ya,when i got the battery light ,i was like ,what?!?!?! ,not again just after 10-11 months of use,very disappointing ,but what can you do,had lifetime warranty went got other one free ,replaced it and works fine again.

Lucky you lol

well i try to purchase anything that has lifetime warranty ,as i save money next time and i do the labor so i have not much to lose,but this new parts keep going bad:confused:

i changed my Alternator and my sound system start action crazy this wired hummming sound is coming for it....what do i do

I got the dreaded battery light last night. Autozone diagnosed and of course it's the alternator...it's only putting out 12.3 volts. Fortunately, they had one in stock and will tackle the job tomorrow.

So, I'm interested to hear about the "short cut" to removing and installing the beast.
What's absolutely necessary and what can be ignored from the original write up in this thread?

To the OP...good job documenting for us!

2002 4.4. Sport

Ken

While this job looks intimidating...it's really not.
Completed the job yesterday. Not bad at all for DIY. Only a few tools are required:

13mm- to remove bracket over battery
10mm- for the bolts securing the alternator/ and battery cables
17mm- plastic capped nut securing the positive lead on the alternator
Flat head screw driver
Various extensions to reach said bolts

Couple of things to look out for:

There's a couple of small tubes that connect to the intake tube...one with a funky style fitting and the other is just a small tube with a rubber connector.
Be prepared for that rubber to disintegrate when you pull it from the intake tube. I still had enough rubber left to reconnect but will source a replacement as it's dry rotted.

I didn't find any torque values in this thread for securing the alternator. I ended up going by feel...no leaks detected.

I looked this morning and suspect that the correct torque might be 15.4 ft lbs....but should be confirmed.
If anyone has correct torque specs...it would be great to post for reference.

Also, the OP mentioned striking the nut holding the mechanical fan...worked like a charm...great suggestion. Once it's loosened just spin the fan to the right and it will come right off.

Again, thanks to the OP for posting pics. Made the job that much easier.

^ oh geeez! Looks like I'll be using your DIY to save some money!

Great DIY post! Thanks! About how long is it taking you guys to do this project? I understand that many of you have done it multiple times - this is my first go round with it and am just curious as to how long to set aside.

Thanks,

to take out ,i think the first time it was anywhere from 30min to 1 hr,then same back.

goodluck.

I fear the alternator in my new(to me) 04 4.4L is in need of an alternator. There is a horrible rattling sound coming from the alternator that sounds to me like a worn bearing.

I'm confused when a previous post mentioned the alternator leaking. Am I missing something? What would be leaking from the alternator?

I'm very familiar with charging systems of domestic vehicles, 10/12SI and CS style charging systems. This makes no sense.

Is there any alternate way to get the alternator out without opening up the cooling system?

Second question, what brand alternators were you guys using that only lasted a year? I want to avoid those...

Last question, does anybody know what a shop charges for alternator replacement?

thanks,