2004 Buick Park Avenue Ultra Alternator Amp rating

[jcampbell]

I see alternators for sale that are either 125 amps or 140 amps. Is there a option code on the sticker that tells me which one I need? Its original so I've never replaced it.

 

[HotZ28]

The SPID (RPO) sticker located on the spare tire cover should have one of the following codes to identify the alternator amp rating.

KG7 : GENERATOR, 125 AMP
KG8 : GENERATOR, 130 AMP
KG9 : GENERATOR, 140 AMP

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Di

The SPID (RPO) sticker located on the spare tire cover should have one of the following codes to identify the alternator amp rating.

KG7 : GENERATOR, 125 AMP
KG8 : GENERATOR, 130 AMP
KG9 : GENERATOR, 140 AMP

Did late year park avenues HAVE a KG9 option? Thats impressive if so.
AD244 werent put on 3800 to my knowledge. This requires some deep dive study!

 

[jcampbell]

Di

Did late year park avenues HAVE a KG9 option? Thats impressive if so.
AD244 werent put on 3800 to my knowledge. This requires some deep dive study!

I'll just go by rpo code

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Okay, I went and found the answers. A 2004/2005 Buick Park Avenue could have a KG9 on the SPID label, found under the cover for the spare tire, SPID standing for Service Parts Identification Label,


heres an example.
This car says KG9, huh. thats my 1999 Auroras. COOL. Anyway, not the point.


In a park Avenue, a KG9 would be a Japanese manufactured alternator, NOT a Delphi AD series alternator. You can easily get a Delphi Alternator of 140 amps if you wish, its an easy swap you just need a longer belt and a bracket which I can link.

The alternator if you had it looks like this





The AD series alternator looks like these (105amps or 125 amps):

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I'll just go by rpo code

An Ultra should have eithr a AD237 or a Nippendoso(I spelled that wrong) model that I showed before.
heres the Japanese alternator, 140 amp, if needed:
Part# 334-2858 - ACDelco
Part# 19343570 - GM
OEM: 25758345

This is what an AD237 looks like:

thats my original AD237 on my 1999. A 2004 may, if it has it, look different, but if it says Delphi on the front case you have An AD, if it doesnt, it may be the other. Pic of yours?

An ultra SHOULD have one or the other, so that should help reduce the possibility of fitment issue. The Japanese alt appears ot have the same mounting ears as the AD237 so you shouldnt have a problem there.

 

[HotZ28]

Just trying to help about any confusion here, replace the alternator with the one listed for the year/car based on the RPO code. Where it was manufactured has no bearing!

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Just trying to help about any confusion here, replace the alternator with the one listed for the year/car based on the RPO code. Where it was manufactured has no bearing!

in his case, where it was manufactured correlates to what RPO/what it had.

The connector is the same, the mounting is the same. The only logical choice is the factory one esp if 140 amp because why would you downgrade to 105 or 125.
If he had the 140
Part# 334-2858 - ACDelco
Part# 19343570 - GM
OEM: 25758345

were the part numbers for a new replacement 🙂

 

[jcampbell]

It's 6 degrees today. Not gonna check it until it gets a tad warmer. It currently is cranking 13.5 volts so maybe it is ok.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

It's 6 degrees today. Not gonna check it until it gets a tad warmer. It currently is cranking 13.5 volts so maybe it is ok.

that sounds normal

what made you think there is an issue?

 

[jcampbell]

that sounds normal

what made you think there is an issue?

Yesterday is was at 10.4 on the freeway. I think maybe the great defrost was on.

 

[jcampbell]

Yesterday is was at 10.4 on the freeway. I think maybe the great defrost was on.

Rear defog, I meant to say. It stayed on for 20 minutes, which it usually doesn't. I thought that had a timer.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

==============================================================================
==============================================================================

Electrical Load Management​

The power management function is designed to monitor the vehicle electrical load and determine when the battery is potentially in a high discharge condition. This is accomplished by using a high accuracy battery voltage reading as an indicator of battery discharge rate. The following six levels of load management will execute in the load management control algorithm when there is a high discharge condition:

1. The first action requests a vehicle idle speed increase to the powertrain control module (PCM) in order to raise alternator output.
2. The second action requests a greater vehicle idle speed increase to the PCM in order to raise alternator output.
3. The third action begins to shed vehicle loads in an attempt to remedy the heavy discharge condition.
4. The fourth action requests another vehicle idle speed increase to the PCM in order to raise further the alternator output.
5. The fifth action begins to shed further vehicle loads in an attempt to remedy the heavy discharge condition.
6. If the above five corrective actions fail, the sixth action of power management further sheds loads in a final attempt to remedy the high discharge condition.

Loads subject to reduction include the following:

• The A/C clutch
• The heated mirrors
• The heated seats
• The rear defog
• The HVAC blowers

==============================================================================
The only important part of the above is that your car will turn off loads like the defog if it needs to to keep the battery charged. The BCM controls the stuff above.

What is your mileage? if your car isnt super high mileage or there is reason to believe your alt may be ok, You may just need to clean battery cable, fuse box, alternator connections, and also clean the mounting base and case of the alternator where they mate to ensure a good ground. I would check the ground from engine to battery, engine to chasiss, and chasiss to battery as well. When warm of course. If you are ehigh mileage, it may just be a worn alternator. however your intermittent reported behavior is something a failing alt can do BUT usually thats temp related not so much "are we working today"

 

[jcampbell]

==============================================================================View attachment 35446
==============================================================================

Electrical Load Management​

The power management function is designed to monitor the vehicle electrical load and determine when the battery is potentially in a high discharge condition. This is accomplished by using a high accuracy battery voltage reading as an indicator of battery discharge rate. The following six levels of load management will execute in the load management control algorithm when there is a high discharge condition:

1. The first action requests a vehicle idle speed increase to the powertrain control module (PCM) in order to raise alternator output.
2. The second action requests a greater vehicle idle speed increase to the PCM in order to raise alternator output.
3. The third action begins to shed vehicle loads in an attempt to remedy the heavy discharge condition.
4. The fourth action requests another vehicle idle speed increase to the PCM in order to raise further the alternator output.
5. The fifth action begins to shed further vehicle loads in an attempt to remedy the heavy discharge condition.
6. If the above five corrective actions fail, the sixth action of power management further sheds loads in a final attempt to remedy the high discharge condition.

Loads subject to reduction include the following:

• The A/C clutch
• The heated mirrors
• The heated seats
• The rear defog
• The HVAC blowers

==============================================================================
The only important part of the above is that your car will turn off loads like the defog if it needs to to keep the battery charged. The BCM controls the stuff above.

What is your mileage? if your car isnt super high mileage or there is reason to believe your alt may be ok, You may just need to clean battery cable, fuse box, alternator connections, and also clean the mounting base and case of the alternator where they mate to ensure a good ground. I would check the ground from engine to battery, engine to chasiss, and chasiss to battery as well. When warm of course. If you are ehigh mileage, it may just be a worn alternator. however your intermittent reported behavior is something a failing alt can do BUT usually thats temp related not so much "are we working today"

Great info. 216,000 miles. New battery. But of course, poor grounds could cause this. I did not know about the "above 30 mph" thing. I shut off the defog and charge voltage went from 11 to 13.5 almost immediately.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Great info. 216,000 miles. New battery. But of course, poor grounds could cause this. I did not know about the "above 30 mph" thing. I shut off the defog and charge voltage went from 11 to 13.5 almost immediately.

That tells me you either have an excessive draw on your defog grid, grounds are poor, power connections are poor, OR alternator is struggling to keep up.

Is your rear defogger had the module replaced at all? Or is it original? They are a common fail part. if yours is on the brink of dying i could see it drawing a lot of amps potentially through resistance.

 

[jcampbell]

That tells me you either have an excessive draw on your defog grid, grounds are poor, power connections are poor, OR alternator is struggling to keep up.

Is your rear defogger had the module replaced at all? Or is it original? They are a common fail part. if yours is on the brink of dying i could see it drawing a lot of amps potentially through resistance.

I've replaced that module twice because it also feeds the antenna to the radio. Not hard to do.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I've replaced that module twice because it also feeds the antenna to the radio. Not hard to do.

did you do the wiring connector to it for the defogger? the purple wires iirc

 

[jcampbell]

did you do the wiring connector to it for the defogger? the purple wires iirc

I had to. It melted the connector

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I had to. It melted the connector

Then unless yours has a wiring repair issue its unlikely the problem. I vote cable connections grounds 🙂

additionally, you could get a cable to ground the case of the alternator either in place of the cleaning the contact spot or additionally(never hurts to have more grounds for that) and put it in an appropiate spot, you could possibly determine if it requires digging into or replacement or to look elsewhere. just an idea.

 

[Lui]

I upgraded my worn out 125A alternator to a 150A Nippondenso:

More Information for ACDELCO 3342858

It is a direct fit, same mounting as the 125 original alternator.
The main connection of the alternator was the same as the old one.
The connector for the control is in a slightly different place, but the cable is just long enough.

I have laid additional 35mm2 (AWG 2 ?) cables for plus 12V to the fuse box, and case of the alternator to ground to take care of the higher possible current.
This works really well. The alternator is delivering 90-100A even at 1000rpm idle. Voltage is even under heavy load between 14.5V - 14.8V at the batterie, measured with a Fluke DMM. The voltmeter in the instrument panel shows 13.9V when the alternator has 14.8V.