Lucas ACR Alternator Repair Kits

[Rally Pack 2000]

Motorsport Tools list a re-manufactured one for Pinto engines but its completely different to their original design. Looks like it takes the same plug though. More reliable modern design perhaps? (They stiffed me on my last purchase and cancelled my order which I ended up having to pay the currency fees when they tried to double my postage costs after the sale was made so I wont recommend them)

[Miniliteman]

That looks alot like a Bosch body. Don't buy a bling one, please ...

[Rally Pack 2000]

Do you guys think 65amp is overkill for a standard car?

[Rally Pack 2000]

Do you think there is a possibility that the 50 amp ones like the one @Johnny Boy purchased is actually the same as the 65 amp one? It just depends how you read the specs?

If you look at the performance chart it really doesn't produce 65amps until 5000 revs yet its 50 amps at 2500 revs?

[Miniliteman]

15 minutes ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

Do you think there is a possibility that the 50 amp ones like the one @DT36 purchased

Which one was that?

[Rally Pack 2000]

3 minutes ago, Miniliteman said:

Which one was that?

My Mistake it was Johnny Boy and just one of these generic Lucas clones. I thought maybe they were the same it just depends on how the vendor likes to advertise them.

[katana]

Question is : is that engine rpm or alternator rpm? I can't imagine there would be much difference between a 65 / 50 / 45A unit for everyday use on a car not fitted with loads of electrical accessories ie. 2 up & down lights, heated screens, fuel pumps et al !

[Rally Pack 2000]

11 hours ago, katana said:

Question is : is that engine rpm or alternator rpm? I can't imagine there would be much difference between a 65 / 50 / 45A unit for everyday use on a car not fitted with loads of electrical accessories ie. 2 up & down lights, heated screens, fuel pumps et al !

Thats a good point I hadn't even though of that! I just assumed it was Engine RPM. for over 30 years I have had electronic ignition fitted but wonder how much its draws?

Fuel pumps?

[Miniliteman]

Electronic ignition depends on make/model but on average 4 Amps. Fuel pumps for carbs 1-2 Amps.

[Rally Pack 2000]

5 hours ago, Miniliteman said:

Electronic ignition depends on make/model but on average 4 Amps. Fuel pumps for carbs 1-2 Amps.

Its the full seperate module type that I have run for many years, it was originally Allison then Crane Cams and now its Fireball or something like that!

I was making a joke about fuel pumps, they dont have wires!

[katana]

1 hour ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

I was making a joke about fuel pumps, they dont have wires!

Proper ones do - and efi ones can draw upto 10A !

[Rally Pack 2000]

3 minutes ago, katana said:

Proper ones do - and efi ones can draw upto 10A !

I dont know much about electric fuel pumps but that sounds like a lot of current draw for such a tiny little pump!

[Miniliteman]

A Facet pump for carbs is specced at 1.5 Amps, the Bosch pumps for EFi are alot bigger and draw much more current.

[Miniliteman]

5 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

I was making a joke about fuel pumps, they dont have wires!

If you start the car the Flintstone way you can remove the starter as well!

[Rally Pack 2000]

4 hours ago, Miniliteman said:

If you start the car the Flintstone way you can remove the starter as well!

When I first bought the Twincam its ring gear was gone so thats pretty much how I started it. Surprisingly Ford still had new ones in stock because it was 110 teeth (I think!) which was different to the regular 1300 one so no one had bought then out. It was a lucky find at the time.

[Rally Pack 2000]

My 65amp Alternator arrived today. 15 pounds shipping from the UK for its weight seemed a bargain! Ive had a small bag of screws cost more than that to send.

Whats the story with the asymmetric fans though? Its looks weird to me like its not in balance when its spun!

[Johnny Boy]

£15 delivery was very reasonable, I guess the fan is designed  to run quieter, with the asymmetric fan design ?

[Miniliteman]

Asymmetric fans are used because if you would use a totally symmetric one, there would be harmonic resonance. And that is a big nono. Think of those big bridges that resonate themselves into oblivion. An engine fan is also asymmetric as is the thread of a tyre.

[Miniliteman]

8 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

15 pounds shipping from the UK for its weight seemed a bargain!

Can you see what the actual senders address is? Maybe drop-shipment from Taiwan or China?

[Rally Pack 2000]

14 hours ago, Miniliteman said:

Asymmetric fans are used because if you would use a totally symmetric one, there would be harmonic resonance. And that is a big nono. Think of those big bridges that resonate themselves into oblivion. An engine fan is also asymmetric as is the thread of a tyre.

The original Lucas one at the moment has a regular one thats why it looked odd to me when it arrived.

14 hours ago, Miniliteman said:

Can you see what the actual senders address is? Maybe drop-shipment from Taiwan or China?

It had their Pitney Bowles sticker on it with a local address but I pulled that off and it has a Royal Mail Label from Lichfield underneath so definitely the UK

I cant find the country of manufacture on the box which is pretty plain except for Left Hand written on it in English.

I was expecting it to be a cheap replica thing but it seems ever bit as solid and weighty as an original and I had seen some where the rear plastic shroud was quite thin and ripply but again its molded well and as strong as an original one. If I had a guess I dont think they are made in China but somewhere in Europe maybe even the UK?

[katana]

Can't be UK - we don't make anything anymore . . . . . . .  oh except depression and misery!

[Rally Pack 2000]

38 minutes ago, katana said:

Can't be UK - we don't make anything anymore . . . . . . .  oh except depression and misery!

Only that you said UK I could have sworn you were talking about here! We dont even assemble cars anymore. I was going to go there to escape the depression and misery here though?!

[Miniliteman]

6 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

The original Lucas one at the moment has a regular one thats why it looked odd to me when it arrived.

Must admit the vins look terribly asymmetric.

[Rally Pack 2000]

1 hour ago, Miniliteman said:

Must admit the vins look terribly asymmetric.

It seems Lucas made that shape fan as well (which was obviously copied by whoever made the replicas) so they must have found it beneficial over a regular one.

[Rally Pack 2000]

Ok installed the new alternator today and was cranking it over a couple of times and it struggled till it seemed like the battery died (although it didnt) That was it after that cause it wont even make a click of the solenoid when you turn the key. Seemed awfully coincidental the car which started normally would die the very first start with the new alternator. Put the old alternator back in but car is still dead. I get the alternator light and all the accessories seem to work but not even a hint of a starter turnover. Have taken the starter out now and will get it and the new alternator tested just to try isolate whats happening. I initially thought that I had burned out the key starter switch but it still seem to activate the cigarette lighter on the second turn but totally silent when i turn it to start. But my main question is there any connection between the alternator and starter that would cause the starter to fail on the very first turn over? I couldnt see any correlation but maybe i missing something?