Alternator is gone-need some advice

As a follow up, I found my old shop manuals and it looks like I can access the generator as they call it from the front wheel well. I'll give it a try and am would still like to have any tips. Looks like I need a special thin wrench to keep the main power cable stud from turning since they have that point high lighted in bold letters saying it will cause the gen. to fail. TIA, MR

You're right - you go in from the right front wheel well.

As for that thin wrench for removing the power cable, I've done this in the past:

1) When removing the alternator, disconnect the alternator power cable from the starter. 2) Remove the alternator with the approx 1 foot long power cable still attached. 3) Find two nuts that will go onto the alternator output stud. 4) Screw one down, then the other, and tighten them against each other. 5) Then, use two wrenches, one on the nut you're trying to loosen, and the other on the double-nutted thing on the top. Loosen the nut holding the cable down.

Reverse the process to put the wire on the new alternator.

(Of course, you can do what I've subsequently done - buy the wrench and have a machine shop shave it down to about 0.060" Works like a charm!)

Good Luck!

PS - Replace the battery also. Weak batteries kill alternators, and weak alternators kill batteries. Cheap insurance!

yup

That's what I did as well. Pick up a cheap wrench and shave it down with a bench grinder.

Long time no see. 8-) Still have your Saturn?

Cheers,

Thanks a bunch for the info. Do you know what size wrench it was? TIA, MR

Wife & I bought a pair of 2003 ION 3s, and (ahem) sold our 97 SL2s to family members at very reasonable prices to help them out.

We're relatively happy with the IONs, but they have had a few warranty issues that have been a bit of a pain.

I have the ION 3 2002 Quad Coupe. Love it though. And, I've not had so much as a lick of trouble with the transmission (the vti) and I love the way that tranny feels.

- k.

1/2" wrench, grind down to between 0.060" and 0.075" thick according to for the 97 Saturn SL2.

Thanks a bunch. Job is done and what a job it was. Probably ranks up there with the most difficult one so far with any vehicle. It was the little things like loosing a bolt, working with one hand and a mirror was the tough part. Saturn said it would be about $400 and the did the convincing to DIM. Got one for $89. Good luck with your new Saturns. MR

Hello, Interesting enough, I have the same issue with my son's 94 saturn. I was looking at how to get to the alternator and it looks like a job. I called the saturn dealership and he said to loosen the motor mounts and jack up the engine, then approach the replacement from the underside.

Could someone please give me a little clearer understanding of how accessing it 'from the front wheel well' is done. Did you have to loosen the motor mounts?

thanks. chuck

Just finished the job yesterday and it took most of the day due to my inexperience and also loosing a bolt. If you have power steering you can remove the pump and sit it up near the top motor mount and that will give you access to the top bolt on the alternator. You do not have to disconnect any hoses on the pwr. steering. I did not jack the engine up or loosen motor mounts. I jacked the right side of the front up as far as I could and blocked, removed the front wheel and splash panel. That will give you access to the bottom alt. bolt and wire connections. The alt. is removed and installed thru the area where the splash guard is removed. It is the same one removed to change the oil filter. The main power connection is what took me a long time due to the one handed operation. It is the most tedious job on a car I can remember doing due to the close working conditions. Good luck, MR

thanks for the info. i'll give it a shot tomorrow.