Search Terms: alternator,
alt., replace, replacement,
replacing Timing: This is usually obvious as you
have probably been left stranded someplace when your
alternator has died. However, other warning signs could be
the Brake, Lights, Battery, and Anti-Lock lights are all
illuminated on your dash at once, or begin to flicker or
dim. Once this happens your alternator is most likely on its
way out and needs to be replaced soon before it completely
drains your battery. If you want further confirmation drive
your car to your local Pepboys, Autozone, etc. and have them
test your alternator. Tools Needed: 8mm
wrench 10mm wrench (ratcheting wrench highly
recommended) 12mm wrench (ratcheting wrench highly
recommended) 17mm wrench 1/2" ratchet 6" 1/2"
extension 14mm socket Floor jack Two 2" x 6" at
least 10" long (for driving the front tires on to elevate
the car so the floor jack can get under it from the
front) 2 Jack stands or ramps Split ring lock washers:
sizes; one@10mm 10 and one @ 8mm 8 (~ 50ยข at Home
Depot) Work light(s) (snaking Dewalt Spot light highly
recommended) Note: Your level of frustration will be
directly proportional to the amount of light you have, so
have plenty. Estimated Time to do job: ~2 hours
including clean up your first time. Although allow a day or
two to be without your car if you are going to have your
alternator rebuilt locally after you remove it to save
$$. 1. First, drive your car onto the pieces of wood or
similar elevation. This is to allow room later for sliding
the floor jack under the car from the front without hitting
the spoiler. Set parking brake, then jack the car high
enough to put jack stands under each side.
2. Disconnect negative battery cable. 3. Slide under the
car feet first. 4. Position work lights appropriately 5.
Remove the rear engine undercover if you have one. Six 10mm
bolts. 6. Remove front sway bar brackets using the 6"
extension and the 14mm socket. Be careful not to let the
brackets fall and hit you in the eye when you remove the
bolts. =) Then slide sway bar towards the front and
down.
7. Remove the radiator hose bracket (10mm wrench) 8.
Note the tightness of the alternator belt by pushing your
finger at the midspan and the relative position of the "Hole
bolt" and Adjustment bolt. Remembering this will allow you a
good belt tightening starting point on reinstallation and
save some time. 9. Remove "Hole bolt" washers and nut
(12mm wrench) from back of adjustment bracket. (turn
clockwise to loosen as bolt head faces away from you.)
Ratcheting wrench will make short work of this task.
10. Remove Adjusting bolt (12mm) from "Hole
bolt ". 11. Remove the adjustment bracket bolt using 12mm
wrench. 12. Remove the pivot bolt from the top of the
alternator using the 17mm wrench. Keep in mind that there is
a nut on the back of the bolt which will fall off, so
remember to retrieve it from the backside.
13
. Pull alternator down and rotate to face pulley side
towards U.S. passenger wheel to expose the two wire
connections on the back. Use the 8mm wrench to loosen the
ground wire, and the 10mm wrench to loosen the battery
connection nut. Twisting the unit to get each connection
point towards the floor as you disconnect the wire will give
you the most clearance.
14.
After the wires are disconnected, flip the unit upside down
to expose the power connector. Grasp the connector firmly
with your left hand and use your right thumb to depress the
latch on the connector while pulling and wiggling from side
to side on the connector to release it. Mine was really
tight, so it may take some effort.
15
. Push the radiator hose up and the sway bar back, towards
the engine, and then remove the alternator at an angle
sideways through the opening. 16. Take to your local Auto
Electric shop for a rebuild or send it back as a "core" to
the place you've already purchased a rebuilt alternator. A
reputable local shop should be able to repair it or replace
it cheaper than anyplace else. I got a remanufactured unit
for $142. Otherwise you can contact an online vendor like
Courtesy Nissan or your local dealer, but remember you'll
have to pay shipping of the new unit as well as the return
shipping of your old unit to get the "core"
credit. Installation is basically the reverse of removal,
however a few tips are noted below to speed the
process. 17. Insert the new alt. at the same angle you
used to remove it. 18. Once in place, tighten the ground
wire, battery connection, and electrical connector in that
order. Rotating the alt. to get the bolt you're trying to
connect towards the floor will give you the most room to
work with the wires.
19.
Then slide alternator up into the "ears" and reinstall the
pivot bolt, inserting the bolt above the power steering belt
to allow room for a straight insertion. Don't worry about
the nut on the back at this point, that will come last.
20. Next, reinstall the Adjustment bracket, inserting the
bolt above the power steering belt to allow room for a
straight insertion. 21. Install the Hole bolt, washer,
lock washer, and nut next, tightening by hand for now at the
closest point on the bracket towards the engine to allow
room for putting the alternator belt back on. Also remember
to rotate the nut on counterclockwise as the bolt head is
facing away from you. If you have trouble keeping the
washers on the bolt while you attempt to tighten the nut,
use a piece of masking tape to hold the washers in
place.
22.
Now, you'll need to align the belt on the top pulley which
will require you to get out from the car, open the hood, and
manually put the belt on the top pulley behind the fan
(pic). Then get back under the car and adjust the belt on
the alt. pulley and slide the alternator away from the
engine to tighten the slack in the belt. Tighten the hole
bolt slightly to hold it in place while you insert the
Adjustment bolt and tighten.
23. Adjust belt tightness to factory specs (7 - 8mm, about
.28 inch, deflection at the center of the belt between the
crank pulley and the alt. pulley with 22 pounds of force.)
Then wrench tighten the Hole bolt and the adjustment
bolt. 24. The hardest part of the job is saved for last,
and that is reinstalling the nut on the back of the pivot
bolt! I found this best accomplished by sliding out from car
and then re-entering head first facing the back of the
alternator so you can see the end of the bolt sticking out.
Insert your left hand above the sway bar from the front of
the alt. between it and the engine, and your right hand in
the opening from the rear. It's a really tight fit and
takes some good dexterity with your fingers and
experimentation with forearm position to make it
fit.
25. After multiple attempts, and time spent
retrieving the nut each time I dropped it, I was eventually
able to hold the nut with two fingers from my right hand and
then use two fingers from my left to guide it to the bolt
and thread the nut on the bolt hand tight. This tedious task
probably took 15 minutes, but if you've got small hands or
exceptionally long fingers you may be able to do it
quicker. 26. Reconnect the radiator hose bracket and the 4
sway bar bolts, engine undercover, and the battery cable and
you're ready to go. Special thanks to member
"ZUL8TR" who gave me some advice during my first attempt at
this job.
doug8867
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