Is an alternator a DIY job?

[dsatt12]

Hey folks. My alternator went kablooey in the space of about an hour the other day. First I noticed a bearing on its way out sort of noise on the way to get gas- by the time I got back and stopped the car to unload it for another vehicle to head to thanksgiving dinner it told me 'check charge system' in the DIC when I backed it out of the driveway.

Indy8 mentioned in the lights flickering thread that it may require a radiator and fan removal. Can anyone verify that? A search told me that I should be able to find an alternator for $140, but I am just trying to figure out where to go from here, and how much I should end up spending. Thanks!

[mikelebo99]

I am in the same situation. I did notice that the engine bay is not layed out for any type of DIY work. The serpentine belt is hidden behind a bracket attached to an enging mount. Im not sure I want to go messing with that. If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

Mike

[Indy8]

R&R of serpentine belt takes ten minutes.

[mikelebo99]

What is R&R? Also can you give a brief description of how to get to the belt. How do you remove the black metal plate attached to the engine mount? I see the bolts but once removed wont the enging shift?

Mike

[Indy8]

R&R is short for remove and replace. See the "Belt replacement question" thread on page four.

[mikelebo99]

I have not taken a real close look but is the alternator located in a place that can be accessed from underneath? What is the best way to attack that once the belt is removed?

Mike

[Indy8]

There doesn't seem to be enough room between the block and the front subframe to drop it down and out. To me it looks like forward and up(after rad. and fan removal) is the only way, but I've never done it.

[dsatt12]

Well, I went and wussed out and had a shop change out the alternator. I'd suggest shopping around a bit. I found a place that could get a Delco reman alternator with a lifetime warranty and 12 mo/12,000 miles on labor for the cheapest out of about 12 reputable garages I looked into.

I paid $180 labor and $242 for the alternator. I found that Autozone has a 1yr warranty alternator for $95 (plus core charge) but I chickened out on taking things apart myself after getting it up on stands and poked around a bit more- not to mention I was freezing my nuts off since my garage isn't heated and it was hovering around 20 or so the other evening here in central Iowa... No mechanic was interested in saving me a couple of hundred bucks by putting it in, at least with any sort of warranty even on everything BUT the alternator (horrific premonition of leaking 3 mo. old radiator comes to mind).

All the shops were wanting 2 1/2 to 3 hours labor and said they had to remove the radiator.

I was also told my battery was borderline. I guess I know what I'm getting for christmas from my wife. Just let the kid try to shake THAT package heh heh. Maybe I'll have her intentionally mislabel it with HIS name

[Indy8]

Can someone who owns the GM factory manual please look-up the alternator procedure call out and put the radiator removal question to rest??

[BKVic]

Indy8

Section 6D3-6 Charging system of the 1997 Factory service manual says:

1-Remove rear seat cushion
2-Disconnect negative battery cable
3-Remove upper radiator shroud
4-Remove right and left cooling fans
5-Remove accessory belt
6-Remove top alternator bolts,disconnect cable and regulator connector
7-Remove ground strap and P/S line bracket to gain access
8-Remove lower bolts
9-Remove lower radiator hose(drain radiator)
10-Remove air inlet duct
11-Remove alternator through top left side of the engine compartment.



I have also noted that GM like to call the alternator a generator in this section, they seem to interchang the two terms at random.


BKVic

[Indy8]

Thank you!! That settles it. Slide it across and then up. Drain, refill and fan removal. That's not bad.

[thumpin455]

FYI the 95 CSM is the same except that it mentions to raise the vehicle in order to remove the lower generator bolts and the bottom radiator hose; then lower the vehicle before doing the final steps 10 & 11 as posted above by BKVic.

I see your 97 manual was revised to mention "drain radiator". These 2 words were omitted in the 95 manual. Can you believe there might be a service tech working on your Aurora that didn't know to drain the radiator before removing the lower radiator hose? Yes, I would say the alternator is a DIY job.

Paul

[BKVic]

Originally Posted by thumpin455

I see your 97 manual was revised to mention "drain radiator". These 2 words were omitted in the 95 manual. Can you believe there might be a service tech working on your Aurora that didn't know to drain the radiator before removing the lower radiator hose? Yes, I would say the alternator is a DIY job.

Paul

You know as well as I do that the only reason they revised it somewhere between your 95 and my 97 manual was because they were getting complaints from dealerships that many of their employees were spilling coolent all over the shop floor when removing that lower radiator hose!


BKVic

[iceman06]

It's a pain in the but, but it's not out of the question. I did mine and it requires you to losen the serpentine belt and take out the radiator to get to the alternator. Be careful when the job is done not to overheat the car. Sometimes it takes a while to get the air out of the cooling system and get the coolant flowing.

[kiway22]

You mean to tell me, that someone would remove a lower radiator hose, without draining the radiator first??You have to be pulling my leg.