So I'm driving home from work in my now properly timed Monte, f****** air bag light comes on. Great. Then the f****** battery light comes on. Great. Then they go out. Nice. Then the f****** MIL comes on, even better. Get home, pull out the DVM, 12.2V not running, 12.2V running. MOTHERF******! Why in the f*** can't this f****** car have a f****** voltmeter instead of a f****** idiot light that doesn't f****** work anyways.
F***
Steve
Well, wait until you have to replace the alternator on this beast.
Ian
Your not kidding! I replaced the alternator on my Lumina 3.4 liter. What a pain!
Brian
Did it once a little less than three years ago. Of course I only bought the
1 year warranty alternator, so no dice on the replacement. I just got home from the parts store with my new Champion (formerly Bosch) remanufactured alternator which carries a 3 year warranty. Be tackling it tomorrow. I think it should go fairly quickly, first time it took 5 hours but I went about it all wrong. I had to take the alternator out to get at the rear differential when I blew it last year, so I think I can get it replaced in about 3 hours. ALLData says 3.4 hours, but I think I can beat it.Steve
A 3" diameter, Autometer Voltmeter is on my " To Buy " list for the Park Avenue.
Harryface
05 Park Avenue 91 Bonneville LE, 303,555 miles
The worst replacement I can think of would be the starter on a Northstar - it's UNDER the intake manifold!! It's more & more obvious that real car people have little to say about design today.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Retired Shop Rat: 14,647 days in a GM plant. Now I can do what I like; Large Format Photography
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So I get the alternator out it 2 hours. Strugled with the usual hard to reach bolts, laid it on the bench and thought to myself "gees that looks different." Part store sold me the wrong one. F***. Partially my fault, I should have seen it right off the bat, the one they sold me has the external fan, and I know mine is internal but it slipped my mind. But if I ask for an alternator for a '95 Monte Carlo, 3.4L DOHC, 105amp you would think they'd give me the right one. So I called up cursin' and screamin', "get me the right one!" They had to order it, it'll be in tomorrow at 9:30am.
F***
Steve
Not even close! I work on Northstars every day...and doing a starter on one of them is a piece of cake. I can have the starter on the bench in 15 minutes. Try that with an alternator on the 3.4 DOHC engine, it aint gonna happen. And the placement of the starter on the Northstar makes sense when you see the engine/trans package. Sure keeps the starter nice and clean.
Ian
Just out of curiousity Ian, how do YOU remove the alternator? I tried the way described in the manual, but I found pulling the strut and drive axle easier than dropping the subframe/exhaust and pulling the alternator out through the back.
By the way, I found that rattle, it was the shield covering the axle, a bolt fell out. Guess I didn't tighten it the last time I had it off.
Steve
That's good to hear. I was under the impression you'd have to remove the intake to get to it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Retired Shop Rat: 14,647 days in a GM plant. Now I can do what I like; Large Format Photography
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You do!
Ian
I disconnect the right ball joint, and lower the right side of the subframe. I don't lower the back of the subframe, though that works fine too. This was a good job at one time, as the labour rate was high, and once you had done one, it was easy to make a fair bit of time on the job.
Ian
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required