Hello folks, Atter some reading I am thinking that I might want to upgrade my ALT to a 95AMP High Output for a variety of reasons.
However, I am a newbie to this model, does anyone know of any downsides to this upgrade? Will the upgrade force me to replace any other electrical parts to ensure that the load/stress won't negatively impact the car?

Thanks
Parrish

I'm curious as to why you feel the need to fit such a high output alternator to your 124 Spider. I can weld with less than 95 Amps.

In my experience, the standard unit is fine for all normal use if it, the voltage regulator and the battery are in good working order and all the battery/ charging circuit cables are in good condition, securely connected and free from corrosion. (don't forget the earth lead between the engine and the body - it's usually connected to a bolt at the lower part of the transmission bellhousing on the 124 Spider). Have you checked the battery and alternator output to see if everything is functioning normally?

Any electrical extras/accessories you might fit are powered from the battery - the alternator is just there to keep the battery charged. If e.g. you wanted to run power-hungry equipment without the engine running, you'd need a larger capacity battery but might not need the larger output alternator.

If you decide to fit this monster output alternator, you'll probably need to fit a larger capacity cable between the output terminal of the alternator and the battery +ve terminal. There's also the maximum charging rate that the battery can handle, anything more than 1/10 of the ampere-hour capacity of the battery for long periods might risk causing overheating of the battery.

Fitting a larger output alternator won't make much difference on a stock car, it won't turn over any faster on the starter - the power for the starter motor comes from the battery. But it may put a heavier load on the engine and drive belt (possible belt slippage/wear) if the battery is low and the new alternator tries to re-charge the battery at a higher rate than stock. Depending on which side of the engine your alternator mounts to, it may also put a heavier load on the water pump bearings (possible pump failure).

Al.

Hi Al, thanks for your feedback. I've done extensive research since posting this including talking to a few mechanics at my Fiat dealership and a few electrical experts that perform electrical repairs.
Consistently these experts all felt that there was little if any risk to the car and its charging components which I was relieved to hear!
I must admit to badgering them with losts of "may damage/could damage" kind of questions which clearly showed my lack of real-world experience but they were very kind and understanding! The net/net, proceed with the monster, but upgrade your cables.