i have a 2008 chevy express ,base with 4.8 engine.the van came from the factory with a 105 amp alternator.i see a 145 amp is offered by different vendors.can i upgrade my alternator to the 145 alternator or is that only for passenger van.has anyone changed this to the higher

 

I’m thinking about this upgrade too. My 95 conversion has dual air, A couple of fans and a tv and DVD player.

The 105 amp puts out low 14’s but decreases as you add accessories. It’s okay until I turn on the headlights with everything and it hits low 12’s.

I’m looking at a Power Master alternator. Check out their site. They recommend adding a larger charging wire from alt direct to battery. I think 6ga.

I might do the wiring first and see if that helps the 105a performance.

 

Yes you can upgrade, you will have to change the plug that goes to the alternator from the oval plug to a rectangular one, and the belt will have be changed to a longer one.

 

i went to a parts store and compared both alternators and they both have oval plugs,not sure about the belt situation,i didnt purchase it because they didnt have a different belt for 145 alternator so i wanna be sure!

 

My alternator went out in the big city of borger,tx. Of course AutoZone did not have the part listed for my 92 van. I asked to see the high amp Silverado alt (125) for same year and the plug was the same and it used the same 6 groove belt also.
Switching to a older motor and ditching the computer so I'm going to a high amp one wire alt. They do have them for all years

 

I found with the G-vans that the rear alternator case is clocked differently between 91 and 95, it still plugged in but you had to pull the wiring tight to do it. You could fix it by removing the three bolts that hold the case together and rotating it I think 1/3 turn. I never bothered. There should be no need to change belt.

I did see the 97-02 vans have two different plugs depending on which alternator they used. I didn't see where the pulley was any different so I don't know why the belt would change. 03-up I've yet to mess with much.

I also recall finding some belt info for 91 is wrong, I think I went back to Advance three times putting a belt on that van when it killed the alternator. Either that or someone had messed with it. I ended up with a belt for a 1990 Suburban. A whole idler pulley was absent on mine compared to the diagram. That is the van that someone put the wrong bolts in resulting in them breaking off at the thermostat housing and then also the front two intake bolts, so who knows.

 

update......changed the alternator and the belt and everything works just fine!!!

 

Most systems use what's called a 'Fusible Link.'
It's a fancy term for a short piece of smaller wire in the lead from the alt to bat.
That wire melts ala a fuse if the lead or alternator grounds.

If you have a 105A alternator, the link is sized for 105A.
If you install a 145A Alt everything will work just fine until ...

until it charges over 105A.
It's akin to installing a 454 in a Chevette and keeping the Chevette transmission ...

If you install a heavy lead, and the lead (or alternator) grounds out, you will have some serious welding occurring.

You can get the correct lead, or make one yourself.