Short instructions and a list of tools needed for quick alternator swaps.

SRT2

Hi-Miler
Tonight I changed an alternator in about 40 minutes, and it made me think back to the first time I changed one... it seemed to take forever!

The biggest difference in time savings is that; over the years; I've learned exactly what tools are needed to do the job efficiently. If you have these tools on hand, even your first alternator swap can be performed easily.

You'll need THESE:

At least one 3/8" drive ratchet. I use a long-handled swivel one and a short one.

One socket each - 17mm 12-point, 13mm, 10mm, 8mm, 7mm, and #12 female Torx.

One flex-head 3/8" 12-point ratcheting wrench.

One 1/4" 12-point ratcheting wrench. They're a little hard to find, mine is a 1/4" X 5/16" combination ratcheting wrench from Craftsman, #42161. BIG time saver!

One straight screwdriver.

For convenience I also use a 1/4" drive ratchet with a long and short extension for battery disconnect, turbo shield nuts/bolt, and hose clamps - but a 3/8 drive will work.
 

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SRT2

Hi-Miler
First, use a 10mm socket to loosen and remove the negative battery cable and the one bolt / 2 nuts on the turbo heat shield. Remove heat shield.

Using the screwdriver, remove the clip on the turbo inlet hose and move hose out of the way to access the tensioner adjusting bolt.

Using the long-handled 3/8" drive with the 17mm 12-point socket, relieve the tension on the belt and slip it off of ONLY the alternator and the idler pulley directly above it. For convenience I simply leave this socket/driver in place until it is time to reinstall the belt.

Using the 7mm and 8mm sockets, loosen the clamps on the airbox-to-turbo hose and the resonator side of the resonator-to-intercooler hose. Unplug the sensor, remove the airbox-to-turbo hose. Remove only the resonator end of the resonator-to-intercooler hose, and tuck the loose end out of the way.

Using 10mm and 13mm sockets, remove the wires from the back of the alternator.

From underneath; using the 1/4" 12-point ratcheting wrench; remove the two small bolts that secure the resonator. Remove resonator.

From underneath; using the #12 female Torx socket; remove the bottom rear bolt from the alternator.

From above; using the #12 female Torx socket, remove the upper front bolt from the alternator. Swing the resonator bracket out of the way.

Use the flex-head swivel 3/8" 12-point ratcheting wrench to remove the upper rear bolt from the alternator. This bolt needs to be loosened all the way out, but must stay with the alternator as you remove it (as well as when you install the new one).

From underneath; using the #12 female Torx socket, remove the lower front bolt from the alternator.

At this point you can remove the 90 amp alternator. If it is a higher-amp version, the bigger case requires removal of the engine block-to-turbo bracket, which is easily removed with two bolts.

Installation is exactly reverse of how it came out. Be sure to orient the alternator correctlly (right side up - it will almost fit upside down) and don't forget to slide the bolt into the upper rear mounting hole of the alternator BEFORE putting it back into position!
 
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gggGary

gggGary
Text from SRT2's post above with pictures of process inserted and a few differences on my 04 noted.

First, use a 10mm socket to loosen and remove the negative battery cable and the one bolt / 2 nuts on the turbo heat shield. Remove heat shield.




Using the screwdriver, remove the clip on the turbo inlet hose and move hose out of the way to access the tensioner adjusting bolt.



Using the long-handled 3/8" drive with the 17mm 12-point socket, relieve the tension on the belt and slip it off of ONLY the alternator and the idler pulley directly above it. For convenience I simply leave this socket/driver in place until it is time to reinstall the belt.



Using the 7mm and 8mm sockets, loosen the clamps on the airbox-to-turbo hose and the resonator side of the resonator-to-intercooler hose. Unplug the sensor, remove the airbox-to-turbo hose. Remove only the resonator end of the resonator-to-intercooler hose, and tuck the loose end out of the way.


Using 10mm and 13mm sockets, remove the wires from the back of the alternator.
My 04 has an 8mm small wire nut.



From underneath; using the 1/4" 12-point ratcheting wrench; remove the two small bolts that secure the resonator. Remove resonator.



From underneath; using the #12 female Torx socket; remove the bottom rear bolt from the alternator.



From above; using the #12 female Torx socket, remove the upper front bolt from the alternator. Swing the resonator bracket out of the way.



Use the flex-head swivel 3/8" 12-point ratcheting wrench to remove the upper rear bolt from the alternator. This bolt needs to be loosened all the way out, but must stay with the alternator as you remove it (as well as when you install the new one).

I used a 10mm swivel head ratchet for that rear bolt.

From underneath; using the #12 female Torx socket, remove the lower front bolt from the alternator.

At this point you can remove the 90 amp alternator. If it is a higher-amp version, the bigger case requires removal of the engine block-to-turbo bracket, which is easily removed with two bolts.
My `150 amp came out at this point with a couple of twists and turns.

Installation is exactly reverse of how it came out. Be sure to orient the alternator correctly (right side up - it will almost fit upside down) and don't forget to slide the bolt into the upper rear mounting hole of the alternator BEFORE putting it back into position!

It was due and I had a new belt so that went on too.
 
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It took me about 5 hours to do this... The 3/8 ratcheting wrench probably would have saved me 2 of those hours. looking for The belt tensioner was another hour or so. that thing is seriously hidden. you will need the mirror. Funny, from under the vehicle, once you know where it is, it is really east to find. I used a long breaker bar type 3/8 drive ratchet with the 55 torx, which did work in the 60 torx spot. i then used a tie down strap which was i wrapped to a part of the under carriage of the van and the other end to the handle of the breaker bar which i pulled into the position of tension release of the belts. this gave me plenty of time to get serp belt back on. And to remove the belt I didn't do anything but remove alternator. no tension release there needed. thanks for the right up and pictures. theres no pictures of the removing the turbo resonator on here so that threw me for a little loop when the time came. And make sure you put that top rear alternator bolt in the new alternator before you put it back in place. and definetely before you secure the belt into position. lesson learned on that one. but the breaker bar trick with the tie strap made the loosening of the belt really easy. Also secure top bolts at least a little bit before tightening bottom bolts. thanks for posting the write ups guys. Seriously helped a ton.
 

racerrrx

New member
Another thanks for the write up. Had mine go out 3 days before a planned trip from Columbus to Atlanta. Full on light show on the dash, a/c started blowing super hot air, experienced limp mode for the first time, yay! No way I'd have tried to do it myself without these tips. That upper rear bolt is a real bitch. I suspect government or alien EMP testing in the area....in a week the alternator died, my other car's started croaked, and even my woman's Lexus had a mysterious dead battery.
 

MillionMileSprinter

Millionmilesprinter.com
IThe 12 point 10mm socket won't do if the torx headed bolts are at all worn. You need a 6 point bit. I found a 3/8" bit 6 point bit worked very well. There are 4 main bolts that hold the alternator in and 3 of them remove easily with just about any ratchet or air ratchet. But the top one nearest the firewall is hard to get to. I had to grind down a 3/8 drive Craftsman ratchet to fit, but it worked great for that last bolt which was a tight fit between the alternator and the turbo housing. Once that bolt was loose, a 10mm flexible closed ended wrench was what I needed to get it all the way off. Hopefully this will help others.
 

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mendonsy

Member
I just wanted to thank SRT2 for this very useful writeup!!
I had to replace the alternator in our T1N for the second time yesterday. Although I have done the alternator change before, this writeup made life a whole lot easier.
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Pivoting the radiator for engine inspection

Well another trip to town.
These ae nice and made in the USA.



This will go to my buddy for a look.
It came off OK but was tight. All the bolts were OEM loctited with blue. They let go with a crack. The turbo is in the way for one and I used a 3/8 breaker to get it going.It was the thinest combination I could come up with.



The bolts for the body and the electrical connection nuts.





Test the clutch by locking the fan, the pulley should only turn in one direction.


bill in tomahawk
 
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