hard to replace alternator? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

yatzr · 05-15-2005, 08:33 PM

so my alternator is goin bad in my 95 grand prix gt, and I'm currently on a tight budget and don't want to pay a ton for a mechanic to put a new one in. Now, i've never done anything under the hood of this car except replace the battery. I'm pretty sure i have all the necessary tools, but is there anything extraordinarily complicated or sensitive to changing an alternator? Basically, could I do this myself? I've always been good at taking things apart and putting them back together

, but I don't know if I want to take that chance on my car.

any feedback would be greatly appreciated. tips and other info would be nice as well

DEI37 · 05-16-2005, 04:10 AM

I have to assume that the car is a 3.4 DOHC powered car, right? If so, that alternator is a pain to replace. Lots of labour involved. If it's a 3100 (3.1 V6) powered car, they're a bit easier.

shakran · 05-16-2005, 05:10 AM

The trickiest part to alternator swaps is always getting the damn thing out of the car. It's usually not too hard to unhook it, but then wiggling it past everything else in there is a royal PITA.

laconic1 · 05-16-2005, 08:17 AM

DEI37 is exactly right. If the car has a 3.1 liter v6 the alternator is at the top and fairly easy to access and change. If it is the 3.4 DOHC v6 you probably are better off taking it to a mechanic, as that usually involves lowering the subframe for access, and is generally impossible to do without a lift.

yatzr · 05-16-2005, 09:23 AM

i think i lied, it's not a gt, it's an se (don't know why i was thinking gt) and so it's the 3100. Since it's this one instead of the 3400, would I be able to do it myself? I can see it just sitting on the top toward the back so it doesn't seem too hard to get to. Is there a lot of other things being connected to it, or is it a pretty simple swap out swap in as long as you can get to it?

yatzr · 05-16-2005, 05:14 PM

just thought i'd let everyone know that i (and my 2 buddies) successfully swapped in the new alternator. But I still have to tell the story....

So yesterday as I came back from my brother's graduation the battery light came on. I thought that was kinda odd but didn't really think much about it (the battery's almost brand new). When I got into town, at the first stop light, the transmission got stuck in high gear and just about died. After I got home, and after talking to some people, we figured out it was the alternator. Today I figured my battery still had enough charge for a few starts so I decided to go to work. It made it fine...I turned off the a/c and the radio to conserve some energy. Coming back from work...again made it fine...but when I started it I could tell the battery was draining. So when I got home from work I decided it was time to go get the new alternator.

I start the car...it was a rough one...but it started. I start driving there down a semi busy road that gets up to about 45mph...my car gets into 3rd gear...there's a stoplight....transmission's stuck in 3rd...shitty shitty shitty shitty...stop...die..........I go to start it...nothing!! not even one turn! I was about 4 blocks from the place on a busy road and it was dead! So I start pushing it myself and then someone was nice enough to help me get it into a parking lot. After that it was pretty smooth sailing getting the new alternator and getting it in. And now she works

And just a warning for all the other grand prix drivers out there...if your blinkers start acting funny (blinking very slowly or not at all)...it's your alternator. Mine have actually been doing it for a few months now and I didn't know why. Got the new alternator in...they work just like new.

All in all, it was a good experience

. I always love learning new stuff about my car.

merkerguitars · 05-16-2005, 08:44 PM

Awesome, good learning experience huh? My buddy has his go out on the way to work one day, it took out his battery along with it. He kinda freaked out about getting to work on time so he had it towed and taken to a goodyear shop, they charged him over $600, when he could of done it on the side of the road and bought a full nice 200+ piece toolset and still would of came out under the price of the shop.

Martian · 05-16-2005, 10:29 PM

I'd strongly recommend picking up a Hayne's or Chilton's manual for your car. You'd be surprised how easy a lot of basic repairs on your car are and how much money you can save by spending an afternoon doing it yourself instead of taking it to a mechanic.

05-15-2005, 08:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
yatzr Insane	hard to replace alternator? so my alternator is goin bad in my 95 grand prix gt, and I'm currently on a tight budget and don't want to pay a ton for a mechanic to put a new one in. Now, i've never done anything under the hood of this car except replace the battery. I'm pretty sure i have all the necessary tools, but is there anything extraordinarily complicated or sensitive to changing an alternator? Basically, could I do this myself? I've always been good at taking things apart and putting them back together , but I don't know if I want to take that chance on my car. any feedback would be greatly appreciated. tips and other info would be nice as well __________________ Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.

05-16-2005, 04:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	I have to assume that the car is a 3.4 DOHC powered car, right? If so, that alternator is a pain to replace. Lots of labour involved. If it's a 3100 (3.1 V6) powered car, they're a bit easier. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

05-16-2005, 09:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
yatzr Insane	i think i lied, it's not a gt, it's an se (don't know why i was thinking gt) and so it's the 3100. Since it's this one instead of the 3400, would I be able to do it myself? I can see it just sitting on the top toward the back so it doesn't seem too hard to get to. Is there a lot of other things being connected to it, or is it a pretty simple swap out swap in as long as you can get to it? __________________ Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.

05-16-2005, 05:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
yatzr Insane	just thought i'd let everyone know that i (and my 2 buddies) successfully swapped in the new alternator. But I still have to tell the story.... So yesterday as I came back from my brother's graduation the battery light came on. I thought that was kinda odd but didn't really think much about it (the battery's almost brand new). When I got into town, at the first stop light, the transmission got stuck in high gear and just about died. After I got home, and after talking to some people, we figured out it was the alternator. Today I figured my battery still had enough charge for a few starts so I decided to go to work. It made it fine...I turned off the a/c and the radio to conserve some energy. Coming back from work...again made it fine...but when I started it I could tell the battery was draining. So when I got home from work I decided it was time to go get the new alternator. I start the car...it was a rough one...but it started. I start driving there down a semi busy road that gets up to about 45mph...my car gets into 3rd gear...there's a stoplight....transmission's stuck in 3rd...shitty shitty shitty shitty...stop...die..........I go to start it...nothing!! not even one turn! I was about 4 blocks from the place on a busy road and it was dead! So I start pushing it myself and then someone was nice enough to help me get it into a parking lot. After that it was pretty smooth sailing getting the new alternator and getting it in. And now she works And just a warning for all the other grand prix drivers out there...if your blinkers start acting funny (blinking very slowly or not at all)...it's your alternator. Mine have actually been doing it for a few months now and I didn't know why. Got the new alternator in...they work just like new. All in all, it was a good experience . I always love learning new stuff about my car. __________________ Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.

05-16-2005, 08:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Awesome, good learning experience huh? My buddy has his go out on the way to work one day, it took out his battery along with it. He kinda freaked out about getting to work on time so he had it towed and taken to a goodyear shop, they charged him over $600, when he could of done it on the side of the road and bought a full nice 200+ piece toolset and still would of came out under the price of the shop. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

05-16-2005, 05:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	The trickiest part to alternator swaps is always getting the damn thing out of the car. It's usually not too hard to unhook it, but then wiggling it past everything else in there is a royal PITA.

05-16-2005, 08:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	DEI37 is exactly right. If the car has a 3.1 liter v6 the alternator is at the top and fairly easy to access and change. If it is the 3.4 DOHC v6 you probably are better off taking it to a mechanic, as that usually involves lowering the subframe for access, and is generally impossible to do without a lift.

05-16-2005, 10:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	I'd strongly recommend picking up a Hayne's or Chilton's manual for your car. You'd be surprised how easy a lot of basic repairs on your car are and how much money you can save by spending an afternoon doing it yourself instead of taking it to a mechanic.