I looked and I just don't see how the big *** alternator got up through there even with the core hoses off

 

Trust me, it will If you don't believe me, not sure how far away "mathews" is from Wake Forest but I would be happy to show you.

So I will try to explain in words until then.

Turn the wheels all the way to the left. Remove battery cable.

Use a 14mm socket from inside the left front wheel well to loosen the lower "thru" bolt - go ahead and remove the nut all the way but leave the bolt for now.

From under the hood, right about/below the mater cyl there is a threaded rod that is used to tension the belt. There is a 12mm nut on the rod. Back the nut all the way to the end - don't remove it just back it all the way to the very end of the "rod".

Then remove the top bolt (12mm) from the alt - be careful, there should be a washer between the alt and the bracket - catch it/find it when it falls. And for when you install the alt it goes Bolt/Bracket/washer?top ear of the alt. If you get stuck on this let me know and I can give more detail in the install.

Lean/work the alt all the way back - towards the firewall. It might take a bit to get it to pivot, just keep working it back and then forward and it will loosen up and finally rock all the way back towards the fire wall.

There should be a "boot" over the charging post of the alt. You will need to remove/pull it back off the alt to see the 10mm nut. The boot might break/bust as you pull it back - it's only like 25 years old, don't stress too much. Remove the nut and the wire.

On the back side of the alt (not the pulley side but the back) there is a plug. There is a tab you have to press "in" and then wiggle the plug from the alt.

Now remove the lower thru bolt from the alt. Then work the alt out of the lower bracket. Again you might have to rock it a few times towrads the front and back. It will come out and kind of fall down - don't worry, it didn't hurt anything on the way down.

Now the fun. I can do it from under the hood because I have done this a few times, you might have to do it from under the car - just be safe it you get under a car.

Work/slide the alt along the firewall towards the pass side. You are trying to get it to the "place" just below the lower hose to the heater core. You will have to turn the alt different ways to get it over there.

Once you get it there, this is where the memory fades - if I could see it, and I'm not about to do this on my 89 just to remind me, it would be clear.

There is a "hole" just below the lower hose to the heater core and the car, not much of one but there is one. Again, on some I've removed the hose from the heater core, then the cable to the heater control valve and the screw holding the valve to the bracket and then snake it out.

Then pretty much reverse things.

If you do have to "open up" the cooling system, be sure to properly bleed the air from the system when you refill it.

Last, I can't spell but try to get close....take it for what it is - free advise.

 

Thanks. Great write up...I guess we will give it a shot tomorrow...matthews is right next to charlotte

 

Well, that is too far of a drive....sorry.

Trust me, it comes out by/below those hoses to the heater core - you might have to twist/turn it a few ways to get the right profile of the alt thru the hole. Also, somewhere in my memory, one of them (auto or manual) I had to pull the speedo cable from the trans to get it out....or that might have been somethings else.....sucks getting old and things start running together.

 

After thought, if you want to take a few pictures along the way I'd bet between the two of us we could make a small write up on a "how to". It is up to you, there isn't that much interest in the 3rd gen's so it really might not matter?

 

Ok will definitely try

 

Taking a break. Is there a way to get the belt on without taking the others off. Trying to get these heater hises off. Quite stuck

 

Sorry, been running around town taking care of a few things.

For the belt - just swing the alt towards the front of the car, fish it off the pulley on the alt - twist it. Then swing the alt towards the back.

For the hoses - one of the reasons I posted the Gates part numbers is....well if they are the OE hoses your last choice is to cut them off - run a slit along the hose. If you put too much pressure on them, there is a chance the brass tubes of the heater core will get damaged.

Again, just me but the cost of two hoses and a bit of coolant vs pulling the cv shaft....humm I'm with the hoses everytime.

 

Gave up on hoses. Father in law damaged brass hose. Collapsed it. I tried to bend it back best I could...so I tried axle and cant get the lower ball joint stud to slide up...I don't have a fork. Should I get one? Having trouble getting the two 14mmi bolts off the alternator bracket too...ugh

 

I went and got ball joint separator and a diff socket wrench ti try that bracket again another day...question..do u have to remove the other belts first if I want to install a brand new alternator belt? Looks like it since there seems to be an order. Alt belt then a.c. then the little ok ne