Re: Alternators?

[Matt Zajac <mzaj99@yahoo.com>]

I really don't know how much an alternator like this
cost, but some time ago I hit the curb and in order to
fix it I had to change alternator/AC/powersteering
pump bracket. To remove the alternator, you need to
take the Airbox out, unscrew front and back passenger
side engine mount then jack up the engine just high
enough to be able to get to the alternator screws. To
remove serpentine belt, you need to unscrew one of
belt tensionner screws and screw it into that empty
threaded hole on top of the tensionner, which will
loosen up the belt just enogh for you to take it off.
Then unscrew the alternator, be patient and make sure
you disconnected the negative lead from the battery,
and make sure you disconnected ALL of alternator leads
(even the smallest ones. Even if you take aternator
screws out it won't come out easy, you need to use
some kind of lever to pull it away from the engine.
That's because alternator housing has some kind of
tricky nuts that slide back and forth in it's housing,
when you take it out place old one next to the new and
make sure that those nuts have approxymately same
distance between them and screw holes. If you find
that you need to move those nuts, make sure you don't
break the housing and DON'T USE THE SCREW TO PULL THEM
CLOSER .... that's how I broke one of mine alternator
screws. 
Then you can start putting it all back together.... in
reversed order (of course). If you know what to expect
you can do all of this in an hour and half. Don't be
affraid of jacking up the engine, that's how dealer
does it. When I worked on mine I wanted to take the
whole grill and the front end off, but before doing
that i asked mechanics and that's what they told me to
do, I have to admit that it was far easier then taking
the grill and the rest of this stuff off. 
Good luck ...

Matt Z. '98 TRed GLX.
 
--- "Piecuch, Benjamin     HS"
<benjamin.piecuch@hs.utc.com> wrote:
> I just lost the Alternator on my '98 GLX.  65k
> miles, seems a little
> premature to me.  Anyways, they quoted my a whopping
> $440 for
> the alternator, $170 for the labor.  Based on my
> assessment, it looked
> like they need to take the front grill off to do
> this service.  Anyone had
> any experience with this work, and what the VR6
> alternators typically 
> cost?  I just didn't feel like spending close to
> $700 on my car this 
> week.....  TIA.
> 
> 
> 
> 					Ben Piecuch
> 


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