Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Alternator bracket question

I am #@%&'ed and determined to replace this @#&% alternator in my 99 Contour, but so far, it has been a disaster. (**sigh**). (No irreparable damage yet. Still, reminds me why I keep my day job.)

Just a couple questions.

1) I started easy and tried to remove the lower alternator bracket bolt (the one you have easy access to through the wheel-well). Well, I stripped it (rounded it). (Right tool, wrong technique.) Since I have exhausted my bag of tricks on this one, it occurred to me that I might be able just to cut the flared head off with a hack saw. I assume there are no threads in the bracket itself (cause if there were and I cut it off, Iâ??d really be screwed.) With the head cut off, I figure I should be able to slide the bracket off once I get the other bolts out. The stripped bolt would then be easier to remove too. (Who sees the flaw in this approach, because, given my track record, Iâ??m sure there is one.)

2) As I look ahead to removing the other alternator bolts... There are a couple of really useful write-ups on alternator removal in the CEG, but being a rank amateur, I sometimes have a hard time visualizing exactly what the writers are talking about. For example, one post implies that you access the upper alternator bolt by running a long socket wrench extension from the **drivers** side. Good grief, I will never be able to get my hands on a tool like that. Thereâ??s got to be another way. Does an amateur weekend mechanic with a standard box of tools stand any chance of removing this bolt?

Seriously, any response would be appreciated.

i can help on the stripped bolt, cutting the bolt is a . it would be best to go to sears and get a bolt out socket that fits the bolt and remove it with that as for replacing it i dunno never done it on a contour, did it on my accord and it was hard as hell to do, it was located drivers side firewall halfway up. i had to damn near remove half the engine to get to it. but im sure someone else knows how hard it is to replace

I'm not exactly sure what bolt you're talking about that you can reach from the wheel well. I've taken off the alternator twice, which is held in by two main bolts and this little tiny other bolt that was missing from my car to begin with. I don't know if it's a lot different between Zetecs and Duratecs. I've got the 2.5L. The upper bracket bolt can be reached by sticking your hand down from the top of the engine where all the wiring and stuff is. Feel around for it and you'll find it . I am figuring you have a Zetec though cuz there aren't any bolts you can simply reach from the wheel well in the Duratec. Good luck with the rounded bolt.

How round is it? A good 6-point socket should still be able to get it off. There is so much contact area even if the corners are mostly gone it'll still grip on the flat sides.

I'm assuming you were using a 12pt socket because you usually don't here about people rounding bolts using a 6 point - it'd likely shear the bolt before it rounded.

Scott, you almost got it right!

I never even knew there were 6 point and 12 point sockets and wrenches till this happened. (I've learned a valuable lesson.) And I had just bought this nice set of Craftsman metric wrenches, too. I shredded the bolt with a 12 point box wrench. (There is no room to put a socket on it, so I had to use a wrench.)

Unfortunately, I have been hacking at it for two weekends, now, and the bolt looks like it's been chewed by a dog. I can't get any kind of wrench on it, metric or English. I have made it worse by twisting it with Vice Grips and pliers and hammering at it with a screwdriver and a chisel. It's pretty much history....

This business about 6 point sockets and wrenches is good information for those who don't already know about it. Thanks Scott.

I failed to mention I had a Duratec because I thought that tag line describing my car (99 Contour Sport SE) would show up. (I **am** a newbie to bulletin boards like this.) Sorry.

(None of the 3 bolts on my alternator is actually easy to get to, but with the wheel off, one of them is **much** easier to put a wrench on than the other two, if that helps.)

i got a 96 contour and never had to get to the alternator, well not yet.. but with doing brakes, not just on contours but other cars as well i find that i have to stop sometimes and really think about the rotation of the bolt, especailly when i cant see it but just feel it.. make sure i(you) are not tightening it by mistake... an easy mistake to make especially with getting bolts from the back like the pins for the calipers on brake pads......

Rich, I have just gotten in from the garage working on my 98 duratec alternator so listen up.

First a couple questions. Did you take off the plastic pieces on the inner fender so that you can get to the alt. good? Next, you can get a socket on the bottom bolt, but it is difficult and you get about 1 click out of the ratchet each time. if you can do this, you might still be able to get it out with the socket. if not try this:

The bottom bolt should be sticking out from the opposite end of the alternator from where the head is. Your best bet is probably to get a pair of vise grips on that end and try to get it loose. This will be difficult but it might work.

Drawing of what I mean: [==| |=- the bracket is the head of the bolt, the equals are the bolt itself, the spaces are the alt. and the - is the end of the bolt sticking out. Vise grip hear and try to loosen the bolt.

Now, the top bolt is fairly easy. with the car as high on jackstands as possible (please use jack stands not just a jack, I know that is a given but just in case) crawl under the car so that you are laying like if you were laying across the front seats with your head on the drivers seat. reach up with your left hand to the drivers side of the exhaust manifold and using a 12" extension and a socket (you will have to use your right hand to help guide from the alt. side) locate the bolt and put the socket on the bolt. Next, put the ratchet on the extension and go to town. Once you get the bolts out, the alt. may still be in the bracket pretty good from friction so you may have to pry it loose somehow.

Good luck,
Brad

Brad -

This is encouraging....

Yes, the splash guards are off...

I've seen that lower bolt sticking out thru the bracket, I think. Have never had much luck with ViceGrips, but I may try it this weekend. After what you've said, I really think I can get both of those bolts off, one way or another.

Still hung up on that third bolt, the one that secures the bracket to the motor (the one I stripped). Do I even need to take this off? (Even if I don't, I probably will, just to replace that bolt or it will bug me forever.) I'm still tempted to hack it off with a hacksaw..

Thanx for the suggestions.