[Madeline Michele]

Well I changed my first ZX alternator.
It’s true we need to unplug a few wires and unbolt 2 ten mm and 1 twelve mm.
After the alternator is free the rest is **** on earth.
I found removing the one 10 mm bolt from the bottom frees up the splashguard to remove and replace the new alternator.
For the life of me I could not find a way to exchange it from the hood down.
Well 2 cuts on my hand and full of grease and 3 hours later it’s done. That’s not counting the Go Jo and lavender bath afterwards.
In all this I well and done for the life of me I can’t find were a vacuum hose went or goes. Well when Kristine comes home in the other ZX, I will say “Ahhhhh…Zooooo that vacuum hose”.

Thanks for the help people like you said there is only one way to coax that out of your car and it takes try after try to find that one way.

Blaaaaaaaaa

Madeline
Hollywood, 33021

 

[zx-ae]

Yep getting those alernators out of the engine bay is pretty hard, took me a long time too. I did it twice last winter, once when my original stoped charging and again when the one off my parts car started to lock up. Tried to take the splash pan off broke one of the bolts off, worked it down through the hole, wresteled the new one in and I got a pretty deep scratch on my hand too. It was worth it not to hear my belt SCREAMING and burning rubber all over my engine bay.




Justin T
'80 280ZX

 

[JJG]

Michelle,

I too replaced my alternator on my 280ZX not long ago. Guess what I discovered?? It is way easier to replace the alternator going through from the top than trying to squeeze it through the bottom. It only takes a couple of minutes to unbolt the power steering pump(it is not necessary to disconnect the power steering hoses) and hold it out of the way as you pull the alternator up through the top. Drop the new alternator down into place, and then rebolt the power steering pump back up. Just don't bend the power steering hoses too much(especially if they are old) or they may start cracking. Oh well, too late now, but maybe next time. Are you attending the Tampa Z show??

 

[Madeline Michele]

WOW … Ya that sure was in the way of removal Jay (JJG how impersonal), I’ll call you Jay for arguments sake. Why didn’t you chime in last night when I asked for ideas?
This would have saved me 2 hours easy.
I’ll remember this on for the next sucker that needs to change an alternator.
Tampa show…Hmmmmm, I wonder if Kristine can get a sick day because I don’t go anyplace without her. I think we can make it there. Ya can’t miss us, my car has a MADELINE on it and Kristine will be the Red Head in the car next to me.
Reaaaaal close to me.


Madeline and Kristine
Hole In The Wall, Florida