Tom[/quote]

Still trying to figure out the quote thing. And I will spell your name correctly in the future!

[timber]

So my new alternator came today and it is a beast compared to the little one that came off the truck. I got a 5/8" pulley for it too. It was difficult getting the original pulley off to say the least. Anyway that is done but when I went to see how it would fit on the truck, I found I must modify the mount, just like like Esteban said. So the mount is at the local machine shop now getting extended by 1 1/4 inch.
I am not sure if it was such a good idea to get such a big and different alternator as opposed to an original replacement. I though it would be good because 1) a future electric winch and 2) the Patrol will not be a daily driver so I want the battery to charge readily when I drive it once a month. The level of effort if I had gotten the original replacement would be less. Anyway, I'm pressing ahead with the 120A alternator. Here is a picture.

Here is the 120A alternator I got:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/wi ... 3187&pos=0

Here is the replacement pulley I got:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q8LRT72?ps ... ct_details
Tom

[timber]

So to recap. My initial issue was a leaking top radiator hose. The truck was parked and I have only driven it about 1/4 mile since I took delivery of it a few months ago. Then one day I noticed it was leaking coolant. It just sprung a leak without even driving from the top hose. Well, I investigated and after taking off the hose I noticed a very corroded thermostat housing. So I took that off and there was no thermostat but more significantly, the gasket was a chocolate mess. So I took the lower housing off and the gasket and corrosion was just as bad. So I thought the radiator and water pump are also suspect so I took them off. Good thing, cause the radiator was shot.

So after getting a new radiator, a new water pump plate, cut new gaskets, new thermostat, fan belt, alternator and getting rid of as much corrosion as possible on the water pump, and thermostat housings I am in the process of putting it together. I decided on a bigger alternator may have been a mistake because, I have found out, I needed an a bigger pully for the new belt, but the new belt is too short because the bigger pully takes up more room. Now I need a another new belt about 3 inches (I think) longer. Further, the bigger alternator moves the top mounting bracket higher which now bumps the fuel line. So I took the fuel line off to re-route it. I forgot to mention the bigger alternator required a modification to the bottom mount (moved the front hole forward 1&1/4 inches).

So it is coming together sorta slow. I take 3 steps forward and 2 back it seems. Here are some pictures of the initial alternator mounting. You can see the additional 1&!/4 inch in the weld. And the fan belt that is not long enough. And the final mounting of the alternator. I had to put some spacers along the mounting bolt; I got a little creative for that. I think the pullies are lined up. Critique if you like.

I need to get another fan belt and reroute the fuel line. I also want to get a direct reading coolant thermometer in the coolant line somewhere. I don't know the vehicle well enough yet to trust the tiny thermostat gauge on the dash. Does anybody have any experience with such a gauge? Is it worth the expense and effort?

Also, running the copper fuel lines around the front of the engine seems more complex than just running a rubber fuel line over the top of the engine. It seems much simpler, but is there a reason the fuel is ran around the front end of the engine as opposed to over the top? A vapor lock issue? Simpler is better in my eyes. Thanks for the great resource of this forum! Tom.