Alternator Bolts - where the hell?

[Rabbi]

Ok im still workin on gettin my dam crank sensor installed =(

got the halfshaft out after a good hour long struggle , Where i finally won.


Now i cant seem to locate all the alternator bolts.

Theres 2 that i think i may have found (one for sure,the front LONGGG one) Both were upfront.

where are the other bolts?

[SappySE107]

There is a brace bolted on the back as well. My engine is back under the hood so I can't see the alt easily to take pics. I have to pull it and tear it apart later but not till it gets nicer out again.

[Rabbi]

do i get it from under the car or from the wheel well?

I spent atleast 45 minutes looking for that last dam bolt.

[93Oldsdroptop]

From the wheel well. Or go from the opposite wheel well if you have a very very long extension. You will have to feel for it with your fingers, I think it's a 10mm bolt.

It's a real bitch to get to, I just left it out when I put my new alternator in.

[Rabbi]

so if im looking at it from the passenger wheel well,
What side is the bolt on?

[pocket-rocket]

It is on the back side of the alternator. I did mine from the passenger side and left the bracket off until the 5 speed swap, then it went back on. (I hold on to spare bolts/parts )

[lkurek]

Yeah, there are three bolts that hold the alternator on. You have the big long one at the lower inside (towards crank), you have another one that faces forward towards the outside of the alternator, and then you have the one in the rear that goes thorugh the brace. It is closer towards the engine than the cooling duct......so you aren't going to get it off with the duct in place.

Personally, I would lower the rear cradle bolts to let it drop down a bit (make sure nothing gets pinched up on top by the firewall). Makes it 100 times easier to get to....

As for wiring, you then have the one plug towards the bottom and then the big red wire about in the middle top of the cooling duct.

FWIW, if you are trying to change the crank sensor....I would do this from the top. Take off the plenum, get a long 10mm extension with a universal and get a good light and mirror...... You can get it off pretty easily like this.....

[pocket-rocket]

If you do it from the bottom and drop the cradle like Ikurek says, do not drop it more then 2 inches I think it is, or your steering joint comes apart, and you have a lot of fun trying to put it back together.

[lkurek]

TRUE! Actually, whenever I lower the cradle, I take the pinch bolt off the steering column to steering rack bolt. It really isn't that hard to disconnect and reconnect it..... Just don't do what I did the first time....and turn the steering wheel in the car... Messes up the centering on the airbag coil and you have to reset it.....THAT was a PITA.