Does anyone have any tips for getting a Bosch pinto alternator apart? There's a big nut on the front but I'm having trouble holding the fan etc still so I can take the nut off. I tried wedging a screwdriver in to stop it spinning but only managed to bend one of the fan fins and take a chunk out of my thumb Perhaps I could dismantle the main body and hold the main rotor still?

Pete

never done it, but my 3 priorities would be some penentrating oil into the thread, attach it to the engine and try to use the fan belt to hold it still, and then use an impact wrench to suprise it off.

If i was doing it, i would give myself a 0/10 chance of doing it without an air wrench, though you might be more handy!

Cheers Joel, I'm not convinced the belt would hold it in place though, it's well and truly stuck on and I think it would just slide against the belt. Good idea about the penetrating oil though, will give that a go to see if I can at least loosen it up a bit. Once my thumb is repaired I might be able to get a better grip on the fan, we'll see!

Pete

windy gun is the only way really

Even if I had air powered tools I'd need to hold the fan to stop it rotating, that's my main problem at the moment...

Pete

Put a socket in your vice (upside down) and sit the alternator nut in it. Then use two big screwdrivers or similar jammed in the fan blades at 180 degrees to each other as levers to turn the fan/shaft.

Oh and a good dose of penetrating oil as well.

HTH
Nick

You don't normally need to hold the pulley when using an air wrench, it's the shock that loosens the nut , Take the alternator to your local garage if you don't have one . P.S. it's probably cheaper to get a recon unit than to repair your own

Thanks Nick, unfortunately I don't have a vice, I tend to 'clamp' stuff by sitting on it Also I tried to use a screwdriver before and it just bent the fin, so I don't think the fins are tough enough to hold still really

Rusty, I don't actually need to repair the unit, it works fine. My problem is that the alternator is slightly offset from the line of the belt, so that it avoids a chassis rail. This is causing a squeeking noise, so I was hoping to use a washer as a spacer to pack out the belt pulley and bring it in line with the belt.

Pete

[Edited on 22/8/05 by scoobyis2cool]

Probably better to take it to your local garage , would hate to see another injury to you or the alternator . Don't suppose you have a mate with one of those electric impact guns , not sure if that would work but I'm told that they are effective

as rusty says, its suprising how easy it is to loosen things even if they are free to spin. I used it to take the pulley off a power steering pump that was freely spinning, came off no problem.

However, if you dont have one and cant borrow one, its a moot point anyway!

Yep impact wrench is an amazing tool..

Some one near you must have one...

Sounds like an impact wrench is what I need then... I'll ask around and see if I can get hold of one.

Cheers,

Pete

Did you have any luck?? I have the same problem as I have a replacement Lucas alternator with a V pulley on the front I don't need. Can't shift it using a manual method!!

Are the impact wrenches that run off batteries any good. I saw an article in the Car Mechanics that debated this, but I am still unconvinced and think that compressed air is much better.

Any thoughts/ experiences?

quote:

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Originally posted by Sprytny
Are the impact wrenches that run off batteries any good. I saw an article in the Car Mechanics that debated this, but I am still unconvinced and think that compressed air is much better.

Any thoughts/ experiences?

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