Alternator replacement......!

[T4hir]

Without any warning, the battery red light lights up in the dash panel, stop car and check the serp belt, all fine, drive car home with light still on, call RAC, he checks all and says alternator gone! Have bought a new alternator this morning , weather not too good so replacing tomorrow or monday........any tips on how to go about it - through wheel arch or bottom of car?
This is a 2.3 Aero engine.......

[Finding41]

Without any warning, the battery red light lights up in the dash panel, stop car and check the serp belt, all fine, drive car home with light still on, call RAC, he checks all and says alternator gone! Have bought a new alternator this morning , weather not too good so replacing tomorrow or monday........any tips on how to go about it - through wheel arch or bottom of car?
This is a 2.3 Aero engine.......

Check in the posts of this section. Someone just did it and put a bunch of tips up.
I just did it myself and responded to that thread.
Tip: Grind away the aluminum casting lip from the intake manifold. Gives you another 2-3mm. You need it! It has to come up the top on the pass side.
Good luck.

[T4hir]

The only post I can find is the one for the V6 engine (3 weeks ago)! ..........or am I missing it somehow? So you saying it can't go in from the wheel arch opening once the plastic arch behind wheel is removed??? In UK, your pass side is our driver side.....

[Finding41]

No You can't get it through there. It has to come out the top.
Here is how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB9QIcyLQX0
Watch your fingers! make sure you use a block under the motor when it's jacked up. (I put a block under the harmonic balancer ad the frame.)

[T4hir]

Thanks F, very informative clip, are the electrical wire connections easily accessible at the back face of alternator? Also, how much do you need to 'lift' the engine base with the timber support jack?
The wet weather is holding back my mission......

[Finding41]

The wires are easily accessed form the top. There are only 2. one is 12 mm and the other is 8mm.
I only got the engine up about 1.5". I took off all the motor mounts though. (I don't think by looking at that video that I needed to.)
Ideally you want to only lift the Pass. side up and over to the Dr, side.

[T4hir]

This has got me beat! Managed to disassemble the tensioner, bracket (4th bolt a bugger to get at!!!) and now the alternator is totally free and sitting loose between the bulkhead and the engine as I could not get it out from the top......the inlet manifold and the AC pipework along the rear wing beside the brake master cylinder do not leave enough gap to pull it out upwards!!! Tried it every way possible but that damn AC metal pipe is in the way, need about 10mm or so extra room!!!! Rain forced me to down tools for the day and I am now contemplating dropping the sub-frame, removing the drive shaft and pulling it out from the wheel arch opening.......unless someone can suggest otherwise! That AC pipe is a bugger!

[Finding41]

Undo the other 3 motor mounts and jack the engine up and over. You will have to pull it up by the pulley end.
Mine took a bit of pursuing but is came out. (I got mine out with that mounting bracket on the alt!) So just the alt is easier. Don't give up. It's about the hardest job that you can do on these cars. It just takes getting the motor over a little bit more.
I'm not sure if it matters but I had my car jacked up to work on it. It makes getting at that 4th bolt a little easier.
I also removed a few other things. Like the PVC tank, oil dipstick pipe, the intake manifold brace and the PVC line that goes to the cobra that was in the way.
Oh shit... I just noticed your in the UK.... I forgot the RHD thing...
I haven't got a clue how to help as I haven't seen a RHD set up...
If you do drop the sub frame it would be a great time to replace the bushings...
Idea: With the motor jacked up and ahead can you get enough room to go out the bottom between the motor and the rack?

[T4hir]

Still in pursuit of removal.........dismantled the hub, etc, removed the drive shaft, still not enough room, so now dropping the RH subframe to gain an extra inch or so needed to pull it out, on the bottom the cat is in the way but can't move cat exhaust as the bugger turbo studs require the exhaust connection to be pulled left but the auto tranny mount won't give room to flex! So it is the subframe drop option today.....weather permitting! How did that chap get it out the top in that red Saab YouTube clip??? Mind boggling this.......

[T4hir]

Managed to wriggle it out from the wheel arch with the drive shaft removed and the subframe loosened, an extremely frustrating task! Do not attempt it unless you have plenty of time in hand! On reinstall, watch out for the crazy top bolt alternator mount.....the bracket has an internal 'sleeve' in the mounting hole which if slipped out prevents the alternator top fixing to slide in the bracket mount, drove me nuts, had to remove the bracket again to realise what was preventing the top mount hole to align in place!

.......turbo unit next on the list for replacement but still some life left in the old unit!