Replacing Alternator
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 697
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
not sure if your car is like my 85, but it's very easy to do. You just take a 1/2" socket wrench and put it into the middle of the tensioner and go one way or the other to release the tension. The belt will come right off. Then take the bolts out of the alternator. It's quite easy. Take it to where you're buying the new one and have it tested first. They'll need it anyway because there will be a core charge. They'll switch the pulleys for you too.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Don't forget to disconnect the negative battery cable first! The large red wire on the alternator terminal is always hot and you do not want that wire to go to ground 
The tensioner is fairly easy to get to but a breaker bar will just barely clear the crossmember. You should invest in a serpentine belt remover tool set. Makes the job a lot easier.
I still can't figure out why GM decided to use a Torx bolt to hold the front tab of the alternator in place. Just makes that much harder to go get another tool to use. You might want to loosen the rear mounting bracket at the A/C compressor and the intake mainfold. It will make re-installing the new alternator easier when lining up the bolts.
For the best life, get an AC Delco alternator as a replacement. The rebuilds IMHO, have questionable quality components in them.
The tensioner is fairly easy to get to but a breaker bar will just barely clear the crossmember. You should invest in a serpentine belt remover tool set. Makes the job a lot easier.
I still can't figure out why GM decided to use a Torx bolt to hold the front tab of the alternator in place. Just makes that much harder to go get another tool to use. You might want to loosen the rear mounting bracket at the A/C compressor and the intake mainfold. It will make re-installing the new alternator easier when lining up the bolts.
For the best life, get an AC Delco alternator as a replacement. The rebuilds IMHO, have questionable quality components in them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
With what they said. Shouldn't be too hard. But definitly disconnect that battery! You'll soon see how much crack the GM engineers were smoking when you work on these cars (torx bolt for instance) but they aren't too bad.
BTW
Welcome to the forum!
(You aren't in Pasco, WA are you?)
