What's the easiest way to swap v6 alternators? Anyway I can test it's that

quote Originally posted by Phirewire: What's the easiest way to swap v6 alternators? Anyway I can test it's that

Could you clarify your question?

the actual process (for a manual transmission car) involves loosening 2 bolts, and undoing a 10mm nut for the positive wire and uplugging the other one. Couldn't be much easier.* I've done it with the car sitting on the wheels on the ground. - not sure if I should be proud of that. The car broke down on the side of the road, and I needed to get home. I can do it by feel by now.

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* Yes, it could. A factory idler pulley, or other screw driver tightening method would make things so much easier.

[This message has been edited by Austrian Import (edited 08-19-2012).]

autos are difficult manuals are easy. if its a manual pull it out through the bottom no need to even jack the car up. if in an auto pull it out through between the exhaust mani and the trunk wall.... its harder because you need to loosen the whole alt bracket and twist the alt the right way to get it out but ive done it.

It doesn't seem as you could fit between exhaust ect, you seem to have to take it all off.

no you can its tight but loosen the alt bracket and pivot it out of the way and pull the alt throught the gap i did it on a friends auto 86 gt. it sucks but it is what it is.

quote Originally posted by Niterrorz: no you can its tight but loosen the alt bracket and pivot it out of the way and pull the alt throught the gap i did it on a friends auto 86 gt. it sucks but it is what it is.

Know what size it was holding it on?

quote Originally posted by Phirewire: It doesn't seem as you could fit between exhaust ect, you seem to have to take it all off.

You can fit it through, but you have to wiggle it around and find a hole big enough. Careful not to break the alternator bracket when removing it. That is not at all fun to fix.

It's a 15mm for the top bolt and (IIRC, it's been a while) a 13mm holding the bottom adjuster bolt.

I recommend letting both bolts soak in PB overnight - for sure let the main top 15mm hold bolt soak. When you remove both the bolts let the alternator slide downwards a bit and then towards the center of the car through the cradle. IT WILL come out but as others have said you do have to wiggle it a bit to get it out.

That's honestly the easiest way to do it. Otherwise you're going to be removing the alternator bracket completely, which all that will likely do is give you another route for pulling it out, but is going to waste time.

A basic test is to check the battery voltage with the car off, then check it again with the engine running. If the voltage doesn't come up with the engine running you probably have a bad alternator. I would test at least that much before taking it out. A multimeter is preferred but if you don't have one the dash gauge (key on) should work okay.
Make sure the charging wire is attached.

If you end up having to take it out the bottom, still leave the top bolt of the bracket in place. Just loosen it enough so you can rotate the bracket out of the way. Removing the bracket completely just makes it a nuisance to get back in.
You can drop it out the wheel well, remove the psg rear wheel. You also have to unhook the tie rod on that side.

Pulling it out the top would be great if you can do it. I couldn't.

[This message has been edited by armos (edited 08-20-2012).]

We've always pulled the alternators on the autos out from the passnger side rear wheel well. This requires disconnectng the battery cable, connector, alternator, the bracket ,jacking up the car and removing the wheel. Then you diaconnect the mud flap, turn the alternator housing and pull it through and out. Job can take 1-2 hours .

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