Removing 73 generator-wisdom needed.

[moneymanager]

The motor is a 74 2.7, but I used my old 73 shroud, generator and fan when we put it together. Now need to get the generator out. I can pull the generator out about 3" away from the aluminum fan surround. With effort I got the ground wire loose. But now I'm looking at a heavy duty cable going into what looks like a plastic funnel and it is so tight there is no room to pull the entire unit out to undo the electrical connections. Those connections are completely inaccessable insdie the "funnel", even with the cable pushed thru the shroud as far as it will go. And the "funnel" is held in by several nuts/bolts, two or there of which would be nearly impossible to reach. The generator has come out 2-3 times over past year (not by me) so I know it can be done. How in the world do you get at those wires so that the fan and generator will come out of the shroud? Any help greatly appreciated. This is driving me nuts. Jim

[moneymanager]

Apologies to all. I really do know that I am talking about an alternator, just can't break the "generator" habit!

[Eagledriver]

I'm not sure I understand the way you are trying this so I'll just tell you the way I do it. Undo the strap that holds the fan housing to the engine. Undo the 2 nuts that hold the housing to the engine air shroud (one is on the coil mount, remove the coil as well). Disconnect the battery as the big wire on the back of the alternator is hot. Now you can tilt the entire fan housing, fan, alternator assembly toward you and get access to the "funnel" and wires.

You can rotate the assembly to get to some of the nuts on the "funnel". It helps to have small hands and a little quarter inch drive ratchet.

After you have the whole mess out then you can remove the alternator from the fan housing and remove the fan.

-Andy

[moneymanager]

Thanks Andy. Very helpful. I've followed your approach but access to the wires is impossible. Is it necessary to get all the little nuts on the "funnel" out to get behind the "funnel" and disconnect the wiring to the alternator?

What i'm basically trying to do here is drop the engine. This collection of wires into the alternator is the only electrical connection which stands between me and success. I've stared at the setup for hours trying to see how to proceed without severing this connection, and I keep asking myself why would they make this so procss so awkward.
Jim

[North Coast Cab]

3 nuts hold just the air guide (funnel) and when reomved allow you to slide the airguide back. Then you can remove the wiring and pull the entire alternator, fan & shroud assembly out.

[moneymanager]

Hmmm...maybe the factory learned something as time went on. I seem to have six, and the bottom three are just about impossible to reach. Thanks.

[futureboy]

money,

I recently replaced my voltage regulator in my '87 Carrera, and went through the same issue you're describing. I also took pictures. This shows how far (or not) I was able to pull the alternator out to access the airguide screws / nuts.



As I recall, what I did was gently rotate the alternator around so that each of the screws / nuts were at the top, and reach into the gap shown and unscrew each. I don't recall it being a big deal.

There are 6 screws in all, but at least on my '87, only three go thru to hold the airguide. See picture highlighting the three screws / nuts.



Good Luck!

[real550A]

I have not had to remove alternator wires to drop an engine.
Did you modify the wiring when you installed the 2.7?

[LakeCleElum]

On some years, you can undo a small ground strap and it allows you to to pull the assembly out further. You can also unplug the 14-pin connector and feed the cable thru the shroud to allow you to pull the assembly futher out. Just rotate it each way until you have the six nuts off the air guide.....

[moneymanager]

Have got the ground strap out and have used all the play from the 14 pt connector. But most interesting, Mike B's point suggests I don't need to do this to pull motor? Haynes, frequently wrong of course, says I do. I concluded I needed to disconnect the alternator as there is a cable coming from the firewall going to the 14 point connector which looks like it has to come off. But is it the other way around...ie is the cable leaving the 14 point connector and going forward to the starter? If that were the case, the cable would be disconnected at the starter and would not need to be pulled at the alternator. Can someone confirm this is the case? Would sure save a lot of aggrevation! Thanks to everyone.

[LakeCleElum]

No need to pull the cable going to the starter. I've pulled my '73 Alt. many times. No need to drop the engine. Just rotate the assembly until you get all six nuts off the air guide.

By the time I finally got my charging problem sorted out, I was pulling it in 5 minutes.....(Tip: Take a digital pic. and notes as to which wires go were on the back of the Alt.

[moneymanager]

Sorry Bob, I've generated some confusion here. I am pulling the engine; my understanding was that generator connection had to come off as one step in the process. But Mike above questions whether this is necessary and I'm still trying to clarify. Thanks for your help. Jim

[LakeCleElum]

Sorry I mis-understood....I've also helped pull engines w/o pulling the generator. The key is have the car up high enough on jack stands......

[real550A]

Jim-
Unplug 14pin connector, and disconnect wires from the starter.
The engine harness stays with the engine.

[moneymanager]

Thank you, thank you. So those wires leave the 14 plug connector and head to the starter! Began to suspect this might be the case after seeing how difficult removing the generator wires is. Jim