Alternator fried.

[DracoSedentis]

Currently sitting in a taco bell parking lot with the wife waiting for a tow truck.  In the mean time, thought I'd gather some info.

 

So I had a sneaking suspicon the Alternator was going bad but couldn't be sure.  Turns out, it was.  While eating it was in idle and started to smoke.  Shut down really quick, popped the hood, had wife try cranking it, Alternator pulley is no go.  Toast.

 

This Jeep is the 2.5L TBI, the Alternator is mounted below the AC compressor, can't seem to find any info or videos on this 1986 on how to dig into it to replace the bad alt.  Anyone here have any good videos or write ups on this task?  The alternators are availible at the Auto zone nearby, (literally next door to where we are sitting), they have one on order for me to be here tomorrow.  Will be digging into replacing it sunday.  Any information helps.

[Green Mesa XJ]

The alternator is a standard gm style, very common. Vato zone or wherever should keep at least one version of this alternator near by.
Far as repair procedure I don’t know enough about Renix or 2.5 engines to say but it should be similar to the 87-90 4.0 alternator job, and identical to the 87-90 2.5.

Somebody that knows for sure will be by to steer you right.


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[87Chief]

I'm sure it either comes out from the bottom or top of the engine bay. I'm sure there's a bracket on one of the pulleys to loosen the belt. Just look in the engine bay and around the Alternator to see how it's mounted and such.

 

 

[coolwind57]

8 hours ago, Green Mesa XJ said:

Vato zone

Ha!

[HOrnbrod]

Which configuration do you have? A/C?

 

[yxmj]

If you take out the battery and the tray you can get the space to access the bolts and Jenga it out and in.....

 

 

[mjeff87]

IIRC, the '86 alternator bracketry is quite different than the '87+ versions.  I had the whole bracket setup once to use for an OBA setup but scrapped the idea (mine was an 87 and I was trying to retrofit it.

 

Like yxmj says, you need to pull the battery plus the battery tray to get full access.  The actual Jenga game is easier to play than trying to get the alternator out/in.

 

edit:  also, when you get it changed check your battery.  When my alt died in my '87, it took out my battery too.  That was a bad day....

[gogmorgo]

Just a tip with jengaing the alternator out... As much as it's tempting to do, pull the cables off first. They don't get all that much easier to get at half-pulled, but once you pull the alternator off far enough to get to them easily you'll have spent a fair bit of time maneuvering it to a position much more difficult to get it out of. At least that's what I did...

[DracoSedentis]

Thanks for the tips.  I'll be digging into this tomorrow, looks like I'll be using the Jenga Method.

On 3/16/2018 at 8:36 AM, HOrnbrod said:

Which configuration do you have? A/C?

And FYI I have 3, the one on the far right.  Alt is UNDER the AC compressor.  Not V-Belt.

[Jeep Driver]

6 minutes ago, DracoSedentis said:

Thanks for the tips.  I'll be digging into this tomorrow, looks like I'll be using the Jenga Method.

And FYI I have 3, the one on the far right.  Alt is UNDER the AC compressor.  Not V-Belt.

Looks like you have a late production 86 with the serpentine. Most I've seen are v-belt. 

As for getting the alt out, two bolts, one plug, one wire, I've gotten mine out without removing any other parts. Easy 30 minute job.

 

Did you get it fixed?

 

 

[DracoSedentis]

On 3/17/2018 at 9:02 AM, Jeep Driver said:

Looks like you have a late production 86 with the serpentine. Most I've seen are v-belt. 

As for getting the alt out, two bolts, one plug, one wire, I've gotten mine out without removing any other parts. Easy 30 minute job.

 

Did you get it fixed?

 

 

Actually I just finished looking it over, I work all day on Saturdays.  I'll be digging into this job early tomorrow morning.

[DracoSedentis]

*UPDATE*

Been at this for nearly 2 hours.  Cannot get the Serp Belt to come loose.  Have even tried loosening the power steering to give tension release as I've read but that little bastard won't come loose enough to let go of tension.  This shouldn't be this hard from what I've read both here and elsewhere.  Any pointers that maybe I'm missing?

[HOrnbrod]

Power steering pump bolts are not all loosened enough to swing the pump I think. This vid might help - looks like the same config as yours:

 

 

[DracoSedentis]

Thank you! I tried that and was able to get the belt off, now on to the alternator.

*UPDATE2*

Got the alt out after a lot of fighting, went to install the new alt and realized that both I, and the guys at autozone, failed to catch that they were selling me the V-belt alternator version.  Now I have to go get the serp belt version.  Grand. LOL

 

[Eagle]

Make certain the guy at Autozone bench tests the new alternator before you leave the store with it. Autozone's Delco alternators seem to have about a 75% dead-on-arrival ratio -- and that applies even to their "top of the line," purportedly new units.

[DracoSedentis]

3 hours ago, Eagle said:

Make certain the guy at Autozone bench tests the new alternator before you leave the store with it. Autozone's Delco alternators seem to have about a 75% dead-on-arrival ratio -- and that applies even to their "top of the line," purportedly new units.

Indeed, I'll be sure to do that.  I used to work at autozone so yeah, they are not always the best...