Check out this custom race alternator!

[RP-Motorsports]

This guy was at the Windy City BMWCCA event @ Road America that was attended by many NSX'rs as well. This guy had an E36 M3 lightweight with the Euro 3.2 and tons of mods. This really caught NSX30's eye, and showed me, and I agreed!!!! A standard alt. will charge 12 volts @ idle, so a 1:1 spin or even way less from the crank is still overkill, therefore robbing bhp. Underdrive and alternator pully's help reduce the bhp theft, but nothing beats this setup!!! This is custom near 1:1 with the driveshaft, which is way slower than up front tied to the crank.

Man some engineers just have way too much time on their hands. He was even attempting to create a vacuum in the pan with his drysump, which can actually free up 10 bhp, but he said the BMW seals wouldn't handle it. He is working on it!

Here you go.......

 

[coolnsx]

Cool setup, until you have to change the belt and have to drop the driveshaft! It is very good engineering and a great way to gain HP

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Yeah the drive shaft drop is a minus, but they do usually last longer than the alternator itself, and therefore the belt can be re-used on a new alternator.

 

[titaniumdave]

Sad to see a low tech v-belt. I wonder about the side loads on the bearings, seems like a notch belt would be lighter and allow less tension, there by freeing up even more HP! Plus, you could get a nice short one and lower the center of gravity by placing the alternator on the floor boards, get rid of that unsightly 'table'. I love race cars, tinker, tinker tinker...

 

[NSXTASY_MD]

In addition to the reduction of BHP loss off the motor, this set-up is also benifitting from the slight shift in weight & mass. Taking mass & weight away from the worst part of the car (ALL the way up front...in front of the axles) and placing it in the optium position for weight distribution & polar interia-(or the reduction of).