Yellow Top under the hood

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

red top has a 3-year free replacement
yellow top has a 1 year free replacement, and then an extra 2-year pro-rated replacement

maybe its because red tops are more likely to fail or maybe its because red tops are least likely to fail...hmmm i have to think this one out. but still my yellow top hasnt failed me for starting or for powering my NINe 1

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

will it be worth it to upgrade from my autolite to the yellow even if i rarely play music with my car off?

replacing with a better battery will help keep the voltage stable with a load. but since you play music with the car on why not invest in a HO alt?

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

I reccomend Excessive Amperage.....J/K ICet will explain why not EA

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

ah, that's what i need.. a bit more stable voltage. well my stock amp is at 120a so it's decent. i'll probably see how the system is after a battery and then see whether i need the alt.

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

ah, that's what i need.. a bit more stable voltage. well my stock amp is at 120a so it's decent. i'll probably see how the system is after a battery and then see whether i need the alt.

you sure 120A stock alt? i have only seen those stock in SUVs never in a passat. you should have more like 85A stock

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

The higher the output of the alternator, all the more reason to have a good battery.

It will charge faster, filter alternator ripple better, and help sustain your voltage until the alternator excites to your inconsistant ampere demands

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

if he's got a vr6, it's a 120

you can even get a 160A stock alternator for a vr6

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

if he's got a vr6, it's a 120
you can even get a 160A stock alternator for a vr6

hmm. i learned something new. thanks

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

yes i'm sure..... it reads 120 on the alternator. saw it when i did the big 3..

 

[phyphoestilic 5,000+ posts]

if ur just using what u have in ur setup I think the 120amp alt with either the red or yellow should be fine.

I think the red has longer warranty because it's more reliable as a start up battery and most people use the Yellow top for audio, so they know the red one will last a long time cuse it's not used under alot of stress. So warranty's longer.

Hence why yellow warranty only 1 year free replacement, cuse all the stress they expect people to put it under.

btw (Firebirds come stock with 100+ too, my bro's is 125 if i rember correctly. I think most import's have lower output alternators).

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

wow, nice alt on that firebird. yeah i initially thought mine was 90a cause that's what i've read, but when i got down and dirty, i saw it was a 120 amp. ~$205 for the yellowtop d34 though.. Kinetik HC1800's go for ~220

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

some guy here in the classifieds was selling yellow tops for $100 +shipping,great deal there

 

[phyphoestilic 5,000+ posts]

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180109&highlight=yellowtop

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172106&highlight=optima

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175101&highlight=optima

quick search

 

[Bumpin-Thumper 10+ year member]

you sure 120A stock alt? i have only seen those stock in SUVs never in a passat. you should have more like 85A stock

I may be late but I own a 99 passat I4 (1.8T stock alt. is 90a) and the v6 model is 120a. VW

& man I want to do big3 but its gonna be a ***** in a half and well I struggle to change my oil, so I am kinda car retarded in a sense.

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

be lucky you own a 1.8 and not a v6, the v6 alt is pretty much hidden and nearly impossible to get to the + post. the 1.8 alternator is on top i believe