alternator removal DIY for 2001 BMW x5 4.4l with pictures.
 

alternator removal DIY for 2001 BMW x5 4.4l (usa model)



this is how i did it:

-remove spare wheel from trunk
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/1.jpg

-take out that round thing (4 screws-10mm),plus that bracket from top of the battery
(2 screws-i think was 12mm)

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/3.jpg

-unplug the negative from battery first (10mm),also unplug the positive too,but make sure how you sit them so they dont touch each other .

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/4.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/5.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...einstall/6.jpg

-next ,i take this out to for more room

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...headscover.jpg

-also take out plastic in top of the radiator (4 screws/plugs)
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...asticcover.jpg

-take out the big air hose from the air filter to the air intake (flat screw driver)
(also take out the 2 hoses by air intake)(unplug the plug from air mass sensor)

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...irmassplug.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...hose-screw.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...irmasshose.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...theairhose.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...irhoseview.jpg


-take out the water hoses, 1 pc,that goes from radiator to water pump ,alternator top,
and to radiator left side down.(be carrefull water/antifreeze will come out!)

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...adiatortop.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/.../waterhose.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pwaterhose.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...natorview1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ewaterhose.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...alternator.jpg



-now,you must take out the clutch fan.(to loosen you go the right ,because its reversable.
( me i hit it just a little with my hammer and a long pipe)
(to take out just go to the right then pull up)
(put anywhere by some wall straight up,so oil stays in)

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...gscrewview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...hscrewview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...hviewscrew.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...fanclutch1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...fanclutch2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/.../waterpomp.jpg



-next,i take out the protection plastic that is in front of the radiator,it has few screws or plugs in
top,then raise up. , dont forget in the left side there are 2 electrical plugs that needs to be unpluged .

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...lasticview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...-screwview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...sticcover2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...sticcover1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ccoverview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...fitinplace.jpg


-next,now we have to take the tenssioner out (3 screws)

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...sionerview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...erboltview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/.../tensioner.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...tensioner1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...tensioner2.jpg



-next step is the alternator to take out ,it has i think about 6 screws -10mm,and unplug the electrical plug,
also the wire bellow with a 12mm i think,after that you have to turn little to the
right and left, up and down to get loosen then the alternator will come out.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rscrewview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...natorview2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...torwwires1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...atorwires2.jpg



replace alternator with the new one and follow in reverse all the steps,to reinstall all parts back,
after done dont forget to add coolant!

clean all up...

***when starting the engine,you may get at dash " brake,abs and dsc light in yellow color " this is from the battery that has been disconnected,so to fix this "with engine running turn wheels all the way to the left and then all the way to the right ,then center the wheels ,then the lights should go off***


*********
suggestions:
-it will be easier to replace the 2 belts (ac,alternator,etc,if they are looking that needs to
be changed 30-40$ at autozone) before starting to reinstall all back,like
radiator protection cover,water pump clutch fan.
*********

more pictures related to alternator removal :

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...orbeltview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...nareaview1.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/.../beltview2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...l/beltview.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview2.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview3.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview4.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview5.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview6.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...rhoseview7.jpg

you can do whatever steps are easier for you...
this is my little guide that i did,for anyone that my look for "how to remove the alternator"
(my x5 has 170k miles,and still running okay,i got it about 10 months ago,and the people before
me they did not take good care of it,you can see in some pictures,they had oil leaks and other things,
but for the price that i got it,it was ok,to do little my self,in make it look better...

(sorry for my english)

thanks,
bosanci28

WOW! well done! I'm sure you saved alot of people time and money! Good job!

Thanks...

no problem,guys...
thanks

great write up Bosanci28

Great write up and pics :thumbup: ...Thanks!

thank you friends,
just trying in helping people..with whatever i can.

No ! You should always undo the earth before the positive. Main reason being that it is easy for the spanner to slip and short the positive terminal to the body. Not a good thing. "Earth First".

One other comment, it's good that you took plenty of photos, but most of them have waaay too many arrows on them. Makes it hard to understand which part you're highlighting.

HOLY CRAP !!! What a pain that must be to replace! I pray mine doesnt go out on me! I knocked on wood as well.....actually on my skull....same as wood!

maybe to talking about the "related photos'',people will understand...friend...
and yes,you should take both negative and positive out,you right there,my bad.

well you never know,just out of nowhere,i start here a small noise ,and i was thinking is the power steering,then all went away,the 2 days later,it happen,huge noise....took the belt down ,turned all ,water pomp,power steering and then alternator,and yes,alternator was bad,i barely turned the thing...
but is not really difficult to do it...
well pray and hope that is not going out...:D

this was the most helpful thread thank you i saved 300 dollars in labor thanx

thanks to me for this guide that i made!
i had to change my alternator again after just 11 months! :(
because it die on me,and this guide come handy again.

regards,
bosanci28

I had to change mine2 weeks after lol because I didn't change the belt and the belt snapped on me and the alternaator locked up and went bad again

i changed my belt too,in march 2011,when i changed the first alternator,
now i just left it alone,they suppose to go anywhere from 60-80.000 miles.

thanks,

Do you know if having a system effects the alternator

you mean like a sound system?

I can pull mine out in twenty minutes with the short cuts, only because I had to pull mine out 5 times. I had it rebuilt several times but I think I know better. The hardest part is wiggling it out of the casing and it is kinda heavy so be sure to get a good grip on the unit. about 15 to 29 lbs.

well the second time i did it of course it was faster....when directly to the point what had to be done.
this will be sec rebuild one,but what can i do ,new one was i think about 500$ ,found it for 340$ at reibes auto parts,and i think they do have one for 310$.

and yes,little heavy,but is okay.

I'm glad I'm not the only one taking it out several times I just put one in today and my battery light stood on and the lights all dimmed out the car was only good with jumper cables conected could it b my battery is dead it was unplugged for a month

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,

For face lifted E53 4.4i V8 engines, it is not water cooled, so nothing will be leaking from the alternator. It is not necessary to open cooling system to replace the alternator. The oem of the alternator is Valeo, you can buy an oem made by Valeo to replace the old one. It is easier to replace the alternator on N62 engines. Just remove the fan and loosen the belt, you can reach the alternator and remove it.

Phew! Thank you for the good news!

Is there a DIY somewhere that shows the "shortcuts"?

My watercooled alternator failed this morning on my 2003 X5 with M62 engine. I'll be tackling this job as soon as I can get a new alternator, belt and some coolant. I'll probably get started tomorrow. I'll follow up with any interesting tips/shortcuts.

Exactly!

I didn't see your post until after I was done, but I was ready to tackle this project (I have a 2005 4.4) ...... and when I finally got around to taking things apart, I realized that I didn't have the fluid cooled alternator - it was just a "regular/traditional" one. It took about 30 minutes to take out, I took it to get rebuilt, and then slapped it back in - another 30 minutes. So, after about an hour worth of time and $60 rebuilt, I was good to go. WAY easier than I was expecting after reading all the posts about the fluid cooled replacement.

I replaced my alternator on Saturday. The bearing had seized and broke the belt. I got a rebuilt Bosch from Amazon for $222 and two gallons of 50/50 pre-mixed coolant for $28.

The instructions by the original poster are pretty straight forward. Remove the intake duct and the air tube from air cleaner to engine throttle body. Remove undertray.

What I ended up doing to make it easier/less messy was just drain the radiator. Do this by removing the drain plug on the driver's side bottom of the radiator. Mine was a little blue plug - BMW did something nice by putting a little retaining strap on the plug so you don't have to worry about dropping it into the bucket that the coolant is draining in.

After you drain the coolant remove the coolant hoses/fittings as shown in the original poster's pictures. Loosen the belt tensioner, take the wires off the alternator (after unhooking your battery +/- connections. Unbolt and remove old alternator.

Clean area where alternator goes, bolt new alternator in. Now is a good time to also replace your air conditioner compressor drive belt. Reinstall water pump/power steering/alternator belt and set tension (there's a DIY on how to do this elsewhere on xoutpost.).

Reattach coolant hoses and refill system with coolant (mine took about 2 gallons). Put the intake tube and duct back on. Test drive. Check coolant level again once the engine cools down - don't remove the top tank cap when the engine is hot or you might get sprayed with hot/boiling coolant.

Now you once again have a happy wife, happy life.

Thank you so much! This helped a ton! Great write up!

This is my second time replacing the alt i want to know is there away to just plug a few water lines so i dont loose all my coolant?

Great write-up, sub'd for future reference. (Hopefully no time soon!)

Great thread thanks for going to the effort of doing this, im going to give this a go tomorrow as my alternator decided to sieze up last week and the belt ended up burning off.

Anyway happy christmas and hopefully it all goes well.

any idea how long this takes the average joe?

First time 3 hours second time 30min

Hi Rogerkiu, hope you get to see this thread; just wondering if you could guide me on how to remove the electrical fan. What should I pay attention to so I do't break anything, etc. I need to replace the alternator, but having difficulty removing the electrical fan. It seems like stuck at the bottom. Can it be done from underneath without removing the fan?

Thanks,

Excellent DIY overview, but as one who is always analyzing short cuts, I did it my way, and it took less than an hour. I removed none of the items other than fan, shroud and idler pulley, not the whole unit, just the one idler to get belt off. It is a tight fit, so put a protective sheet of card board, or in my case, an old plastic sign which worked great. Since it is a tight fit to remove, you have to protect radiator fins and outside of water connection to alternator, and obviously the connectors, that is it. Also, rather than go through hassle of battery disconnection, just disconnect at engine connection which kills power to engine bay. Took me just about an hour, putting belt back on was the biggest hassle and took a few tries by just replacing idler pulley and leaving it for last and once belt was positioned, put a little leverage on it to align bolt to engine.

Good luck,

This is a great pictorial DIY:thumb up:. Props to the OP (yes, he missed the ground cable first removal, but IMHO, a minor transgression ;)).

My OE alternator failed in the most incredible way possible. It SEIZED completely :wtf:! In my entire lifetime of driving I have never experienced a completely seized alternator. Especially not one that gave any hint of shaft bearing issue noises.

My 2003/4.4 had about 92K miles on it.

After a short drive up to my local shopping center, I shut down and went in to shop. When I came out to try to start it, it would crank a very little and then dead stop. I thought that since my battery was an 7 year old factory battery, that I had a battery problem, so I walked to the nearby Walmart and bought a booster.

I attached the booster and then began to crank. It cranked and started then a moment later, smoke began coming from under the hood. I immediately shut down and wished that I had mounted a fire extinguisher in the vehicle (like I had in my other Bimmers), but no joy. I then looked inside the engine bay expecting there to be some sort of electrical fire going and my X going to be a char ball. When the smoke cleared I was able to see that the main serpentine belt had completely shredded and wrapped itself all over everything.

After unravelling the belt I attempted another start and the engine started normally and I was able to muscle the X the 6 miles home without P/S and get it into the garage with just a smudge over half on the temp gauge.

This is where I discovered that the alternator shaft was completely seized and seized so well that the serpentine belt tension was able to prevent the starter from cranking over the engine.

I took the alternator replacement as an opportunity to change ALL the original cooling system hoses all the way to the firewall as well as the heater control valve, water pump, thermostat, belt tensioners and belts.

If you have the budget available, this is a great time to tackle those other items as well. :dunno: :dunno:

I was thankful this failure happened near home and not on a far away road trip.

Next on my high mileage components list is the battery, fuel pump and plug coils.

PS: I have used a trickle charging battery maintainer on this X for the nearly 3 years that I have owned it and the 7 year old BMW OE battery continues to do well.

Be careful out there with high mileage components.

Mike

ALTERNATOR BEARING FREEZE
 

Interesting, like you, I never heard of bearing freeze unless it was noisy prior to, so I am shocked, just rebuilt my alternator and checked bearings for any hint of noise or excess friction, spun easily and quietly and I was debating whether to replace bearings or not since I had it split apart where a diode corroded lead was issue. Wish I had known about bearing freeze issue sooner, oh well, will keep an ear out for any signs of freeze. Thanks for posting this, news to me and I thought I heard of every problem with bimmers. Learn something new every day. As to battery note, yes, I have had several bimmers and batteries all lasted on average 7 years, unheard of in any of my other vehicles over the years, and I did not use trickle charge.

When I googled the problem, I think I only came up with two other BMW alternator seizures

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...i-driving.html

and

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...-pulley-seized

I was disappointed that I was unable to open my seized alternator case (the torx heads stripped) to do a proper post mortem on the failure.

ALTERNATOR ISSUES
 

Thanks, with only two issues with bearings over all the forums, I feel a little better about not replacing my bearings when apart. Yes, I know about those nasty easy to strip out torx, very soft metal, and obviously, on purpose knowing BMW makes all their bucks on service more than selling cars. Use the best torx tool you can find, then use impact wrench pushing down as hard as you can, they come right out whereby it is difficult getting good bite by hand tool in my experience.

Impact wrench?

Are you aware that there are torque specs for almost EVERY fastener on a BMW?

BMW uses plastics/alloys/small fasteners to reduce overall vehicle weight, torque specs are a MUST for DIYers.

Yes, just use to remove, not put on, the locktight on those alternator torx are one shot to get out or they strip easily.