alternator replacement, help please?

Trying to change alt in 95 windstar 3.8L, can't get to the bolt to loosen on tensioner arm, it's a very tight spot, can't fit a ratchet in there, plain old wrench slips off, any tips or suggestions?

What I have done is to grasp the belt and just pull hard on it to get the slack to move it off of the alternator pulley.
I have used a 15mm wrench on the bolt on the pulley....but it is a hard place to get to.....

Thanks, I'll try.

I also found that a ratchet does not fit.....but use a box or open wrench on that bolt.
There should also be a square hole in the tensioner that you can put the square part of your ratchet in.......if you can get at it.
The tensioner is certainly not in the most convenient location.

Are you trying to get to it from the top? Iknow mine is different year, but I was able to get to it crawling under and reaching from the bottom. Maybe that could work for you too!

I found that after removing the negative battery cable, for safety, and then grasping the long stretch of the belt and leaning back, it gave me enough slack to work the belt off the alternator pulley.

My 98 Windstar eats alternators, and I've lost count how many times I've changed it. You just put a wrench (no room for a socket) (I believe 15 mm) on the back pully. With your left hand pull towards the front of the vehicle. This will loosen the belt enough to slip it easily off the pully at the front with your right hand. There is no need to play with the tensioner. Assembly is just the reverse.

Guys:

I think my alternator maybe on the brink ?? I will put a new one in my 99 Windstar with 3.8 liter. I will put in a 135 amp since my son will get it next year and will be playing the radio and cell in there. What is the best one (Make & model) to put in ?

Thanks,

AJ

I have the new unit from Advance Autoparts.....they sell a remanufactured and a new one.
If your battery is not pretty new......I would replace it as well.......
In any case, new or not, your battery should be checked out.
A defective battery can place a serious load on the alternator......and burn it out.

I just looked it up.....1999 3.8L uses a different altrnator from my '96 3.8L.
New is about $210, Remy, for the '99.....at the Advance Autoparts website.
It was under a different brand name (although could have been same unit) about 4 years ago when I bought mine.

Same brand is a little more from Rockauto.
I get the same price (around $210) at the Oreilly and AutoZone websites.....although AutoZone shows it a special order for my area.
Again, this is the new unit.

Guys:

I think my alternator maybe on the brink ?? I will put a new one in my 99 Windstar with 3.8 liter. I will put in a 135 amp since my son will get it next year and will be playing the radio and cell in there. What is the best one (Make & model) to put in ?

Thanks,

AJ

AJ,

I just went thru this with my '99 3.8L. My particular model uses the 135amp (there are 2 for that year a 110A and 135A). Check to see if your battery is good first. I found that I was chasing my tail and not running simple voltmeter checks which would have saved me oodles of time. I was lucky that it was just my battery and luckily it was still under warranty so it only cost me $37 for a Duralast Gold from Auto Zone. If the battery is no good and you throw in a new alternator, you run the risk of damaging the components inside the new alternator and wind up dropping more money than you need to.

If you run by AutoZone or AdvanceAuto, they will hook up your battery, while still in the car and check both the non-load voltage and then heck your charging system. You might just find that our battery is the culprit and not your alternator.

Just my :2cents:

My hard lesson learned here is a few extra minutes doing the electrical checks can save a bunch of time on the backend of labor.

Mike

:grinno: Finally got it, Used the "wrench with a pipe on it for leverage" method, the pulling on the belt didn't work for me (or my man, who's much stronger). Thank you so much everybody.:grinno:

Moot point, but I've used a 6-point combination wrench on the pully bolt to do it.

When replacing the alternator for my '99, I was surprised to find the dealer had the highest amp unit .... at a price lower than any of the "usual" local aftermarkets.

I have an 02, so it might be different.

jack car, remove passenger wheel.

get at it underneath with the square end of a ratchet. IF that doesnt work, get it off somehow and replace the tensioner.

it takes a little muscle, but it its near impossible, somethings wrong.

dont even try from uptop. theres just not room.

again this is my 02, a older winnie may be different.

edit, sorry didnt see you got it.

using a pipe works wonders, my floorjack handle comes aart in two, and i usually use that.

Here is my experience...I have a 2000 Winnie. The van is 10 yrs old and about 70K on it. Was thinking of changing the belt and started reading this thread. The best for me was to take the front wheel off. Then the tensioner was quite easily accessible from below. Used a simple 13mm wrench to move the tensioner while some one removed the belt from the Alternator pulley. The alternator has three 15mm bolts all easily removed from the top. I bought a brand new one from Adv Auto made by Remy. It was only $30 more than the remanufactured one.

To release the tensioner I went to a local parts shop and rented the tensioner kit, it worked so well that I bought it. For $15. it was worth it.

Guys:

Dumb question, but I will ask anyway. I got a tool from AutoZone (like a long wrench) that allows you to put the wrench on the center bolt of the tensioner pully from the top of the engine. To relieve the tension on the belt, to I push it towards the cars compartment or pull towards the front of the car ?

AJ

Guys:

Dumb question, but I will ask anyway. I got a tool from AutoZone (like a long wrench) that allows you to put the wrench on the center bolt of the tensioner pully from the top of the engine. To relieve the tension on the belt, to I push it towards the cars compartment or pull towards the front of the car ?

AJ


I borrowed that same wrench from AZ when I changed out my alternator. I cannot remember for sure which way to move the wrench but the answer is real simple. Watch the serpentine belt between the alternator pulley and tensioner pulley as you push or pull that wrench handle. Whichever way allows the belt to slacken is the correct way to move it.

BTW - I slipped the belt off the alternator after getting enough slack and then used several bungie cords suspended from the hood to hold it in place around all the remaining pulleys. I switched out the alternator and then put the belt right back on w/o having to worry about threading it up-over-down and around all those other places. This of course only works if you don't want to also replace the belt at the same time.

Guys:Dumb question, but I will ask anyway. I got a tool from AutoZone (like a long wrench) that allows you to put the wrench on the center bolt of the tensioner pulley from the top of the engine. To relieve the tension on the belt, to I push it towards the cars compartment or pull towards the front of the car ?AJ

With your left hand pull towards the front of the vehicle. You are not trying to undo this bolt and are just using it to get a twist on the pulley. This will loosen the belt enough to slip it easily off the pulley at the front with your right hand. There is no need to play with the tensioner. Assembly is just the reverse. Check to see that you have a belt diagram under the hood, and if not take careful note of how it runs. It is not hard to put back on. Once you get the knack, it is about 10-15 minutes to change an alternator.

I was able to pull the belt just to the edge of the alternator pulley. Use your left hand to pull and right to push it over. A couple of deep breaths did the same thing and the belt came off. I thought "man that was easy". While I was at the Adv Auto buying the new alt, I rented the tool as well just in case I needed it. I tried to pull the new belt over the alternator again. Couldn't do it. Must be the new belt can not be stretched much. Tried the tool from above. Couldn't even get it on the tensioner bolt. Tried the tool from below. It has a long handle, could not move much. Finally took the wheel off. Then just an ordinary wrench was easily able to move the tensioner. Got some one from above to slip the belt over. The job became very easy. Go anticlockwise to slacken.
By the way, make the belt diagram or get a picture from this forum. And assure yourself the dia is correct and you know what to do. When I was putting the belt back, especially on the non-grooved ones, I was saying that no way this dia is correct. But it was.