removing alternator from fan housing

[toddetch]

Hi all,

I'm replacing my alternator with the Classic Retrofit alternator, getting ready to install the Electrocooler AC. As you can see from the pictures I've removed it from the car and the fan came off easily. However, getting the alternator itself out of the housing is proving to be difficult. I've tried tapping on the alternator studs with a hammer to loosen it, no luck so far. Maybe I'm being too careful, but I am trying not to damage either the alternator (which could be reused by someone if desired) or the fan housing. Any other suggestions? Should I just take it to a machine shop and ask them to press it out? If so, any specific instructions I should give them?

Also, while I have your attention...does anyone have suggestions on how to clean up the fan housing and fan while I have it out?

Thanks!

Todd

[sigchuck]

I've never actually performed this task, but I think you need to gently drop the entire assembly against a block of wood to dislodge the alternator. Good luck!

[lsf911]

I would put the nuts back on each alternator bolt just far enough to protect the threads and lightly tap it out with a hammer. Alternating which bolt you tap on until it breaks free and starts to move. That's what I did and it worked well.

I sand blasted my fan housing and fan and it looks new.

[Harpo]

I cut a 6 inch hole in some 3/4 plywood to support the housing with two 2x4's on the ends. Then I applied some heat around the perimeter while gently tapping on the studs. Please reinstall nuts on the long M5 bolts so you don't damage the threads. Also as sigchuck has mentioned put something soft under the alt for when it drops out. Send it to shaun @ tru-6 to be restored.

David

[lsf911]

Sand blasted and clear coated. Not perfect but looks good enough for me.

[G50911]

Originally Posted by lsf911

I would put the nuts back on each alternator bolt just far enough to protect the threads and lightly tap it out with a hammer. Alternating which bolt you tap on until it breaks free and starts to move. That's what I did and it worked well.

I sand blasted my fan housing and fan and it looks new.

this worked for me also. you can heat up the fan housing too around the alternator and it should work itself out.

[john walker's workshop]

Tons of info if you search. Basically involves tapping the edge of the housing on a block of wood and the alternator eventually falls out. Do a search.

[Flat6pac]

2 2x4s layer parallel
Put the nose nut on the center shaft and tap the housing against the 2x4s
“Tap” is relative to getting it to fall out
Alternator weight will force it free
Don’t bang on the through studs as they can’t handle the beating
Bruce

[lsf911]

[QUOTE=lsf911;11165909]Sand blasted and clear coated. Not perfect but looks good enough for me.

Picture failed to load the first time...

[toddetch]

Thanks all, good suggestions. I had done a search, but didn't find much other than "tap on it lightly" so the specific suggestions are helpful. Maybe I didn't use the right search terms... I'll give it a shot and see if I can get it out.

Thanks!

[Pedro '84 Coupe]

Rig up something like in Post #11 here: Alternator removal help
Worked perfectly for me

[Long Nose]

I just completed this task, I have a 1970 911T and removed the alternator and fan shroud and valve covers and engine shroud to clean things up.

It appeared to me that the alternator bolts were threaded thru alternator body and thru the housing, so once I removed the nuts on the back of the alternator, I had to back each of the bolts out individually. I sprayed a liberal amount of "Moovit" anti seize and then backed each bolt out and they came out perfectly. Not sure if the wood block method described would have worked.

I took my fan and shroud to have them dipped, cleaned and then powder coated. I was told by the powder coating shop that the fan and shroud were magnesium and not aluminum. As such, magnesium is more porous than aluminum, has a tendency to soak up oils and grease over the years and then off gas during the baking process and therefore cause bubbles in the paint. I guess we will see how it turns out.

I agonized a lot of what color to go with. Looked at lots of pics and most seem to be a lighter silver grey color. I however chose to go with a darker color called black pearl metallic. Can post some pics when I get it back from the shop.

[toddetch]

@lsf911 - quick question for you... I assume you took it somewhere to have it sandblasted. Did you clear coat it yourself?

[John W.]

I PB blasted the studs over night. Then got two 2x4s with a towel between them to catch it. I dropped it on the wood about a half a dozen times and it popped right out.

[LIRS6]

I gently tapped mine out with a rubber mallet ... GENTLY

Jason

[1979-930]

Drop method. The weight of the alternator pulls itself out instead of hitting it in one spot.

[lsf911]

Originally Posted by toddetch

@lsf911 - quick question for you... I assume you took it somewhere to have it sandblasted. Did you clear coat it yourself?

No, I did it myself in a blasting cabinet with very fine sand. I coated it with a clear enamel. It's been a couple of years and the fan still looks the same.

A before and after picture:

[pmax]

Gravity and inertia is your friend here, as Mr Walker said.

Gravity to get it going, inertia to keep it going.

[917_Langheck]

I just went through this myself as I needed to replace the voltage regulator and wanted to clean up the housing.

The issue is that the magnesium fan housing is machined to allow the rear of the alternator body to rest against the back of the housing. Over time these housing go out of round and may corrode, wedging the alternator in the housing.

Given that a new housing costs over $900 I would be very reticent to use the drop and release method. Get a set of sacrificial nuts to put on the alti studs and a brass hammer to tap the alti out. It will come out if you rest the housing on a couple of 2x4s on the ground or a solid bench and firmly tap each stud in a regular pattern, like a star.

[yelcab1]

A friend was having trouble tapping his alternator out from the housing a few weeks ago. He called me and I told him to come over to my garage because it needed some special tool.

7PM he came over with the alternator and fan housing from a 84 carrera.
I went to the back, found two 2x4 pieces of wood 24 inches long.
Laid them side by side in the garage.

And I dropped the whole thing on the pieces of wood. The alternator fell out the first time.

He looked at me and said, that's it? I said "Yup, you would never know it unless someone told you"

He left at 7:10PM