e36 m50 alternator

[M-technik-3]

80 amps seems low... I had a 90 amp in my VW and when I switched on the Eurolights I had in that the lights would dim. What size bulbs are you using in your new euros?

[kylebes1]

the first battery was 7 months new and this one is only a week old.

The reason it was pullig 2.7ish amps is because i had to jump the the low speed relay to get it to work, need to figure out where to wire the black/yellow wire of the c-101 that energizes that realy when the key is "on".

the last battery seemed to have some fluid aroudn teh lids, but like I said ths one is a week old.

funny thing is i drove 100 miles the day before it died, and had the engine running for an hour straight, at a time, then it was dead the next moring. then I borrowed a jumper thingy and it started right up.

[M-technik-3]

There's your problem your battery is being drained below where it can make sufficent voltage and amperage to turn the engine over in the morning. If you have no clocks or applanices that require voltage disconnect the battery before you leave it for the night until you can determine the electrical draw.

[kylebes1]

i deteremind the draw and have disconected it. the batt stays up now, i guess I am just worried about the way it idles with the headlights on.

[M-technik-3]

80 amp does seem excessively low for a modern engine car. What doesn't seem right is that it would not provide sufficent amperage to power the electrical items and engine when on and charge the cars electrical system under max load.

Turning on your interior fan lights and rear window defroster would whop that alternator.

[kylebes1]

at idle any ways, the thing made 86ish at 3k rpms

it seemes to be fine with rpms on the tach, but at idle it is kinds rough, and gets worse if i also turn on the auxillary fan


i should have never started with this car.

[M-technik-3]

It's not the car. Ask Stu what he used for an Alternator or Brew. Something doesn't seem right here.

[kylebes1]

the alternator may be bad come to think of it, the DA that pulled it at the salvage place removed all the accessories and I had to go pull all the stuff of another engine that had been sitting for a while. BTW the car my engine came from was driven there and then chopped.

[M-technik-3]

According to Trent some came with 80 amps and others 140 amp. That is a big differance in ratings.

[kylebes1]

I am goign over to the salvage yard Saturday, I thnk he will let me do an even trade for a 140 amp one, that would be much better, I don't think 80 amps would be enough if i installed a couple 5.25 inch speakers, lol

[trent]

According to Trent some came with 80 amps and others 140 amp. That is a big differance in ratings.

The alt with my m50 was an 80amp and i had a bumpin stereo and all the shizzit. Ran fine and never had any problems.

I am not sure why they do have two different alts -- there wasn't that many electrical differences between any of the E36 cars.

[kylebes1]

well i guess 80 amps would be fine, but if you have the bumpin stereo and highbeams on and heat goind, just EI then pull up to a long light your batt may drain.

I do not think the m50 will run with no amps.

[trent]

another point...

With an E36 engine in a E30, there really isn't that much shit to run. IIRC, M20 alts were only 65amps? Newer cars use more power, but I know Kyle has an 84 318 (which I also have) and there really isn't shit to power. Engines do not take that much power to run, it is extra shit. HID's, bigger clusters, bigger and more complicated OBCs, sensors, other controls etc.... E30s don't have shit to run.

[M-technik-3]

True but the Bentley says that there are 4 models 65 amp, 80 amp, 90 amp and 95 amp for M20's. Mine had a 95 amp.

80 amp is still low when you add eurolamps with big watt bulbs the suck a lot of juice. High speed AC fan cranking sucks a good amount then stereo. It adds up.

[kylebes1]

yeha you are right, i am not going to worry about it.

i think the alternator must make more than the 80 apm rating, considering mine says 80 amp but it pushed 86 at just 3k rpms and I drive at 4-5 all day on the interrstate, sometimes up to the rev limit, but i guess the DME controls the alternator was well.