I don't remember who originally posted this, but here it is just in case someone else needs these instructions <font color="red">(with my edits!)</font id="red">:
FITTING SATURN ALTERNATOR IN TR7
Something in my alternator broke after 25years, it could no longer provide any output current, and locally its getting hard to find parts service for older British cars (some don't even recognize that Triumph was a company that made cars...just like Nash). So that's why searched out an alternative replacement.
Parts needed:
a) GM Delco-Remy #8215 Alternator<font color="red"> (or equivalent)</font id="red">, in US/Canada GM Saturn brand cars from 1991 to 1996 (I've seen auto part web sites indicate 1991 to 2002)
Used salvage alternator $35, rebuilt alternator $100, new from dealer $150
This #8215 Alternator<font color="red"> (or equivalent)</font id="red"> is actually a Bosch unit, and is available from many auto parts stores and Internet auto parts suppliers. The #8215 Alternator<font color="red"> (or equivalent)</font id="red"> is a little smaller than the Lucas 25ACR alternator, but it fits into the TR7 without having to make a bracket or do use any special tools. Although the #8215 is smaller, it will give all the benefits of modern technology and 96Amps, versus the Lucas 25ACR's 65Amps. <font color="red">(Got mine at AutoZone when I bought the pigtail)</font id="red">
b) #85854 Alternator pigtail harness <font color="red">(Right on the shelf!)</font id="red">, from AutoZone, new from dealer $43, #85854 from AutoZone $7
c) 2.5" diameter with 0.67" shaft hole, from a Ford MotorCraft alternator (AutoZone, free from a smashed alternator someone brought in on an exchange, 1975 to 1990 era?) no number was visible on the alternator guts<font color="red"> (Don’t even bother going to a Ford dealer! They don’t have any! Go to your Alternator repair shop, they will have an old one some where, If you’re nice, they will even put it on for you. Charged me a total of $5.)</font id="red">
d) Sleeved male spade terminal connector
e) Male & female sleeved barrel terminal connector
<font color="red">f) Nut and Bolt, if necessary, see step #18 below, to replace the upper mounting bracket bolt if hole is not threaded</font id="red">.
I wanted these to be different to avoid any chance of misconnection, and sleeved or protective coated to avoid anything touching the metal surface and causing a short circuit.
<font color="red">Got the parts, so let's get started!</font id="red">
1) Remove 1 end of the air by-pass hose, and charcoal canister hose and fold those back out of the way (my car is an EFI car)
2) Remove upper adjustment bracket bolt to the alternator
3) Disconnect electrical connections from the rear of the Lucas unit
4) Disconnect lower mounting bolt thru the alternator's lower holes
5) Loosen and fold up the upper mounting bracket out of the way
6) Remove old alternator
7) On the pigtail harness, cut & remove black wire (not needed)
Cut red and brown wires 3 inches or 75mm long
9) Remove 5 groove belt pulley from #8215 alternator, replace with 2.5" V pulley from a Ford/MotorCraft alternator
10) Crimp a barrel shaped terminal on the brown pigtail lead
11) Crimp the matching barrel shaped connector on the brown/yellow wire in the TR7
12) Crimp male spade terminal connector on the red pigtail harness
13) Plug this little harness into the #8215 alternator
14) With a clamp, squeeze the #8215 mounting insert deeper into its mounting hole as deep as possible, the extra 1mm is all my alternator needed to fit in the my TR7 <font color="red">(You don’t need a clamp, put your bolt through and tighten the nut until it moves the sleeve)</font id="red">
15) Install the long bolt through the lower alternator mounts first
16) Install the high current, big brown battery wire in the TR7 to the B+ bolt on the back of the #8215 alternator
17) Connect the spade and barrel connectors to the other 2 TR7 harness wires (brown TR7 spade terminal-ed wire to the red pig tail harness, TR7's brown/yellow wire to the brown wire of the pigtail harness)
18) Install the upper mounting bracket bolt <font color="red">(Before you start, check to see if the alternator hole is threaded, If not, buy a nut & bolt to fit this mounting hole!)</font id="red">
19) Install the alternator belt
20) Pull the alternator to increase tension on the belt and then tightened the upper mounting bracket bolt
21) Re-install the charcoal canister and air-by-pass hoses
Start the car, and measure the voltage applied to the battery, under little electrical loading, the #8215 alternator was applying 14.7V at the battery on my TR7.
