Azriel

So, my alternator kicked the bucket, tragically. I've got one from Advanced Auto Parts being delivered to the store in the morning, but I have work at 4pm. Is 5 hours enough to change an alternator? On another note, how does one go about replacing an alternator? I don't know how to remove a serpentine belt, or anything related to that.

John A. Marker

With no experience.....sounds like you.....less than an hour.

On the passenger side of the engine, look for the idler pulley on the serp. belt. It has a 1/2" square drive socket. Place a breaker bar or ratchet in the drive and release the tension.....remove the belt.

Disconnect the NEG terminal on the battery.

Label and remove wires from alt.

Take out the bolt on the alt. brace on top of the alt. Remove the alt. brace going back to the head.

Remove the remaining bolts on the alt.

Install the new alt. and tighten all bolts. Install wires to alt. Install serp. belt.

AND LAST....connect NEG terminal to battery. You should be ready to go .

Good Luck.

runner140*

Nice step by step....you forgot the "beer" step.

onedef92

Take care not to sheer off your water temp sensor, too. It's located on the front of pump the housing and is easy to break if you're not careful to guard your breaker bar against slipping off the belt tensioner pulley.

Azriel

Haha, I'm only 20, friend. That step's not legal here in the states for one my age.

blakngold4life

Im a young guy too, that was the first thing I did myself on the car. I actually thought I had done something wrong because it was that easy. Good luck, just pay attention to what you are doing and you should be fine.

John A. Marker

So give us a little feed back....how did it go? The alternator is really a simple change out.

Be brave you can do it. It might help you in the future to purchase any type of manual for the car. A Haynes (is cheap) and better than nothing. The key to working on these cars with all the hoses, wires, sensors, other parts and bolts....is to label everything you disconnect, unplug or remove. Take pictures if you can as another reference. One would think that all the bolts for a part would be the same....NOT! If you do this (label) ...it will keep you out of a lot of trouble.

I started years ago with a 1/2 socket set with ratchet from Sears for $14.95, a few open end wrenches and a book HOW TO REPAIR YOUR CHEVROLET and pulled the engine in my 59. No prior experience and my Dad wouldn't even change his own oil.

Azriel

It went fantastically! Took less than 20 minutes to get the original off, But the parts store didn't have my new one in, so I had to wait for it. After that it was another less than 20 mins to get it back on. Good stuff, even got to work on time.

Thanks a lot for the help everyone!

Waspination

going through this process now. Im 21 so im in the young bracket as well

Azriel

It's really a piece of cake. You'll have no trouble with it at all.

jrp

Consider having your battery tested now that the alternator is new.

I had an '81 Malibu wagon once which ran great except for the alternator & battery taking turns giving me trouble. When I replaced both at the same time, all was good... until the starter felt neglected.

Waspination

I did my battery about month ago . The old one was from 2001

jsinga

Hope you got a lifetime warranty alternator.

I know my 87's had at least 5 on it.

in 15 yrs I've got 3 free ones from Pep Boy's.

The last 2 were new ones.

JS

jrp

After my experience, I would do it anyway after having to replace the alt. When one is bad, the other is strained, IMO.

coupeguy2001

What I did was to install a LT-1 alternator (92 and newer) on my 86 with an '85 top bracket and some home made spacers because I was eating alternators because of the heat.
Works like a champ.....