Instructions for installing GM alternator on GL1200 by Donald (Poorboy) Pigott (updated for Kit use)

External Alternator Conversion

Questions or to get current Conversion Kit price, send email to don_pigott@yahoo.com or goldwinger1984@yahoo.com

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After ordering the PoorBoy Kit you will need to get these parts:

· Alternator from a 89-93 Geo Metro 3 cylinder
o - - - - - - There are many Alternators you can use but the one pictured below is a known commodity.
o - - - - - - Even when you go to the parts store, you may see different sizes and shapes.
o - - - - - - Make SURE YOUR ALTERNATOR LOOKS LIKE THE ONE PICTURED BELOW
· Fan belt is a Gates Micro-V # KO 30290
o - - - - - - The AutoZone Part # for belt (Not Gate's label) = 290K3 --- 3PK735
o - - - - - - THE NAPA #25030290
· Wiring is 1 piece of 8ga AND 1 piece of 14ga both about 3' long.
o - - - - - - Hi-end Auto Audio stores have wires (Meyer Emco / Circuit City / Best Buy)
· 50 Amp Fuse for 8ga wire
o - - - - - - Marine Stores have 12V 50 Amp Manual Reset Breakers (pic below)
o - - - - - - Truck Stops, Audio and Auto Part Stores have Amp Holders and 50 Amp Fuses
· 15 Amp Fuse for 14ga wire
o - - - - - - Auto Parts stores have inline Amp Holders and Mini-fuses

Also, click the link below and look for the IMAGE icon
http://www.densoaftermarket.com/catalog ... ne_type=L3

The parts listed above are needed for sure. Variations of those parts or other optional parts are listed in the text below

Contents of Poorboy External Alternator Kit

· Upper and lower Alternator mounting brackets with mounting bolts
· Radiator mounting bracket extenders with spacers and nuts
· Pulley, spacer and Cam bolt

ALTERNATOR INSTALLATION

Each installation is unique so you will have to tinker around for your bike’s characteristics. Start by removing

· Both fairing lowers,
· Left horn,
· Radiator,
· Fan assembly & air duct on left side.

When you are removing the radiator, pay close attention to the orientation of the lower fairing mounting pieces. That will make it easier to install later on . . . Might want to mark them with a grease pencil, right and left, and note where they fit in relation to the radiator and bushings. You'll be happy later . . .

You will have to cut the brace out that the horn bracket is welded to. Grind the upper end flush with the flat part of the bracket, as there is a reinforcement plate to go there (pictured below). Be careful grinding to not bugger up the threads. You might want to put some other nuts on the threads to protect them when grinding. Also you are pretty darn close to the Carburetor. You might want to be careful to avoid the "custom" etching I did on mine

- (IF by chance you need to repair something, JB Weld works GREAT!!!)

Install the supplied reinforcement plate and original fairing mount. The original fairing mount goes under the reinforcement bracket this will keep the proper placement for fairing reinstall later. You need to grind the original brackets flat where they are under the new reinforcement.

I replaced my Cam Belts using the parts in the cross reference chart on the Parts Locator Thread ( viewtopic.php?t=162 ). You are RIGHT there and can replace the belts for $25-30. Tricky posted some instructions on this but I could not find them to add the link. My belts were "loose" (55,000 miles) and the bike acted finicky when cold. MUCH better now. Your call what you want to do. Pretty easy to do.

Remove the left engine to frame bolt just above the timing belt cover, inboard of the intake manifold. Install the lower mounting bracket using the engine to frame bolt.

Trial fit the alternator (you will have to trim the alt. some) using a 3/8 X 3 bolt using flat washers to space it out to just clears the intake & so the belt will clear the timing belt cover. You will have to put the left cover back on for this. NOTE: "Trimming" the alternator was removing the rear mounting lug in my case. I also ground off some casing material that would be close to the fairing cover to minimize the amount the cover will have to be "bubbled". When trimming the alternator, cover it so it does not get metal grinding inside. Tape works and go slow.

With the alternator roughly in place it is time to install the crank pulley. Take the left cover back off and remove the crank bolt. You can use an impact wrench or put the bike in top gear and have someone step on the rear brake. Bolt uses standard threading; clockwise to tighten, counter-clockwise to loosen.

Next you will cut the timing covers to fit around the new crank pulley stem. Just cut the timing covers enough so the pulley stem fits through the timing belt cover (the pulley fits completely OUTSIDE the timing belt covers). Go slow when cutting and you might as well polish the timing covers at this time

NOTE: Make sure the right timing cover (i.e. passenger side) is on and TIGHT, before proceeding to the next step. The right timing cover needs to be on and TIGHT to compress the rubber seal so you can determine IF or how many spacer washers you might need to use. This is important. BIG TIP - NOT TOO TIGHT!!! Trust me, its a long story, TIGHT but don't go crazy tightening it Check Torque specs or just use common sense. Tip it is a CAST block and the bolts receptacles CAN break off. Then it gets ugly

Put the crank pulley on using the longer bolt and flat washers as spacers, add or subtract washers so the belt is in line with the alternator and clearing the outside of the timing cover. You may have to move the alternator in or out a little.

When you have the two lined up measure the thickness of the washers and make a spacer to replace them. A good place to find a spacer for that crank pulley is at an auto air conditioning shop, they usually have many different sizes and styles of spacers available. Just look in the Yellow Pages to locate one in your neighborhood. Put the left timing cover back on and tighten it. AGAIN TIGHT but not TOO tight

I used ONE spacer and that was it. Talking to Poorboy and others, you should NOT need a lot of spacers.

Install the crank bolt with “BLUE” Locktite, NOT “red” (Loctite 242 for example)

Put the belt on and pull it tight. Pull the alternator up against the reinforcement plate.

You will have to trim the front screw bracket that holds the fairing lower. This is the one under the new reinforcement bracket.

Some people have found a SPOT for the removed horn. If you can bolt and connect the horn up in the general area it came from, go for it.

The bottom of the radiator needs to be moved forward using the provided radiator extension bolts that screw on the original radiator-mounting studs (pictured below). You will have to remove the metal spacers that were on the rubber mounts for the new bolts to fit thru the lower radiator mounts.

- - -

The lower fairing mounting brackets need to be drilled to fit the new bolt size on the radiator extensions. NOTE: The mounting bracket for the fairing lowers is then installed on the extension behind the radiator rubber mounts behind the radiator (as it was before).

When you disassemble the lower fairing brackets to drill them you might get confused on how they go back on (personally speaking). The brackets go on with the Square Notch pointing DOWN towards the floor and the fairing mount OUT. Thank God for the Clymer picture . . . ..

The bottom hose will reach the engine, just loosen both clamps and wiggle it around a bit.

Here is an optional item to consider. The factory hose WILL fit as stated above. I went to an auto parts store (AutoZone) with the existing lower hose and tried to find one with the "right curves". With the following hose, you will be able to cut a section out for the lower AND the piece left over looks like an exact fit for the top hose (but I did not install). Hose 3033 14-1973-6 M 63027 There was not a brand name but 3033 and 63027 were on the label 3 times and the bar code number was 0 37256 03793 1. NOTE: cut the lower hose to the needed length first, then see if the top fits.

This information was also provided: Radiator Hose: (Cut in half to make 2 hoses)

NAPA – 7733
Gates – 21008
CarQuest - 21029 (made by Gates)

The fan mount will have to be altered some.

You will have to remove the left lower leg from the fan mount as shown below.

NEXT STEP - Move the radiator fan assembly closer to the radiator . . . . .There are TWO ways to do this . . . .

OPTION ONE:

Bend both lower leg mounts toward the radiator core, shown below:

Grind a little off of the lower fan shroud to get the fan blade as close the radiator core as possible to lessen the amount the radiator will have to be moved forward. (NOTE: I ground off a LOT. My fan is close the radiator, really close).

OPTION TWO:

PARTS: You will need to get THREE 1 inch 5X80 Metric bolts and SIX nuts to fit those bolts

Poorboy has another method to TILT the fan and here it is: You can remove the screws that hold fan & motor to the bracket & replace with some longer bolts. Use 2 nuts on eack bolt to adjust the fan as close to the radiator as possible. Also notch the fan shroud in the middle a little to clear the crank pulley. Below are the pictures he sent on how to do this.

From a Poorboy email: "Instead of bending the legs of the fan mount take the 3 screws out that hold the fan motor to the mount. Replace them with bolts about 1" long (bolts are 5x80). Thread the bolts in the from the opposite side from the way they came out. You will need 2 nuts for each bolt. Put 1 nut on each bolt, then put on the fan motor. Adjust the first nut until the fan blade just clears the radiator. The 2 towards the bottom will be turned down farther than the 1 at the top. The fan blade will be cocked some. Make sure the blade clears the fan shroud. Install the other nut on the bolts and tighten. You will also have to notch the lower part of the shroud to clear the crank pulley. I have done this to the last couple conversions I have done and it realy works good. "

END RADIATOR FAN SECTION

Both fairing lowers will have to be trimmed some around the lower part of the radiator. Trim as little as you need to clear and not stress the part

This may not be needed so check before you modify any fairing parts for fit and alignment. The left lower fairing will have to be fitted around the alternator. Use a heat gun to heat the backside and while still hot put it in place and mold it around the alternator (shown below). Be careful while heating as not to get it too hot and bubble the paint or melt the plastic.

There is a heat shield that will have to be trimmed to clear the alternator also. You will have to remove a good portion of this as the heat shield goes into the are where the Alternator now resides.

WIRING

There is a LOT of good information on the

· GL1200 GOLD WINGS forum ( this forum )( index.php )
· In the CHARGING SYSTEM AND CONVERSION ALTERNATORS section
· In topic: Poorboys alternator and EC harness
· Look for this post by Tnroadrider, dated Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:39 pm

There is a link http://www.electricalrebuilders.org/tec ... toyota.pdf that contains a lot of good info

For the Alternator referenced earlier, this applies:

HONDA VARIATIONS

Honda has several variations of this charging system. 3 terminals with D terminal - Some Civics have only IG and L terminals. The third is a D (dummy) terminal and is not connected to anything.

Find a switched circuit (power on only with ignition) up near the fuse box, tap into that circuit with a 14 gauge wire, fasten that wire to the ignition terminal (IG pictured above) on the alternator, this will in a sense turn on the alternator to start charging. Place a 15 Amp inline fuse on this wire.

You would need to run an 8-gauge wire from the large output post on the alternator to the positive (+) terminal on your battery or where your battery connects to your starter solenoid. Do not run the alternator without all wires being hooked up to avoid damage to the alternator.

IMPORTANT!!!! BE SURE TO USE A 50 AMP FUSE FROM THE LARGE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT TERMINAL TO THE BATTERY, MOUNT IT AS CLOSE TO BATTERY CONNECTION AS POSSIBLE. Tricky pointed me to a manual reset 50Amp Breaker I got from a marine store for a trolling motor. It is a slick tool and looks like this:

Top View

The brand name I used was MotorGuide 50 Amp Circuit Breaker MM5870 bar code 7 45061 55475 7 This breaker is very small maybe the size of a thumbnail and I followed Tricky's lead and put it ON TOP of the battery.

DON'T JUST CRIMP YOUR CONNECTIONS, SOLDER THEM AS WELL.

Unplug the factory voltage regulator from under the Faux gas tank. The OLD instructions said to "Undo and cap the 3 yellow wires close to the factory voltage regulator" It was pointed out these wires go INTO the factory voltage regulator so if you unplug the harness, you are done. Much easier.

For any questions or to order your installation kit, email Donald Pigott at don_pigott@yahoo.com

(if you click the address above, it {should } create an email addressed to Don. There is an underscore you can't see in the real email address:don_pigott@yahoo.com)