Removal of alternator on 06 4.4 (non-water cooled)

[mrbmwx5]

Originally Posted by sinausa

OK, I removed the screw holding the deflecting element, now both the bolts holding the alternator in place and the screw holding the deflecting element are out. Actually removing the deflecting element does give a little bit more room to wiggle the alternator, but it still won't come out. I feel like I am getting close, but I guess I should use a pry bar to work the alternator off some kind of mounting brackets? From which point and in what direction? Any help is welcome, I really don't want to do any damage after I've gone this far.

You need to disconnect the air duct from under neat the alternator too.

[sinausa]

Finally got around to working on the car, I am in New Jersey so you all know what just happened here.

Sorry for being so ignorant, I did see from underneath the car there are some rubber and metal hoses leading to the bottom and back of the alternator, are these hoses air ducts I need to remove? There is also a plastic something right below the alternator connecting the hoses but it's hard to tell if it's a clip or something, or if it's attached to the alternator. I tried to pull it but it won't move. There is also a 8 or 10 mm screw on the plastic piece. Do I need to remove that screw? Please help.

[sinausa]

This is from Bentley's service manual, there's indeed an air duct directly under the alternator. There are also two hoses.




This is a picture looking from underneath of my car. The two hoses seem to be the same, but I can't find any air duct?! There is a bigger hose seen in front of the alternator, which is also seen from the picture below:



The hose mentioned above goes to the part in the picture above (top-right of the picture), which is directly underneath the alternator. There is another pipe goes to the bottom of this part and there is also has a pulley in the front. I think it should be the same thing on the bottom of the picture below. I am not sure what it is, but do I have to remove it in order to get to the alternator?

[sinausa]

I did get the alternator out today. What I did was wiggle the alternator so that it will get loose from its place. Then pull the thick wire (ground?) that comes out of the alternator to rotate it counter-clock wise just a little bit, this will give it some room to its right, then just push the alternator to the right and it would literally fall out of its place by itself. It's that easy, but you wouldn't know until you get there. Anyways, I hope once I put everything back in, the car will start. Fingers crossed.

[_XS3C_]

wonder how many miles do you have on the 4.4i X5's that you need new alternator ? thx

[sinausa]

Originally Posted by _XS3C_

wonder how many miles do you have on the 4.4i X5's that you need new alternator ? thx

Today, I put everything back together, filled the fluids, jump-started with my Toyota Venza, disconnected the jump start cable, the engine stayed alive. Although I could hear some strange noise, I don't know if it's because of the bubbles in the cooling system or loosening screws?? I didn't check the torque values when I handed tightened the screws, and I think they are reasonably tight. Anyone knows where the noise could possibly come from?

Also to confirm, there is no air duct under the alternator in the 2006 4.4i.

I had about 73,000 miles. Not crazy high miles for its age, yet I needed an alternator.