Alternator help

[Cl-Slick]

I am currently trying to remove my alternator on my '95 ATX but ran into a few issues. First off, the top bolt on the battery tray is stripped out, so I can't remove the tray. I have worked with it for 30min. to no avail, it just keeps spinning! The second problem I have encountered is the bolt behind the idler pulley. How am I supposed to remove it? I have all of the other bolts removed and the belt has been taken off. I just need that last bolt out! One last question. Once all bolts are removed, what is the best method of "pulling" the alternator off of the engine? Is there a certain direction or anything I should know about? Thanks for the help!

 

[Cl-Slick]

Never mind!!! I got the alternator out and everything, going to the Zone to get the new one and put it in!

 

[hawkeye18]

You have to remove the idler pulley to get to that bolt. 14mm socket, normal method. It's like any other bolt. And please don't say "Does that mean I have to take the belt off?" because the belt should already be off. Once you get that last bolt off, it pretty much lifts straight out of the car. You might have to twist it a wee bit to get it around the lifting bracket.

As far as the bolt for the battery tray goes, I think your only solution is going to be drilling it out.

Edit: Oh fine, just go ahead and do it while I'm typing a response, why dontcha

 

[luigisho]

Never mind!!! I got the alternator out and everything, going to the Zone to get the new one and put it in!

You will get much better at removing this very soon.

 

[hawkeye18]

I can go from tools up to tools down in replacing a gen 2 ATX alternator in 12 minutes. That includes removing and reinstalling the battery.

I've done it a lot.

 

[JRA2000TL]

Yeah he called me complaining that his battery light came on yesterday and I said "go buy an alternator"....but have them test it first for the **** of it. He said that AZ tested the battery and alt. and said the battery was bad. I said "no shit, a bad alt. will not keep a battery charged". I said go back and take the new battery back, and get an alternator. Well then they say the battery is 4 yrs old (sticker on the battery with the date). So he needs a battery anyway if it's 4 yrs old, keeps it, now is headed back up there to get an alt., which by the way tested "good".

As with many other people on the forum, as well as my dad having an experience in another one of their cars, where the alt. WAS bad but AZ's test said it was good---you just can't rely on them. It's a known fact that these alts. are notorious for going bad and even the "new" remans may wind up being bad out of the box. Hope this fixes the problem. If not, then it has to be connections. My bet is that the alt. is bad after reading tons of posts.

 

[hawkeye18]

What a lot of people don't know is that alternator/starter testers aren't much better than dynos, in that the operator can change the results quite a bit based on what he does, how he hooks it up, etc... if he "forgets" to hook the load up to the alternator, of course it will show good. If he "forgets" to hook the ground up, it will show bad, every time.

The number of people that simply don't know how to hook different alternators up correctly is staggering. I know this because my wife used to work at advance auto, and I hung out there a lot (as I always seem to hang around my local advance auto a lot lol) and I learned how the tester works.

Same thing goes with the charging system tester-on-a-cart. You'd think they idiot-proof it, but trust me, they don't.

 

[Cl-Slick]

Got the alternator installed in no time, took it for a drive and everything is fine!

 

[hawkeye18]

Got the alternator installed in no time, took it for a drive and everything is fine!

Yaay!

 

[Cl-Slick]

Thanks for the support, hawkeye! The more I am around these cars the more I learn, and none of it would be possible without the support of the great people on this forum!

 

[luigisho]

I am appalled that you were able to get a good unit on the first try. How dare you sir. Congratulations!

 

[Cl-Slick]

I am appalled that you were able to get a good unit on the first try. How dare you sir. Congratulations!

Let's hope it lasts!

 

[Cl-Slick]

Well I think it's time to replace the alternator again! Lights are getting dim, radio and a/c are shutting off randomly, ABS light, flickering battery lights, and the occasional flickering CEL, and when the rmps drop the car goes crazy. Looks like I have me a good Saturday morning project!

 

[kevinspann]

Jinxed yourself

 

[somedude_001]

Well I think it's time to replace the alternator again! Lights are getting dim, radio and a/c are shutting off randomly, ABS light, flickering battery lights, and the occasional flickering CEL, and when the rmps drop the car goes crazy. Looks like I have me a good Saturday morning project!

I think I went through 10 or 15 alts in 6 years. The charging system in these cars is so delicate it is insane. I also found out that every time I would do a autoX event I would have to replace one. under drive pulies fixed this. Apparently ATX alts don't like 7500rpm. My MTX has been solid for 2 or 3 years though. It looks like it has a ford unit though so that might be why. I will never forget the one I got that lasted 20 min from autozone. bad voltage regulator it was putting out 18 volts and making a whining noise similar to the noise it makes when it is under a heavy load. I have herd having one re wound by a local shop using better internals usually have better luck with durability. From my understanding this engine is a bit of a hungry munchkin electrically.

 

[somedude_001]

there is a ground and power wire that go to your starter. these connections sometimes can be less than ideal. It would not hurt to take a look here and inspect them to make sure your new alt is not trying to fight poor connections. If you can try to charge your battery when you replace the alt so it does not have do put up with that load.