1. Disconnect the battery.
Before starting any work on the alternator, you need to disconnect the battery. This will help to prevent any electrical shock. To disconnect the battery, loosen the negative terminal bolt and remove the cable from the battery post.
2. Remove the serpentine belt.
The serpentine belt is the belt that drives the alternator, power steering pump, and water pump. To remove the serpentine belt, you will need to loosen the tensioner pulley. The tensioner pulley is located on the front of the engine. Use a wrench to loosen the tensioner pulley bolt and then remove the belt from the pulleys.
3. Remove the alternator bracket.
Once you have removed the serpentine belt, you need to remove the alternator bracket. The alternator bracket is located on the front of the engine and is held in place by four bolts. Use a wrench to remove the four bolts and then lift off the alternator bracket.
4. Disconnect the electrical connectors.
There are two electrical connectors that need to be disconnected from the alternator. The first connector is the positive terminal connector. The positive terminal connector is located on the back of the alternator and is covered by a black plastic cap. To remove the positive terminal connector, use a flat-head screwdriver to pry off the plastic cap. Use pliers to loosen the nut on the positive terminal connector and then remove it. The second connector is the sense terminal connector. The sense terminal connector is a smaller connector located on the front of the alternator. To remove the sense terminal connector, use a flat-head screwdriver to pry it off the alternator.
5. Remove the alternator.
Now that you have removed everything connected to the alternator, removing the alternator is easy. Use a wrench to loosen the four bolts holding the alternator on the engine. Lift off the alternator and put it aside.
6. Install the new alternator.
To install the new alternator, simply reverse the steps that you took to remove the old alternator. Be sure to tighten the bolts securely.
7. Reconnect the electrical connectors.
Reconnect the positive terminal connector and sense terminal connector to the new alternator.
8. Install the alternator bracket.
Install the alternator bracket and secure it with the four bolts.
9. Install the serpentine belt.
Install the serpentine belt and secure it with the tensioner pulley.
10. Reconnect the battery.
Reconnect the battery cable to the battery post and tighten the nut.
Test the alternator.
Start the engine and check the voltage at the battery. The voltage should be between 13 and 14 volts. If the voltage is not within this range, the alternator is not working properly and should be replaced.
