Hi Everybody. I joined today and are trying to find my way around. Can anybody give me some tips on how to remove the alternator on an 1989 302 V8 Econoline 150 Van with a serpentine belt. I bought a Haynes but it does not describe how to untension the serpentine belt and access to the top alternator bolt is .....awkward......... What is the best approach and tool to use? Is the regulator on the alternator. I'm pretty sure it will just need new brushes if I can get it out. Thanks in advance and best regards

Steve in the outside cold of Maine

 

YOu take a 5/8 wrench and pick up the tensioner, then remocve the belt.

 

I did loosen the 5/8 inch bolt on the thing I assume is a tensioner but nothing seemed to move. Is there some way to pry it to get it too move and how do you get any puchase on the top alternator bolt?

 

Welcome to FTE. You do not want to loosen the 5/8 bolt. Use it to pivot the tensioner away from the belt. Once you get the belt off it will be easier to unbolt the alternator. I believe yours is a combination unit. You can take it to a place like Pep Boys or AZ to have it tested. You might as well get a rebuilt unit. My van is a diesel with 3 belts. I just changed them and used a socket on all of them. Good luck with it.

 

Somewhere on the tensioner, a 3/8 or 1/2 drive --the square drive-- fits in to rotate it--correct?????

 

Correct, there is a 1/2" drive fitting (the female) on the tensioner. A long breaker bar gives the best leverage but sometimes the square, 1/2" drive isn't positioned correctly for a breaker bar and a ratchet handle is needed. Ken

 

Thanks for the suggestions and help. I used a 5/8 wrench to lift the tensioner to remove the belt. I used about 5 extensions and 2 universals to come thru from the back for the top bolt. The head snapped off. I used some heat on the bottom bolt and finally got it out without setting the van on fire or melting any hoses. The snapped bolt stud came out easily once I had the alternator out. The brushes are almost worn totally away and I ordered a new set. If they come tomorrow I will reassemble after retapping the 7/16 and 3/8 holes to clean them out. It looked like electrolyosis caused the bolts to weld themselves to the alternator case. This was the toughest alternator I have ever had to remove.

Thanks again for the help.

 

Don't feel too bad. You're not alone. I did the same job on a 1988 e150 conversion a few months ago. I had no problem getting the belt off or accessing the alternator, but the thru-bolt had completely siezed (or chemically bonded since they're dissimilar metals.....) to the inside of the alternator body. A dealer was no help. They bent the head of the bolt so that it would be unusable even if I did get it out, so I did this:

- Removed the tensioner pulley from the mounting-assembly to give myself some room to work
- Pivoted the alternator all the way outboard after removing the non-siezed bolt(up against the passenger wheel-well)
- Attached a large (2 inch) cutting wheel to the end of my cordless drill with some on-the-spot engineering (and a trip to home depot)
- Cut through the alternator body just shy of where it touches the mounting assembly. What the heck, the alternator's bad anyway, right?
- Wore safety glasses and gloves since the aluminum is soft, but the bolt is steel (and sparks....a lot).

You'll know when you're through, since the alternator will basically fall off, unfortunately, with this procedure, a couple things are left in a bad state. They include:

- Cut-off bolt in the subframe needs to be backed out with a reverse threader or a good pair of vice-grips. I used the latter because I had a little nub to grab onto.
- Alternator is basically useless. Thankfully, NAPA still took it as a core exchange for the new one.
- New bolt required. I got a new one at the local junkyard. I had to check about 5 vans before I found one the right size. Take your time and the broken one with you and match it exactly. Different engine sizes have slightly different alternator mounting hardware. I'm lucky I noticed the first time or I would have had to make two trips.

Thought I'd share that little success story from my book.

Dan