Alternator mounting bolt problem...

scottb · 09-04-2003, 11:38 AM

I'm installing a newly rebuilt alternator in my 84. It has six long bolts that go through it. Three are used to attach the shroud, and the other three are used to attach the air diverter. One of the three bolts that attaches to the shroud is spinning when I tighten it. It's not a problem now, because I can put a wrench on it. It will be a problem, however, in the future when the alternator needs replacing again. This is because the head of the bolt will be hidden by the fan, and I won't be able to get the fan off until I remove the shroud, and I won't be able to remove the shround because the bolt will be spinning. Still with me?

So, how do I get the bolt to stop spinning?

Thanks, guys.

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

What kind of bolt are you talking about and what keeps the others from spinning?

scottb · 09-04-2003, 11:56 AM

It's a long bolt that goes through the alternator, from front to back. I don't know what keeps them from spinning, and therein lies the problem.

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

This isn't the best picture but maybe it'll will help figure it out.

If all the bolts can be removed from the alt then I would think that there isn't anything really keeping them from spinning except the torque when you tighten them. Unless there is a bolt head shaped recess that the head sits in or a tab that locks the head.

Maybe it's procedure thing. Are your sure there wouldn't be a way to take it apart if you assemble it as is?

Just thinking here, you know…two brains and all. Maybe together we can make half of a JW.

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

Quote:

from the PP Tech article.
.

If you are planning to remove and replace the fan or the alternator, carefully label all the wires that are attached to the alternator, and if possible, take a picture of them. Remove these wires, and carefully place them out of the way. Now the fan and housing should pull away from the fan shroud. The fan/alternator assembly is shown in Figure 13.

Now, you can separate the fan/alternator from it's outer circular housing. Remove the screws that hold the alternator to the housing, and light tap on the studs with a hammer. The housing should begin to separate from the fan & alternator. A few more tugs, and the two should come apart, as shown in Figure 14. The housing without the fan is shown in Figure 15, and the fan/alternator is shown in Figure 16.

Does this help at all? Shooting in the dark here. I really don't know what I'm talking about, slow day at work.

scottb · 09-04-2003, 12:16 PM

I'm gonna send JW an e-mail. I'll let you know what he says.

tsuter · 12:51 PM

The problem you face has four solutions. 1 locktite/weld in that bolt so it won't turn before you reassemble or in the future you will be:
2. Drilling through the plug in the fan (there are six) so you can get to the back end - that will likely ruin the fan as it will need to be replugged/balanced or
3 get the fan off which may be difficult as you already realize without a special fan puller or
4 cut the wires behind the air diverter or just break the D@#M thing off.

See fan and plugs. I would not want to have to drill one of these out but I have seen some fans with slots that might allow access.

however, I would do 1. In fact I have.

scottb · 09-04-2003, 12:54 PM

What is supposed to keep the bolts from spinning in the first place?

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

tsuter, good info, are those plugs or rivets?

john walker's workshop · 09-04-2003, 01:23 PM

either the threads in the housing are stripped, or it's just unscrewing. if stripped, just leave the bolt out, as the rest are plenty to hold things together.

david914 · 09-04-2003, 01:43 PM

You can wait and install the fan after you get the alternator and housing installed in the car, that way, you can use an allen wrench to hold the bolt while you bolt the rear shroud on. That's what I did on mine when one of the screws stripped out the housing.

47silver · 47silver's Garage

i second the comment to put the fan on after you install the althernator then you can hold the bolts

gary

scottb · 09-04-2003, 03:18 PM

Mounting the fan is the easy part. The problem comes when it's time to remove the fan next time the alternator needs replacing. To remove the fan this time, I had to first get the alternator out of the shroud. If the bolt is spinning, I won't be able to get the alternator out and then won't be able to get the fan off the shaft. I think JW's advice is the way to go.

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Quote:

I'm installing a newly rebuilt alternator in my 84. It has six long bolts that go through it.

Take it back and get one where the bolts doesn't spin. Or did you rebuild the alternator?

ALso it you have to replace the alternator you can always dremel the head off the bolt to seperate it from the housing.

tsuter · 09-05-2003, 09:11 AM

He might be able to dremel the nut off the back of the air diverter depending on which one it is i.e., one on the top half as you can only rotate that fan shroud/housing so much and the bottom two are hard enough as it is to get to. He won't be able to dremel off the head as he can't get to it. If he could get the fan off and get to the head then he wouldn't have a problem.

Its interresting to consider just running with five. I suppose that's fine until you gotta consider running with four - well maybe if the skips are not adjacent? And that alternator does fit in the housing pretty tight.