Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance alternator bolts

After much struggle, I was able to get the 2 long bolts to line up and almost tight. But the bolt hole for the short bolt is not inside the bolt hole on the black bracket. It's over 1/8" off I would guess. No amount of banging and prying seemed to bring it in place. What should I do now??

not sur ebut maybe you need to turn the small bracket around? it should be slotted on one hole iirc

I don't understand how you are having so much trouble with lining it up? Just keep messing with it until its right! Sheesh something tells me you don't have much patience.

6+ hours working on it and you say I have no patience? I like your solution of just keep messing with it until it's right, as if I have free time to kill and I'm doing this just for my personal enjoyment! I think a big problem is leverage, as in I can't get enough to move the thing where I want it. Even with a pry bar, it doesn't move the direction I want it.

pull it back out and start the small bracket on the alternator then put it in, shouldn't be hard to line up the bracket holes and go from there. start with the lower bolt and swing the alternator up into position and get the other bolt in and then get the bracket in ...

Hey, we're all friends here. All I'm saying is I've been at it for longer than I should based on other posts, so I lack either technique or muscle (or both). And you're right, I'm fed up and quitting because I see no point in continuing if I can pay someone to do it quicker. I've sort of "been there done that" on this issue... I don't know what you did right or what I'm doing wrong, but I tried...for hours. There's no ruling out that something might be bent or warped that is preventing me from putting it back on correctly.

who're you gonna pay to install one bolt? if you take it to a shop, you did all that work (like 98% of the alternator swap), and will probably end up paying a couple hundred bucks. I say leave it alone for a day or two, go back refreshed and give it another hour or two.

are you positive you didn't mix up the bolts in any way? did you try turning the bracket around as suggested? have you pulled it out and put it back in a couple times, or have you just been banging on it. the banging might've messed it up, I'd suggest getting another bolt from a dealership and trying that before resorting to taking it to a shop.

I wasn't going to take it to a shop. I was looking for a willing local CEG'er to help me. I didn't mix up the bolts. I have taken the bolt off once to try to get a fresh start because of those sliding bushings. I haven't banged on it hard because I don't want to crack the housing. Mainly I've been using a pry bar but not too hard. I'll try turning the bracket today.

Bolt isn't the problem. It's the alignment of the bolt hole for the short bolt on the brace and the hole on the alternator. Ain't no new bolt's gonna fix that.

Okay, I see part of the problem now. Ray's How-to (the one I used) says to take out the small bolt that faces the driver side, leaving the bracket on the engine. darsoccer's how to says to remove the small bolt from the engine block, so that bracket comes out with the alternator. I may be mistaken, but I think the engine block side is a slot and the alternator side is a hole so no slop.

Just looked at the service manual, and it says to take out the brace with the alternator. Also says to tighten the alternator side first, then engine side.

You are correct a hole on the alt side and a slot on engine side. You can get to it after it is in just start the alt bolt and leave it loose so it will line up when you get it back in