Iā??ve got a 99 Contour SE sport V6. I can only speak to the question of removing the alternator. I am only an amateur mechanic, but I just spent the last few weekends doing exactly this. The answer is, yes, you can remove the alternator through the passenger wheel well by disconnecting one tie rod. Thereā??s lots of room to extract it, once you get the alternator bolts off. Getting those upper and lower alternator bolts loose, however, is a real bear that will try your patience. The truth is that if you choose your technique right, with the car up on jack stands, all you really need is a standard 3/8 socket wrench and a good 13 mm socket. But finding the right combination of body position and entry point is the **real** trick.
