does anyone know where i can find some instructions on how to pull and replace the alternator on my 87 max. the search function is not working and i need some info now.
thanks to anyonw who can help me

 

1. Lift front of car and put it on jackstands.
2. Remove passenger side lower splash pan.
3. There are 2 bolts, one bolt allows the alternator to pivot, loosen that.
4. The 2nd bolt allows the alternator to put tension on the belt. Loosen that until you can remove the belt.
5. Remove belt, then proceed to remove the two bolts until the alternator is free.
6. Remove wiring harness
7. Remove alternator.
8. Replacement is reverse order of these instructions.

S

 

watch out when you get a new one on....the alternator belts like to grow for some reason. mines loose again and it was perfect before...i swear its growing, i hope it doesent engulf my car with serpentine belt.

oh and always get a life time warranty

maximas, xteras and 300zx's go throught alternators fast for some reason and dealship replacements suck

 

Yeah, the problem is they tend to be a little underpowering, and can be easily overloaded.

S

 

Is that it. it sounds like it isn't that hard to yourself. Do i have to mess with anything related to the air cond.?

 

And don't forget to disconnect the negative cable from the battery before you start working on it. Should take you 30 mins to an hour to do if you never did it before. After my 4th alternator I can do it in 15 mins.

Good Luck, AL

 

are there any special tools i'll need?

 

just some socket and open ended metric wrenches...

-the only thing you touch that has to do with the AC is the belt...so not really

-Carson

 

cool, thanks everyone

 

yeah, you'll need 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm sockets. the two bolts on the bottom of the alternator will need a 14. the rest is 12. the thick wire that's bolted to the back is for the battery. there are also a few grounding wires bolted to the alternator frame too, if I'm not mistaken, that need to be re-connected. everything else is pretty much idiot-proof. it's also a good idea to put your battery on a charger while replacing the alternator. a dead battery can kill a new alternator from the sudden overload. also, don't make the mistake I made and overtighten the belt.

I know the feeling of having an underpowered alternator, my sentra only has a 70 amp alt. I just replaced mine, and the one before that was only a few months old. I'm thinking about getting one for a 2nd gen maxima cos they're rated at 90 amps and they cost less, but I don't know if the bolt holes line up. these aren't as easy or efficient to rebuild as the ones used in older chevies. in these, a new voltage regulator costs as much as the alternator does.

 

and it's also a very good idea to heed the very first warning on the instruction booklet you get with a new alternator that says "make sure the engine is turned off before beginning this procedure"

just a quick word of advice in case maybe you'd forgotten.

 

how tight should the belt be?

 

a good rule of thumb for tightening belts is to start by tightening it to the point where you can feel tension. then pick the longest run for that belt between any two pulleys (in your case, I think the compressor turns the alternator), and run your hand down to the middle of that run and twist the belt 90 degrees. you should be able to twist it 90 degrees without too much force. if you can't, it's too tight. it's safer to have a belt that's too loose than too tight. a belt that's too loose will usually squeal. if it's too loose, the charge and brake warning lights on the dash will probably come on intermittently. a belt that's too tight will chew through the alternator bearing, or even worse, break the crankshaft pulley completely off. use your best judgement. usually once you start to feel tension on the belt, it's tight enough. you should be ok.

sorry if this confuses you. I tried to explain it the best I could.

Dan