alternator interchangability

[pamike]

the alt. in my truck quit on me. i can probably pick up one at the local junk yard for cheap. i think my one idler pully is going bad to so i'll grab one of them to. so my question is, my truck is a 88 with a i-6 what other years of comanche and cherokee alt. will work in my truck. will 4 cyl ones work?

[kyleag89]

I know that you can grab any alt from a RENIX controlled MJ or XJ.

[Garvin]

A lot of companies sell alternators for 84-01 XJ's with the same part number but my buddy says they changed the alternator in the mid 90's? I know they went to a tensioner pulley over the power steering pump to tension the belt, not sure exactly what year they went to that and not sure if they actually changed the alternator for it.

 

They all look the same to me though, but until someone else chimes in, I would be safe and grab one from an '87-'90 Renix I-6.

[Pete M]

take careful note of the mounting hole locations of your alternator (i.e. what O'clock location the mounting tabs are at) before you go to the junkyard. or better yet, take the old alt with you. there are more than one type used in our old Jeeps.

[88elimnator]

You can also pull an alt. from an early 90s chevy truck or blazer with a 305 or 350. I found this out in a desperate attemt to get home one day.

[terrawombat]

A lot of companies sell alternators for 84-01 XJ's with the same part number but my buddy says they changed the alternator in the mid 90's? I know they went to a tensioner pulley over the power steering pump to tension the belt, not sure exactly what year they went to that and not sure if they actually changed the alternator for it.

 

They all look the same to me though, but until someone else chimes in, I would be safe and grab one from an '87-'90 Renix I-6.

 

I can tell you that the alternator for the '00 and '01 XJ is NOT the same as the one found in the OP's '88 MJ.

[jpnjim]

They went to Chrysler alternators with the introduction of the HO (1991).

 

Renix's use GM alternators,

I'm far from a GM alternator expert, but I seem to remember there were 'small case', and 'large case' GM alternators of the same vintage as our Renix Alt's.

 

I believe ours are the smaller of the two.

 

Long story short, take a good look at the size & mounting position of the ears on your alt, and go shopping around 1980's/early 1990 GM's in the JY.

[pamike]

i was told their were different amp ratings depending on if the jeep had ac or not. is this true. will they still interchange.

 

i do know advance auto parts web site shows 2 different amp ratings.

[gl1200aman]

personally I would but a new or rebuilt one with a warranty and it won't be that much more than the junkyard price. If you get one from a junkyard you don't know what you are getting. Some will test it before you leave but as it is used you don't know how long it will last.

[Pete M]

Jeep put 7 different amp ratings and a total of 10 different alternator part numbers into 1988 MJs alone.

[mkbruin]

Jeep put 7 different amp ratings and a total of 10 different alternator part numbers into 1988 MJs alone.

 

Sounds about right.

 

Going UP in amps shouldn't hurt anything. Get the highest amp available that will bolt-on.

[cracker]

Did I hear correctly that the HO model alternators do not have a voltage regulator in the alternatoer and the GM 'Renix Era' models did have a voltage regulator?

[HOrnbrod]

Did I hear correctly that the HO model alternators do not have a voltage regulator in the alternatoer and the GM 'Renix Era' models did have a voltage regulator?

 

This is true. The Jeep HO (Chryco) NipponDenso alternators are regulated by the ECU. However they can be wired with an external voltage regulator and used in a Renix model. There are several writeups in NAXJA and other places where 134A Dodge or G. Cherokee ND alternators are used in a Renix model.

 

Also, any competent alternator shop can rebuild your existing Delco alternator for much higher amperage output.

[comanche09]

I believe the highest off the shelf Renix amp this size is 100A. Get that one

[pamike]

i called the local shop that rebuilds alt. starters etc. and i'm glad i did. i found out that a friend of mine thats big into amc's and jeeps works there. i've got him parts for his jeep in the past from where i work for cheap. anyway he told me to drop it off tomorrow and he would rebuild it for free so hopfully by tomorrow i'll have a free alt to drop back in the truck.