98 Lesabre new alternator install problem..

Hi. I replaced the lower and upper intake manifold gaskets. I also installed a new upper intake manifold.

I am trying to install the alternator.
There are two support rails that come off the rear intake manifold....one takes a long screw and the other takes a short screw ...no problem. There is another screw that has a nut mounted on it half way down that is long and it goes on the end closest to the front....and a support bracket comes up from under the ignition coil and attaches to it...no problem.

My problem is this.....there is a screw hole in the alternator mount on the bottom that matches up with a screw I ALREADY have mounted in the water pump. The water pump was like that before and I know I did not mount a screw to that...HOWEVER I HAVE ONE LONG BOLT LEFT OVER and cannot figure out how to attach it to the alternator. The alternator already has 3 screws supporting it and it is very firm.

I just do not remember ever having a screw at the bottom alternator mount .....you can see the 3 other mounts..... there is already a screw in the hold where the bottom mount lines up with and that is throwing me off because I did not touch the screw that is there now and I also noticed another screw hole at the bottom right of one of the pictures.
You can see that I have 1 bolt left over and one nut. There are already 3 screws holding the alternator.....I CANNOT FIND ANY DOCUMENTATION ON LINE PLUS the SERVICE MANUAL IS OF NO HELP in this matter. It really stinks to be so close to finishing this thing and now this.....

Any help will be greatly appreciated!


Thanks,

Sam in Cary, NC.

Alternator installation is covered in the UIM/LIM procedure:

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3591

This should help.

Looking at the picture, it looks like you forgot some bolts in the tensioner assembly.....

Too late now, but, whenever I take anything apart, I do what an oldtimer showed me when I started out......he gave me an old cupcake tin he had....whenever he took anything apart, he would put the bolts in the tin, starting on the top left, i.e., the bolts/nuts for the alternator would go in the first hole, because I would take the alternator off first..... then the next hole would be for the next thing I took apart.....what is good about this is, when you go to put things back together, you start at the last hole and go in reverse order correctly(how many times have you seen someone put something back in the incorrect order, causing them to have to go back and take it apart again?).....I see guys throw bolts in a pan or box, and then hunt for their bolts on assembly.....and also, what's great about this is, if you work in a busy shop, and are constantly pulled off the job to do other things, you look at that last hole, and you know right where you left off, by recognizing the bolts.....it's foolproof also, that you don't mix the bolts up....and it's great when you are working on an engine or transmission for the first time....

Looking at the picture, it looks like you forgot some bolts in the tensioner assembly.....


First of all thank you for taking the time to reply to my thread.
If you look at the picture I posted that has arrows in it....... apparently when I put the belt tensioner back on I must have put a bolt in that did not belong....which is the one that is lining up with the bottom bracket bolt hole of the alternator. The bottom bracket bolt hole from the alternator assembly is lining up with a hole that already has a bolt in it and that bolt I was not supposed to put in until the alternator was put on.
So that is a belt tensioner bolt that the lower bolt hole is lining up with from the alternator bracket???

Alternator installation is covered in the UIM/LIM procedure:

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3591

This should help.

It helps a bit. It would be great if I could find a exploded view diagram. I have the 3 part GM Service Manual and it does not cover the alternator. I do not know why. Unless I am missing something it is not discussed.

Thank you again.

It helps a bit. It would be great if I could find a exploded view diagram. I have the 3 part GM Service Manual and it does not cover the alternator. I do not know why. Unless I am missing something it is not discussed.

Does this help?

Does this help?

Heck yeh. Thank you. Armed with knowledge and ready to get er done !!

Additionally I looked at the name of the file your picture has and it was called generator.... and it got me thinking....did GM refer to the Alternator as "Gernerator" in their service manual and by god ...bingo.
I found information in the service manual about the "Generator" .....so the service manual info coupled with your Exploded view has given me enough info to go back out in the garage and finish.
Thanks man I really appreciate your help.

Sam
Cary,NC

Please see this thread to see the picture of the lower alternator bolt and one of the tensioner bolts in their correct spot.


http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1076980