Alternator?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by clickman

Is breaking loose of the bushing in the flange really required? What exactly is holding the alternator in on the idler pulley side? Is it squeezing of the support slot by the flange in the back and the pulley in the front? Now that things seem loose, can I just take a pry bar and lever up the idler pulley side (as one other forum member has done)?

Yes, giving the mounting bolt a solid smack is required as when tightened, it pulls forward and traps the mount. Once moved sufficiently by a couple of whacks, the alternator should pop right out.

[clickman]

I give up. I don't see any alternative now but to take off the intake to make some room to work (and to retrieve a lost bolt).

After shooting some PB Blaster on the bushing, I finally managed to knock it back about 1/8", and the alternator seems loose, but there's just no room between the idler pulley and the U-shaped shield above to rotate the idler pulley bolt up and out of its cradle.

I thought there was only one bolt holding on the shield (which Bentley blithely says to remove, without any instructions). I managed to finagle an offset socket through the cables and hoses onto it from the engine compartment, but once I had it out I managed to knock it back into some inaccessible crevice, even with my magnetic retriever. I then discovered that there's a 2nd bolt I can't seem to get a wrench on at all. Grrrr.

I sure wish I could have watched one of you successful folk actually perform this major PITA.

Damn good thing this isn't my daily driver.