Help: Trying to Remove Alternator

So I spent about 30 minutes removing the bottom cover on the car and the lower bolt on the alternator. Then I loosened the belt tensioner all the way but I can't seem to get the belt off the alternator. I've spent about 3 hours trying now. It's loose, but not enough to get over the edge of the alternator pulley. Any suggestions? I can't get to the top bolt on the alternator until I get the belt off.

- Tom

 

Well after trying for another couple hours I give up. I connected the alternator back up. Since I have the bottom off, I started the car and took a look at the belts. They seem to be fine. No alignment issues or anything.
I measured the voltage at the battery with the car off (12.9V) and with the car running (14.9V). I also measured at the alternator with the car running (14.95V). So it seems that maybe the alternator is working. I'm not sure why the battery light is coming on. When I start the car cold, the light stays on while the compressor is running, then it fades off after the compressor stops. After that, whenever I press on the gas, it lights up. Also, the compressor would run faster when I gave the car gas. Ideas?

 

I'm seeing 14.9 V directly on the battery terminals, so I think the alternator to battery connection is good. I'll check it though. I distinctly smelled a burning rubber or burning electrical smell before the light came on. Now, it seems to only come on when there is a load, or when I press the gas.

 

I was thinking the same thing. It was moving around as well between 14.8-15.2, but mostly stayed around 14.9. I was suspecting that the voltage regulator failed and that was what caused the burning smell.

 

Alright, so I did some research on the "S" wire. It is used to sense the voltage at the battery and cause the alternator to increase or decrease voltage. So if this wire is bad, or marginal, that would seem to explain why I'm seeing ~15V which is a bit higher than expected. Maybe the burning smell was the battery end of a broken "S" wire shorting to ground and burning up. I guess I'll be pulling the wheel off again in the morning.

 

Today, I verified that I am seeing 12.9V at both ends of the "S" wire, so I don't think that's the problem. I also let the car sit overnight without the trickle charger and the battery is still showing 12.9V today, so I don't think the battery is the issue. Now I am back to the voltage regulator. I guess since I can't loosen the belt enough to get the alternator out, I am going to have to try to replace the regulator in-situ.

To be continued....

-Tom

 

I'm worried that I will not be able to put the new belt on for the same reason I can't get the old one off.

 

I couldn't get my fingers up around the belt to even feel the top bolt. Any idea what size socket it needs?

 

I found the answer over in the 348 alternator thread posted by jh355. I suspected this and actually started removing the pulley bolt, but I didn't remove it all the way.

jh355: "The most difficult part of this job is removing the belt, on a 355; the front tensioner pulley nut and washer need to be removed so the tensioner bearing can be slid forward against the firewall in order to drop the belt in-between the tensioner and engine. This will allow enough belt slop to slip the belt off the alternator pulley. The top alternator mounting bolt (at least on my car) was torqued to probably 150 ft lbs, and required a ½” breaker bar, swivel and a couple of extensions to loosen. "

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/technical-q/142329-348-alternator-removal-rebuild-7.html

 

So now I am stuck again. I removed the nut from the tensioner pulley and tried to move the pulley over, but it wouldn't budge. I tried prying it a bit with a wrench and it started sliding off of the bearing. It is now about 1/8" off the bearing and the bearing won't budge on the bolt. Am I missing something?

 

Nevermind. There is a washer behind the bearing that looked like the wall of the bearing. I was able to slowly pry the pulley off the bolt and finally have the belt off of the alternator. Yay!

 

Finally, the alternator is out! I took it apart and located the failure. The rectifier is burnt. So what might cause this type of failure? I don't want to put in a new rectifier just to have it burn up immediately.
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Anyone know if an INR734P rectifier will work?

# INR734P - Bridge Rectifier For Nippondenso 120-136A Alternators. Used On: 2001-88 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth

 

I replaced the bad rectifier with my old rectifier from before I performed the preventative maintenance upgrade (See references to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" in other threads).

I put the alternator back in and, one black eye later, it works! (I dropped the 1/2" ratchet directly on my eye while trying to tighten the top alternator bolt). Whoever designed the setup for that top bolt should be relagated to eternity having to remove and reinstall that bolt over and over.
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Here are a couple pictures of the alternator bracket where the upper bolt mounts and a picture of the tensioner pulley pushed up against the firewall.

To move the pulley, I had to use a pry bar and slowly go from side to side to work it loose. To get it back on, loosen the adjustment bolt a little so it can move freely (it can slide back against the motor), then put on the washer and nut. As you tighten the nut, it will force the pulley back onto the spindle and pull the adjustment bolt back away from the motor to it's original position.
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