how do you swap the alternator?
how do you swap the alternator? man, i can't for the life of me find this in a search. i was trying to do the "big 3" mod and ground the engine to the chassis and the only good bolt i could find was under the first header on the driver's side (the bolt was facing towards the driver seat) and it was IMPOSSIBLE to remove. i got it a little loose and determined it wasn't going any further and had hell plus fire and brimstone to get the ****** back tight again. does that bolt have to come off to get the alternator off??? how the eff is that supposed to happen? any writeups or help is appreciated. lights are dimming bad!
It involves getting under the car and the worst bolt is the one you get to from behind. I recommend taking the bracket off w/the alternator and then disconnecting it outside the car.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
From: Mesa, AZ
Just like the haynes manual says. Get to it from beneath, remove the rear bolt first. Mine just came right off. lol. it took forfuckingever to get it off though. 1/8th of a turn at a time... over my head.
Swapped the alternator in under an hour. Including returning the core.
Swapped the alternator in under an hour. Including returning the core.
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Just like the haynes manual says. Get to it from beneath, remove the rear bolt first. Mine just came right off. lol. it took forfuckingever to get it off though. 1/8th of a turn at a time... over my head.
Swapped the alternator in under an hour. Including returning the core.
Swapped the alternator in under an hour. Including returning the core.
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I actually did mine last week. TWICE. Just wanna thank salvos for giving me a defective unit the first time 
Ive been wanting to get a really nice 3/8 ratchet for a while now, and matco just happened to throw theirs on sale two weeks ago and Im glad I picked it up because it has a locking flex head and 88 teeth and its 12" long for leverage, no breaker bar needed. and It was GREAT for that back bolt. its a 13mm, and the two front bolts are 15mm. and you might have to use a pry bar to pop the old one off. Make sure you disconnect the connector before you pry the alternator out, it has very little slack. I didnt and had to go to a junkyard for another. The power cable does have a little slack though.
Ive been wanting to get a really nice 3/8 ratchet for a while now, and matco just happened to throw theirs on sale two weeks ago and Im glad I picked it up because it has a locking flex head and 88 teeth and its 12" long for leverage, no breaker bar needed. and It was GREAT for that back bolt. its a 13mm, and the two front bolts are 15mm. and you might have to use a pry bar to pop the old one off. Make sure you disconnect the connector before you pry the alternator out, it has very little slack. I didnt and had to go to a junkyard for another. The power cable does have a little slack though. well i was trying to use that back one for the big 3 mod and was working overhead. i got it turning just a little loose, but the swivel kept coming off and i never finished. is it easier to get to from underneath?
i'm going to be getting an aftermarket alternator that is bigger, which i've heard doesn't even use the back rear bracket. in that case can i just take off the other rear brack bolt that faces towards the driver's side tire instead? this would mean the rear bracket is detached from the car but attached to the alternator by the pesky 13mm bolt that you need a swivel for. but if i'm not going to reuse it, it can stay attached to the old alternator i think.
i'm going to be getting an aftermarket alternator that is bigger, which i've heard doesn't even use the back rear bracket. in that case can i just take off the other rear brack bolt that faces towards the driver's side tire instead? this would mean the rear bracket is detached from the car but attached to the alternator by the pesky 13mm bolt that you need a swivel for. but if i'm not going to reuse it, it can stay attached to the old alternator i think.
well i was trying to use that back one for the big 3 mod and was working overhead. i got it turning just a little loose, but the swivel kept coming off and i never finished. IS IT EASIER TO GET TO FROM UNDERNEATH?
i'm going to be getting an aftermarket alternator that is bigger, which i've heard doesn't even use the back rear bracket. in that case can i just take off the other rear brack bolt that faces towards the driver's side tire instead? this would mean the rear bracket is detached from the car but attached to the alternator by the pesky 13mm bolt that you need a swivel for. but if i'm not going to reuse it, it can stay attached to the old alternator i think.
i'm going to be getting an aftermarket alternator that is bigger, which i've heard doesn't even use the back rear bracket. in that case can i just take off the other rear brack bolt that faces towards the driver's side tire instead? this would mean the rear bracket is detached from the car but attached to the alternator by the pesky 13mm bolt that you need a swivel for. but if i'm not going to reuse it, it can stay attached to the old alternator i think.
Umm, to answer your question, 80% of this whole operation is done from underneath the car. Seeing as unless you take most of the accessories off the car, the alternator goes out from the bottom of the car anyways.
the k-member is in the way, i don't see how you could get that bolt off from under the car...just wanting some pointers.
that makes sense. so should i buy and replace the alternator now, or should i wait until it fails an autozone test? my lights flicker terribly, so i have to assume that it is the alternator...i am so surprised it hasn't failed that test! i just wouldn't want to buy a new alternator and find out that isn't the problem.
i was going to buy one from alterstart since i have an aftermarket stereo anyway. azone tested mine on the car and said it was fine, but the flickering lights would have you believe otherwise. i just am curious if i should buy now or wait until the damn thing for sure fails the azone tests just to confirm the alternator is in fact the problem.
so with the big 3 there is the engine to chassis connection, how do i do this? i see the stock wire goes like it connects to the rear alt bracket on the stock alt? but my aftermarket alt does not use the stock rear bracket, so how am i supposed to upgrade the engine to chassis line?
also, does anyone have a picture of the exciter wire? this isn't the power cable from the battery is it? and when people say it's on the "top" of the alternator, is the top considered the part facing the driver's side (isn't that the back?), or literally on top of the alternator as it is placed in the engine? if so i have no idea what the exciter wire is because i can't see anything.
i have a 2000...maybe it was different that year?
i have a 2000...maybe it was different that year?
12 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 407
Likes: 1
From: Rockwall, TX
The exciter wire is on the back and top (12:00 position). It's a pita which is why so many people break their's when removing the alternator. I'll post a couple of links to threads about replacement if you need to.
Also if you are carefull you can pop the alternator loose from the bracket and rotate it down to get to the excitor.
Also if you are carefull you can pop the alternator loose from the bracket and rotate it down to get to the excitor.