FanaticMadMax

this is a good write up, since i have noticed the alternator placement look very difficult to do. As with the idler tension bolt, they suck, i believe mine got stripped when i was about to the do the belt but i gave up when it wouldn't loosen the belt.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

I got down to doing this today and thanks to this thread I got it done in about 2.5 hours.

I used a spare jack to support the ac compressor and moved it around to get to the alternator bottom bolt, the one you get from behind.

So, to sum it up:
1. Get of belts, idler pulley and upper alternator bolt.
2. Get compressor bolts off and support compressor on jack.
3. Lower compressor and move compressor outward i.e. into passenger side wheel well enough to get a long neck 14mm on the back alternator bolt.
4. Once the bolt is loosened use your right hand to support alternator and left to remove the long bolt.
5. now slowly slide the compressor back and remove alternator from the gap.
6. put in the new alternator and when you get it right you will notice it doesnt fall even without the long bolt in there, keep it in that position while you move the compressor back outward and get the long bolt in.
7. other than this I was able to use the directions in this thread. I'll shortly add my pics I took this evening.

We need to sticky this thread.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

Here are some pics I took as I did my alternator this evening.

1. Lowering the AC compressor



2. Lowered further to easily remove alternator



3. New alternator in and you will see it stays up there without the long bolt in. This is the time you can take a short break or whatever!



4. Long bolt and square nut back in.



5. At this point its all just putting it back together. Using the jack raise the compressor back up and install the 4 bolts.

One thing to be careful about is the bracket that connects the alternator to the engine body on the top. I wasted time trying to figure out how that bracket and the bracket holding the wire harness went back together. If you are doing this, take a picture of that bracket setup so you can quickly finish!


I'm finally glad I have no woooing sound anymore and the car idles just amazingly quiet.

The old alternator lasted about 145K miles. It makes noise but it is not dead so I am going to get it checked and probably just keep it.

mandyfig

Great pics. Did you not purchase a remanufactured alternator? And paid for the core charge? If so, you can get the core charge back if you turn in the old one. The alternator that I bought ($160 at Advance Auto) has a lifetime warranty. If I end up needing a new one, I go get a replacement free.

By the way, the jack holding the AC Comp is a great idea. I had to ask the wifey to help and hold the AC comp while I snuck out the Alt. Boy that was some screwing around (telling the wifey what to do)!

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

yeps... bought it from advance auto parts...
they were running a special online.. If you buy parts over $100 they send you a coupon for $50 for your next purchase. From their mail flyer I also had a 20 off 100 coupon that I was able to tag on.
Yeah I can get the $21 back when I return the old one.. so the new one is going to be like 165-50-20 ... $95.. not bad at all for the price and the warranty

Nelsito65

I replaced my alternator today. Whenever I was using radio and A/C, along headlights, I was getting the ABS and TCS OFF lights and then the Fasten Seat Bealts and AIR BAG lights, especially so everytime I was using the breaks. A test showed that it was putting out around 12.25 V. I got a remanufactured one at Autozone which happen to be a Nissan casing (notice the Nissan logo on the back of the new alternator in the picture below).
Everything went smooth, following a couple of write-ups in this thread for tips and tricks. The harness that goes into the alternator was a little stubborn. I was ready to break it but a call to the dealer and a quote of $38 for that harness gave more patience. I ended up breaking the tab that locks it in place but finally was able to remove it. A light whining that I used to hear in the engine compartment is gone.

mandyfig

So your Xmas lights are gone! Good!

Yes they re-manufacture Nissan Alts. So you are getting teh same OEM Alts.

mandyfig

And the best thing they are lifetime warranty!!! Keep your receipt and they have us in the system, too!

mandyfig

Awesome. I also managed to get 20% off my Alt purchase for Advance. Had to buy some more to get it to $100. Good deal!

chisai88

I did this over the weekend, and am having some problems. I have the new alternator in place with the back long bolt in. I can't seem to pivot the alternator up enough to put the other bolt in, where the bracket is...I could take the belt off, and get it in place, and then try to put the belt back on, but I don't think that will be easy. Any ideas? Can someone post a pic of the way the bracket/bolt should look up top that holds the alternator in place? The tensioner is loosened all the way down too, and still not enough slack on the belt? This is on my Fiance's 2000 SE. Right now the wedding is still on...Please help

Nelsito65

I can't picture what could be the problem there, can you post a picture of that area? I think it would be easier if you remove the belt completely off the alternator until you have it in place with both bolts already tightened (I will assume that the long bolt is still loose so you can freely pivot the alt)

mandyfig

The belt has to be off, easier to wiggle the alt so you can sneak in the long bolt. Would help if you had an extra pair of hands, bigtime!

chisai88

Here are two pics to show you what I am talking about. I have since taken the bolt out, since in the 2nd pic you can see it is in the wrong way...I couldn't get it in properly, so... But it was barely hanging on, so I took it out. I have the tensioner loosened all the way(as far as I know), its all the way down. I can pivot the alternator still, as the long bolt is still loose enough, so I think I am going to take the belt off, attach the alternator, and then try to reattach the belt. The Question is, how do I get the belt back on when it seems it is already so tight with the alternator not in place....Anything else to loosen besides the tensioner, and pulley 'butter' bolt...? I own a VW, and changed that one out no prob, so I am not a total novice here either...TIA

bolt in wrong way, but barely in there, and not tight..Only way I could get it in since the belt is so tight.

mandyfig

2 bolts hold the alternator.

The top bolt is the last to be put in. Slide the long bolt 1st. When that is anchored, you can pivot the alternator to slide in your belt. Then bolt the top one.

Then adjust your tensioner.

chisai88

Yeah, I already have the long bolt in, loose enough to pivot the alternator. The belt is in place on all pulleys as it should be, but it is too tight, and I can't seem to pivot the alternator in place to secure the last bolt...? The belt needs to be loosened more somehow, and the tensioner is as loose at it goes, and pulley bolt is loosened too...

Nelsito65

I still think you should take the belt completely off the alternator. I'm not sure why you are avoiding that; installing that belt after everything is in place is not a big deal, as long as the idler pulley is loose enough. If there is nothing else in the way you should be able to pivot the alt without any problem.

mandyfig

^^+1 Take off the belt. Then fasten the alternator.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

Have you checked the tensioner? If the tensioner is completely loose, it actually drops further down and kind of locks up. From that position you need to manually lift it a bit to get it easily sliding up and down. If you are in that state you definately will feel the belt being way too tight.

I'll try and get a pic of the upper bracket area in about an hr once i get home. I had issues installing that bracket myself. It was just not lining up. Hv you checked the FSM?

chisai88

if for FSM you mean factory service manual, I did look at that, but couldn't find a pic of anything. Just using the manual that came with the car, and not a Haynes type manual here. I was thinking that the pulley was maybe too loose, and dropped down too much as well toda, after going through this thread more...going to walk out and give it a shot now. kukx if you can post that pic, that would be sweet.
also, the reason I was reluctant to remove the belt, and then attach the alternator was, I didn't think the belt would be possible to put back on the alternator after it was in place....I guess we will see.

chisai88

update...
I took the belt off, and bolted up the alternator in 5 seconds...Trying to push the belt over the pulley now isn't working...It was pretty dark out, and couldn't see a whole lot, but the tensioner was loose, and pulley was moving freely up and down, also the bolt on the pulley was as loose as it will get(the bolt actually fell off, and I had to reattach it). Maybe I need some extra hands to make sure the pulley is pushed up as much as possible while I am trying to wrap the belt around the lower pulley...I know it shouldn't be that hard, but it is. As I said before, I did my VW alternator with no probs, and the principles are the same lol

mandyfig

Now make sure the tensioner is all the way out. Did you unwind the strut bolt? I know the pulley bolt was loose, but unless you unwind the strut, the tensioner is still way down preventing you from relieving your belt.

It is not that hard, you are doing something wrong.

Or else the belt you are using is not the right one, is it new?

Nelsito65

Mske sure the belt is completely and properly seated on the grooves of each pulley and not riding along the edge of them. That would cause you not to have enough slack on the belt.

chisai88

I had already checked to see if the belt was seated properly in each pulley, and it was. I am using the same belt, as it was replaced recently, and looks fine. Here is another pic, these are the only two things I am loosening to get the belt on...
You said, unwind the strut..? Are you referring to the tensioner?

Nelsito65

^^^ I can see that the adjusting nut (the one in the bigger circle) is loose enough. But, is the pulley nut (the one in the smaller circle) loose enough that you can slide the whole assembly up and down if you pull up the adjusting nut?

mandyfig

^^Plus 10 The nut that holds the tensioner is not loose, not allowing you to move the tensioner up. Try it.

mandyfig

Yes the strut bolt. But make sure the nut that pins down the tensioner is loose, the one you are circling below.

chisai88

ok, I will try that. I remeber when I was messing with it yesterday I was to a point where I could slide the pulley up and down, but I am not sure if I did something else to make the tensioner bolt too tight, to allow for less movement. hopefully that will do it. I told my fiancee last night that she can help me by sliding the pulley up while I pull on the belt to put it in place...Should only take a minute tonight, hopefully. Then I can tighten everything back up.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

If you can move the pulley up and down... you're good on the pulley bolt and tensioner bolt.

Here is a pic of the bracket setup on my max.



From just comparing the 2 pics... see if you can remove that wire harness bracket... then get the belt on an off easily and put the bracket back on.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

Also... hv you checked your AC Compressor to be back in properly? If that is not correctly in line knowing it has a bigger pulley it may cause the belt symptoms too.

And to just rule it out, have you measured the pulley of the old and new alternators to confirm they are the same size?

mandyfig

The AC Compressor should just bolt in place.

If you bought a remanufactured one, the specs should be the same.

What the heck is wrong with your install...!!

chisai88

AC compressor is fine. I think I got it. Going home in a few hours to work it. I think the problem I was having...trying to pull the belt over with the pulley not pushed up as much as possible, since I was the only one working it. I would pull the belt, and the pulley wouldn't slide up easily enough to allow for the proper slack to wrap it around the lower pulley...Going to have the fiancee slide up the pulley and then I can pull the belt over. Everything is in properly, just messing with the last thing, getting the belt back on...The alternator is the exact same as the one I took off the car...I'll post again tonight...Thanks for the feedback, I am sure its just the pulley not sliding up enough before, cause the bolts were too loose/too tight.
kukx..thanks for the pic, that is how mine looks too.

mandyfig

Good luck and let us know!

chisai88

So....I found the problem I was having. Unfortunately it wasn't anything any of you mentioned, and had to find it on my own. The car is back on the road, although, I did have to replace the battery as well. Turns out, the square nut in the pic below was facing the wrong way. When I would try to raise the pulley up enough, to allow for more slack in the belt, the metal behind the pulley was hitting against the square nut, because of that lip it has on it, that wraps around the side of the alternator....I had to take the long bolt out again, and turn the nut 90 degrees, and put it all back together. then the pulley was able to get pushed up all the way, and I had plenty of slack...Something to note for others doing this...I would of thought, due to the design of the nut, it would of only fit one way, and at the least, that the little metal lip on the nut wouldn't get in the way of something else. Oh well. lesson learned. Should have been an hour job, and will be next time. thanks for all the support, I am sure I will be back in the future...

Nelsito65

^^Thanks for the update. To our credit, it looks like at least you became aware when you tried to slide to pulley assembly up and down, as we suggested, and found out that something was preventing you from that...

mandyfig

I was wondering about the nut that I saw. Not the same as I had. Would have alerted you to it but, the rule is to take a picture of the assembly before you tear it down and then go back and look at the picture and make sure you have it right.

Lesson learned.

An ounce of prevention is worth the cure!

mandyfig

Regardless, congratulations! No more alternator issues and new battery to boot!

chisai88

yeah, it was sliding, but only about 1.5 inches, so I didn't think there was a problem initially, as it was moving. But it wasn't moving enough since the nut was in the way. I knew something was wrong, and left work early enough yesterday to have plenty of daylight where I could see everything. Thats when I noticide the pulled was hitting something as I tried to slide it up as far as it should go ~3 inches...Thanks for all the help everyone. I don't give up easily.

chisai88

yeah, I agree with the pictures before/after. Definitely a good rule to follow in the future.

Nelsito65

Hopefully this minor ordeal did not affect the wedding plans in a negative way...

mandyfig

Better yet, post a pic of the fiance!