how to replace alternator? (if you have done it)

**johnwc723** · 12-09-2003, 08:39 PM

well it seems to me that my alt is crapped up as i decided from my previous thread. well now i need to replace it, one book i looked at said i should remove the wheel shaft or some such thing to get at it from underneath the car ( this sounds quite hard

) well i was wondering if anyone has some suggestions on the best ways of going about getting that POS outta there
also anyone found a good place to buy em cheap? (as i am poor beyond belief)

THANKS ALOT GUYS!!

***Jareds 89 LX-i*** · 12-09-2003, 09:04 PM

On EFI it's actually rather easy. Remove the whole airbox from behind the intake manifold and you'll have tons more room to get in there. Then just loosen the 2 mounting bolts for the alt just a little, then turn the tensioner screw to relieve the tension and remove the belt. Then take the mounting bolts out, unplug the green 4 wire plug and the thick battery(+) cable and the alt will pull right up and out that nice big space you just opened up by taking the airbox out. Don't listen to the manual where it says to take the axle out.... no need to. Installation is the reverse of taking it out... don't overtighten the tensioner screw and make sure everything is tight before starting it up.

Good luck!

**Justin86** · 12-09-2003, 09:07 PM

Just be glad you have EFI and not carb. The carb guys have to remove the axle.

***Jareds 89 LX-i*** · 12-09-2003, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by Justin86
Just be glad you have EFI and not carb. The carb guys have to remove the axle.

I've never done it myself, but I've heard from several people on here that carb guys can slide the alt over to the other side and get it out from the top on the passenger side. Never tried it myself, but it looks like it would work

**zero.counter** · 12-09-2003, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by Jareds 89 LX-i
I've never done it myself, but I've heard from several people on here that carb guys can slide the alt over to the other side and get it out from the top on the passenger side. Never tried it myself, but it looks like it would work

This...is true. With some careful maneuvering and patience, you can wedge it along the firewall.

**BITESIZE** · 12-10-2003, 12:37 AM

I've replaced mine 2 times in the passed 9 weeks. I can have the old one and the new one in, in about 10 minutes now.

But yeah, just pull it up between the firewall and the intake manifold. It's quite easy.

**k-roy** · 12-10-2003, 01:40 AM

I dropped the axle, I have a carb. I did not even think of trying to slide it to the side. Oh well the axle was going bad anyways so I used it as an excuse to replace it.

**shepherd79** · 12-10-2003, 04:45 AM

on EFI you can slide between firewall and intake mnaifold.

**it's paid for** · 12-10-2003, 05:59 AM

. . . since we're on the topic of alternators . . . I'm getting ready to put in a new one in my car and on the back of the alternator, it says something like "It's highly recommended you replace the condensor when replacing the alternator" . . .

. . . what's the condensor . . . I'm guessing it's the little metal cylinder with a wire coming out of it that was attached to the original alternator . . .

. . . is that what I'm supposed to replace? If so, how important is it to replace it instead of using the old one?

Thanks,

IPF

**Gregg86DX** · 12-10-2003, 08:09 AM

On my carb'd car, I could not figure out any way to get it out without dropping the axle, and lord knows, I tried.

There are 3 things that typically fail on an alternator: the brushes, the voltage regulator or the bearings. The hardest to fix is the bearings. The brushes and regulator are both simple to replace. If the alternater stops working, but still turns smoothly and does not have significant play in the shaft, then I would try relacing the brushes first. You can get a brush kit from Honda that costs around $20 and it's easy to install. You just remove the back cover of the alternator and the brushes come out as an assembly.
If that does not fix it, then it's probably the voltage regulator. These are more expensive and may not be worth replacing, if you can find a good deal on a complete alternator. I actually found a used regulator and it worked fine. You might try calling a couple of these shops that specialize in rebuilt alternators/starters. They may have used parts on the shelf.

Overall, Honda alternators are very well built, and IMHO, they are worth trying to salvage.

Gregg

**johnwc723** · 12-10-2003, 10:29 AM

this is good!! i thought i was gonna have to drop the axle too... glad i dont have to now i was scared

so i just get at it from between the intake manifold and the right side (facing it) from ontop of the car? so i should just un tension it and un bolt it... also before i get it out... will my car have the 3-prong or 4-prong (just from the body style can one tell?) got that 2dr 89lxi
thanks A BUNCH GUYS!! as you saved me from alot of unecessary hassle!

**youknowit62300** · 12-10-2003, 11:23 AM

lxi has 4 prong i believe and for the carb guys u can get the alternator out without taking out the axle you just have to unbolt the master cylinder and push it over to the side gives you all the room you will need... I had to replace mine and that is the easiest way i could find...

**rubberburner** · 12-11-2003, 05:53 PM

I have a carb, and I lifted the alt right out from the top. All I removed was the air cleaner, and I hacked off that usless little tab on the side of the intake manifold. It's tricky, but it can be done w/o any force.

**RustyHo88** · 12-11-2003, 06:30 PM

Originally posted by rubberburner
I have a carb, and I lifted the alt right out from the top. All I removed was the air cleaner, and I hacked off that usless little tab on the side of the intake manifold. It's tricky, but it can be done w/o any force.

If your talking about the tab i am thinking of, then its not useless. its used for bolting the vacuum switches to the manifold. But, that will work; of if you want to leave the car intact, you can simply loosen those motor mounts, and raise the engine a few cm. worked for me.

**rubberburner** · 12-11-2003, 06:34 PM

Nothing was attached to the tab. No bolt holes, no clips, no nothing. Just some random piece of metal that was sticking out.

**youknowit62300** · 12-11-2003, 07:12 PM

I thought of doing the motor mount thing but everytime i do i have to re-hook most of my vac lines up on the driver side..

***A20A1*** · 12-11-2003, 07:57 PM

Vacuum lines are minimal on the drivers side. Considering it should only be a one time job... any amount of work is okay. But I personally never had to remove the axle.

**johnwc723** · 12-11-2003, 08:22 PM

damn my bolts are stripped and stuck on it i tried to remove it in auto-tech today, i got a new one tho so im ready... how the hell do i remove frozen stripped bolts?!

**Grant2k** · 12-11-2003, 09:12 PM

i did mine on my carb by just removing the air box and taking it out right from the driver's side also. but actually dropping the axles in our cars isn't as hard as you might think. but i would still avoid since you can do it from the engine bay.

**johnwc723** · 12-12-2003, 10:47 AM

alright i got all the bolts out of it, is the only tensioner on it the one thats on the alternator bracket because i loosened it but the belt has not become loose.... thanks guys!

**goldadition** · 12-12-2003, 09:08 PM

in order to loosen the belt you must lose the top bolt on the alt.

yeah i just replaced my alt today as well. it wasn't too bad, my car is carbed their is no room for the alt. to come out of the top so i had to remove the axle,(easy as hell, i could do it in my sleep) belt all 3 screws including the tensioner. the mounting bracet and it barley fit inbetween the fire wall and the oil pan. if napa would've had my belts i might have been done with it in 1 1/2 hours but nooooo. i had to wait for them to bring my new belts. ohh by the way the flat rate on a job like that is about 2.7 hrs. r/r. i was hella fast.