I need to change out the alternator in my 90 maxima, never changed out an alternator but i am still very well rounded with cars, im 100% positive i could figure it out myself i just wanna know if theres anything i need to worry about. A quick step by step guide would be very very helpfull. what to take off to get at it. best way to get at it. best way to take it off/put it on. thanks

 

relatively easy job (3/10), go at it from underneath.
get the car on jack stands, disconnect battery, remove under cover on passenger side. remove power cables (one clips, one bolts on). loosen both bolts holding on the alternator. slip off belt. remove bolts.
installation is reverse. do not over-tighten the bolts!

may be forgetting something(or have something slightly off), but you should see it when you get there.

 

loosen the alternator tensioner bolt and release the alternator to belt tension then disconnect the electrical connectors then unbolt the top alternator bolts. 14mm the bigger bolts and nuts 12mm on the battery cable bolt on the alternator and a 8mm ground wire bolt

 

so get this, I take off my alternator and take it to autozone to swap with a new one so i dont need t pay the core charge. i have them test it for the hell of it. came back 100% fine, so now im dumbfounded take it home and re install it. giving me the same problems including the battery light being on. so i start replacing old wires, cleaning grounds running threw all wires. Still nothing, i get under there and hit the alternator with a hammer cuz i tried everything else figured why not. works fine. anyone care to explain wtf happend here????? i am so confused. Its funny cuz my friend had a 1992 nissan sentra and he actually did the same thing to make his alternator work. Never heard of it working as a perm fix on an alternator, temp fix on a starter.

 

i kinda had a similar problem, turns out the wires that go routed on the radiator core support (big a$$ wire loom with a bunch of wires in it) was actually rubbing on the alternator pulley causing a short. go figure!!! fixed the wires and battery light and other lights on cluster never came back.