MM&FF: What are the most common misconceptions you hear with regard to Mustang charging systems and requirements?
RH: We hear it all, but most people think that an upgrade is an upgrade, and truth be told, all 130-amp units are not made equal. There's a price difference for a reason. The OEM 130-amp units are better than the stock Fox 65-amp units, but they're a far cry from what we build. We also build 200- and 240-amp siblings to them. The other unfortunate situation is that people are selling really bad-quality units on eBay, and they're giving everyone a bad rap because of high failures and low output.
 Drop In the Flex-a-lite electric...  Drop In the Flex-a-lite electric fan, and center it on the radiator. |  The Bottom L brackets hook...  The Bottom L brackets hook into the bottom of the radiator. Flex-a-lite recommends drilling an 1/8-inch hole in the bottom of the shroud to pass the wires through, but we were able to fit them through the rubber seal. Just be sure they won't rub on the radiator cooling fins. |  Bolt The coolant reservoir...  Bolt The coolant reservoir tank onto the Flex-a-lite bracket, and reattach the drain line and sensor. |
MM&FF: Is it important to wire auxiliary pumps and fans with a relay. If so, why?
RH: I would say that wiring anything with a high-amp draw can be helped with relays. Electrically, it makes sense to let the relay handle the larger loads, but it also helps to protect the alternator. The voltage regulators are fragile, electrically. Back in the '60s and '70s, the "test" for an alternator was to remove a battery cable while the car was running. If the car died, then the alternator was bad. With today's sophisticated electronics, that's the worst possible thing people can do now. The arc or voltage spike created by doing that is deadly to an alternator's circuit, and any computer in the car can really be harmed by that. Improper jump-starting procedures can do that, too. Remember the old rules: turn both cars off, hook the cables up by positive-to-positive, negative to ground then start the good car, then start the dead car. People just tend to let the good car run and then connect positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative, and when that last connection is made, there's a big spike from positive to ground.
 The Xtreme fan comes with...  The Xtreme fan comes with a thermostat controller with built-in relay. This controller also offers the option of a manual override switch and A/C turn-on switch. Here, we coiled the temperature probe's sending wire for a neater appearance. The probe is then inserted into the radiator fins right next to the upper radiator hose outlet. |  The Included instructions...  The Included instructions make it easy to wire the unit. There's a 12-volt power source, a switched 12-volt lead, ground, and terminals for a manual switch and A/C turn-on option. Flex-a-lite includes plenty of wiring and connectors to get the job done right. Take your time routing the wires. |  The Alternator install begins...  The Alternator install begins with the removal of the old unit. Unplug the main harness, which will be modified shortly. |
MM&FF: What should one look at when considering an upgrade to an electric fan?
RH: That's certainly an individual decision, but there are a lot of good cfm fans out there that don't draw a million amps. One thing we see a lot, which can be a misconception, is that people buy the OEM fans from a wrecked Lincoln, Contour, or other car, and although they move air, they draw about 60 or so amps. That's just not necessary, and it's hard on the alternator and battery. The other thing, with any larger amp upgrade, is the wiring. People tend to use wire that is much too small. Electricity is like air to an engine. You can have 1,000 hp, but if you have a 1 1/2-inch exhaust, it won't breathe. It will run, but it will be restricted. Electricity is the same. If you have a big alternator, you need big cables and grounds, as it has to complete the circle efficiently.
 Pa Performance's starter is...  Pa Performance's starter is next. With the battery cables still disconnected, unbolt the original starter from the bellhousing and drop it down so you can disconnect the wires. The PA starter uses a later starter solenoid, and if you have a '91-or-earlier Mustang, you'll need to use the provided wire to reroute the signal to the solenoid on the fender. The '92-and-later Mustangs already had this design, so it was a straight bolt-on. We did need to change the terminal end on the small wire, though. |  After The wiring, there are...  After The wiring, there are just two bolts, and the alternator comes right out. |  The Lower harness is unplugged...  The Lower harness is unplugged as well, but it will plug into the new 3G alternator. |
MM&FF: What are the most important things one needs to consider when buying a PA alternator?
RH: The most important things in buying any alternator are quality and size. Make sure you buy as much quality as your budget allows. Our units aren't for everyone-we get that, but we do build the highest-quality and highest-output units at each size level on the market, and support that with tech and customer service. We also go one more step in offering a wide range of conversion plugs and kits to adapt the modern technology units safely to the older cars where they can utilize that power reliably.
Another thing is to do the math and make sure you're buying one large enough (in output) to do the work. Alternators aren't meant to work at 100 percent capacity, so buy it with reserve. Volts and amps are inverse, so buying extra capacity not only gives them room to grow, it also yields a higher static voltage in the car-and we all know that ignitions, fuel pumps, and accessories love voltage.
 All Three wires on the main...  All Three wires on the main harness are cut 1/2 inch from the plug. |  The Two black wires with orange...  The Two black wires with orange stripes are then modified with eyelet terminals, and the white wire with black stripe is joined with the supplied plug. PA includes all of the connectors and heat-shrink tubing for a clean installation. PA recommends that you solder all connections, in addition to crimping. |  The Alternator bracket is...  The Alternator bracket is in need of modification as the PA 3G alternator is slightly larger in size. You'll need to clearance the bracket in the areas noted by the red arrows. You'll also need to tap in the bushing that the blue arrow is pointing to. |