02 Escape V6, changed alternator

[65comet]

I changed the alternator this past weekend, and the instructions were a little incomplete. So I'm going to share with the forum what was involved and maybe someone can say if I did anything wrong or could have done it differently to be easier.
Raised the vehicle, put it on jack-stands, removed the passenger side tire. Disconnected the battery. Removed the brake caliper, caliper mount and rotor. Removed the inner wheel well plastic flashing. Both front bolts at the bumper snapped off, fixing that problem to get the flashing back on will be next weekends project. Took off the axle spindle nut. Removed the ball-joint bolt and nut then separated the ball-joint from the spindle. Disconnected the anti-lock sensor wire connection at the engine block and moved it out of the way. Removed the two carrier bearing nuts. Pressed the axle back from the spindle bearing then pulled the entire shaft assembly from the transaxle case. Removed the serpentine belt by loosening through movement of the belt tensioner. Was very happy that there is a 3/8" square drive hole in the tensioner instead of having to mess around with a socket on the pully nut. Loosened the two bottom bolts for the alternator, then from the top/back of the engine, reached down to remove the third top alternator bolt. (Lay a blanket across the hood latch or you'll be sorry when you scoot back off the engine and it catches some very important parts of your anatomy.) Back down on the bottom, now removed the two lower bolts. Leaving them to after the top keeps the alternator from dropping. Since the alternator can now be rotated, removed the nut to the power wire on the alternator and removed the wire, then disconnected the two-wire plug adjacent to it. There wasn't enough room to get the alternator out at this point, though my instruction said at this point to remove it. So I unbolted the alternator mount and pulled it out. Still not enough room. There was no way it would come out trying from the back and top between the firewall and the engine. I went to the top of the engine and removed the passenger side motor mount bolt. Then I slowly jacked up the engine, checking as I went for when there would be enough clearance. It must have been close to two inches before I could get the alternator out. Reverse to put the new one back in.

[Airjer_]

The top alternator bolt can be removed with a socket/swivel/extension from the bottom.

The alternator can be removed out the wheel well area once the alternator bracket is removed. I have lost count of how many of these I have done and I have never had to pull a motor mount.

It is not necessary to remove the caliper/bracket/rotor.

It is very important to torque the axle nut when you reinstall the axle!

Other than that you figured it out pretty well!!

[65comet]

I removed the brakes to attach a puller I have to the wheel hub to push the axle shaft back through the hub. I had tried tapping, hitting then pounding with a 8lb sledge first, but it didn't want to budge. When I replaced the wheel bearing on the other side last year, all it took was a couple small taps to get it to slide free. Yes, I forgot to mention re-torquing all the nuts and bolts. On my 98' Sable I had read the wrong torque for the hub spindle nut and ruined a brand new set of wheel bearings when they came apart the next day. If you don't have a torque wrench and think you got it tight enough, you didn't. Use, borrow or rent a torque wrench.
I had 3 other people look at the alternator and try to pull it out. Tried moving it every which way. Now since you said it comes right out for you, I just thought of something else. This vehicle has had two front end collisions. So maybe the insurance adjustor didnt notice something had moved enough to cause my clearance problem. Or maybe he did and didnt think it was a big enough problem to fix. But I'm telling you, there was no way it would come out without lifting the motor.
I did see that I could have put a couple of long extensions and a swivel connector together to get at that top bolt from underneath, but it was definitely easier to do from the top. Now, if it had been on a lift in a shop, then yeah, get it from the bottom.
Thanks for your comments.

[highlandlake]

Holy smokes you guys!

Is that what is involved to remove the alternator??

Damn, I better start growing synthetic knuckle skin in a petri dish soon.
I know I'm gonna need some extra skin grafts when the time comes to replace mine....

Good lord!

What does it take to remove just the serpentine belt?

Tom

[Airjer_]

Jack it up, remove the passenger front tire, remove the plastic shield. The tensioner will be right there once all that is out of the way.

[highlandlake]

Originally Posted by Airjer_

Jack it up, remove the passenger front tire, remove the plastic shield. The tensioner will be right there once all that is out of the way.

Thanks, that sounds reasonable.

I had a Buick with the 3.8 liter V6 that required disconnecting the motor mount and jacking up the engine to remove the serp belt. But most other wear parts on that engine were quite accessible.

[dashmore]

Not having any instructions to lead me to do all that, I chose to work from the experience I got from changing a coil pack on the back of the engine (which requires you to remove the intake assy).
I raised the car just enough to get good clearance for access and removed the intake as I mentioned earlier. At this point you gain access from the top and the bottom as needed, and will have to work blind at times. Removed the alternator up through the top and re-installed the same way. Realistic, this took about 5 hours from start to finish in my drive way. Time was not as important as not removing as few parts as possible or having to disconnect any steering components.
Just a thought for any one faced with the same.
But I also said to myself "If I ever need another Alternator, I'll pay someone to do it"!!