100 series / lx470 alternator replacement quick tips no pictures (4 Viewers)

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Need some help / input here. Replaced my alternator in my '00 TLC a few months ago with a denso reman unit with lifetime warranty. So Friday I leave my office and as I'm coasting up to a stop light all the lights on the dash come on - can't say for sure if power steering was lost - two seconds later they're off and truck is running. I didn't have to restart it and never took it out of gear. Went to my appointment puzzled by what happened and when I got back in the truck an hour or less later the truck won't start - no lights other than door open, no accessories, nothing. Get on the phone with my shop and we're all scratching our heads - wondering if something in the ignition switch. I have a jumper pack with me so I hook it up and truck sluggishly starts - great - but wait. So I'm calling the shop back as I'm sitting in the drive out of the business and a vehicle approaches from the rear so I put my window down to wave them around and as I hit the flashers the truck dies. I'm able to get it started again With the jumper pack so I pull back into a parking spot as I talk with the shop - everyone is thinking alternator at this point. A guy from the shop is swinging by on his way home so I stick tight. Decide to test drive it in the lot and it dies within 100 yards or so so I drift back into a parking spot and wait. He was unable to jump it and couldn't get the battery to charge while attached to his running vehicle for a while.

I took the battery back to Sams since it was only 18 months old - at first they tell me it's good but needs to be recharged. They put it on the charger and call me 45 mintues later to tell me the battery won't hold a charge and there may be a couple of bad cells and to come back and they give me a new one. Walk out with new batter in hand. Call O'Reilly after that about how we need to work the alternator warranty replacement and I decide to go buy the new one and will take the bad one back for full refund per their suggestion. Go install the new battery myself and the truck starts as normal. Leave the alternator there assuming it will be installed.

Just got the call from the shop and they alternator is testing fine. What?!?!? Thought the alternator took over once the truck is started.

Guy at the shop calls a buddy who rebuilds alternators and starters since he's puzzled too. He was told that if a battery is completely toast it could cause the vehicle to die because the alternator is trying its hardest to charge the battery and any additional load by accessories, etc. may be too much.

Any ideas here? Do I trust that a new battery is all that was needed since the alternator apparently tests normal? Can alternators have intermittent issues - such that it tests normal, but may not tomorrow? Is there some other part that could be in play here?
 
Did you check your 4 pin connector into the alternator? I would check to see if you have any corrosion on the connectors terminals?
 
Starting this on my '99. The only part I couldnt figure out was the air box but the pictures helped. I replaced mine on my '05 a few months ago so It's relatively easy. It can be pulled out from below without moving hoses, you just need to finesse it around a bit.
 
Did this last night on our 2002 in the gravel driveway after 10pm, hahaha.
:princess: said the Cruiser "sounded different" the other day as it was making a whine sound; still had power steering and AC so figured it was either alternator or the idler pulley. Stock volt gauge was reading normal but Scangauge we keep intalled was saying anywhere from 11-13v which confirmed it. All the local parts stores were a 4-5 day wait, so I just got one on Rockauto and had it in 2 days and was a good $50 cheaper including the core charge.

I pulled mine out from below like others have w/o removing coolant hose - it just barely fits. Put new one in from the top after moving a PS hose to the side. Took me around 2hrs, mainly because I don't function at midnight and I struggled to get a tool + my hands in there to remove the two 10mm wiring harness nuts on the side of alternator and then figuring out how to get that damn wiring harness clip off the back without using pliers on it :mad:

Anyways - suppose I'm good for another 17yrs/240k...now I just gotta replace that blown subwoofer :cheers:
 
Just want to thank everyone for this thread.
I want to re-iterate that the coolant pipe does not need to be removed-
The trick is to fully-remove the airbox, then fully-remove the 3 bolts for the power steering pump, and all the hose clips. Also unbolt the reservoir and hang it over the front of the vehicle. With that, the PS pump is movable and the reservior is out of the way, and the alternator comes out the top. Note: there is no need to remove the fan or fan shrowd as with some other vehicles.
 
resurrecting an old thread, but need some help on the alternator removal on my '00 LX470. I got the top mount loose, but it was a bolt, not a nut and stud. The bottom bolt is a B!&$% to get loose! I got it moving, but barely and am worried that I'm going to snap it off in the block/timing cover (whatever the lower bolt threads into). I gave up last night and got some PB Blaster in there the best I could. Ideas?

Getting a torque/air wrench in there isn't possible (I don't think).
thanks!
 
resurrecting an old thread, but need some help on the alternator removal on my '00 LX470. I got the top mount loose, but it was a bolt, not a nut and stud. The bottom bolt is a B!&$% to get loose! I got it moving, but barely and am worried that I'm going to snap it off in the block/timing cover (whatever the lower bolt threads into). I gave up last night and got some PB Blaster in there the best I could. Ideas?

Getting a torque/air wrench in there isn't possible (I don't think).
thanks!

Continue to use a penetrating oil and go SLOWLY by HAND (no impacts). Very common to snap that bolt off...and then the real fun begins.
 
Thanks for this, I wasn’t sure if there was some kind of “blind nut” behind the alternator. I may turn it back in a bit, hopefully will help.
I going to try hitting it the best I can w an old socket on the bolt.

I also wanted to post that the in car voltmeter is showing 14 volts or so, while the battery light is illuminated. My voltmeter on the terminals while running is indicating 12.3 v so no bueno
 
Thanks for this, I wasn’t sure if there was some kind of “blind nut” behind the alternator. I may turn it back in a bit, hopefully will help.
I going to try hitting it the best I can w an old socket on the bolt.

I also wanted to post that the in car voltmeter is showing 14 volts or so, while the battery light is illuminated. My voltmeter on the terminals while running is indicating 12.3 v so no bueno

by the way, anybody have the part# for the lower bolt?
 
I am accessing from the front/ bottom (front shield removed). is it easier from the wheel well?
 
Continue to use a penetrating oil and go SLOWLY by HAND (no impacts). Very common to snap that bolt off...and then the real fun begins.

Welp, I broke the bolt...Crap! I got some heat on the timing cover, got a 1/2-3/4 rotation on the bolt, but it must have already cracked.

Any advice for getting the lower bolt out of the timing cover/housing? I have about a 1/2" sticking out of the housing and I don't want to mess that up!
 
Welp, I broke the bolt...Crap! I got some heat on the timing cover, got a 1/2-3/4 rotation on the bolt, but it must have already cracked.

Any advice for getting the lower bolt out of the timing cover/housing? I have about a 1/2" sticking out of the housing and I don't want to mess that up!

The most reliable way would be to weld a nut on the remaining bolt shaft and remove it that way.
 
The most reliable way would be to weld a nut on the remaining bolt shaft and remove it that way.

Thanks, unfortunately, I don't have a welder here, I have one, but it would be impractical to weld on that broken bolt.
Ever try grounding a starting battery on the broken bolt? I saw a vid from "Deboss garage" where they used this technique.
 
Thanks, unfortunately, I don't have a welder here, I have one, but it would be impractical to weld on that broken bolt.
Ever try grounding a starting battery on the broken bolt? I saw a vid from "Deboss garage" where they used this technique.

Is there enough of the broken bolt sticking out to use a stud extractor?
 
Thanks, unfortunately, I don't have a welder here, I have one, but it would be impractical to weld on that broken bolt.
Ever try grounding a starting battery on the broken bolt? I saw a vid from "Deboss garage" where they used this technique.

You can try a stud extractor....but I suspect in the end, you'll wind up breaking off the remaining the part that is sticking out now. The trouble is the dissimilar metals (Aluminum and Steel) causes galvanic corrosion and the threads are pretty much impossible to break free before the bolt gives way.

You might end up just having to cut the rest of the bolt off flush, use a center punch to make a starting divot and drill the majority of the bolt diameter out before using an extractor. There is little room to do all that unless you remove the radiator. But yours is a common problem. Welding a nut on it gives you the best 'shot' at getting it out, but short of that...I wish you good luck.

broken alt bolt.jpg
 
You can try a stud extractor....but I suspect in the end, you'll wind up breaking off the remaining the part that is sticking out now. The trouble is the dissimilar metals (Aluminum and Steel) causes galvanic corrosion and the threads are pretty much impossible to break free before the bolt gives way.

You might end up just having to cut the rest of the bolt off flush, use a center punch to make a starting divot and drill the majority of the bolt diameter out before using an extractor. There is little room to do all that unless you remove the radiator. But yours is a common problem. Welding a nut on it gives you the best 'shot' at getting it out, but short of that...I wish you good luck.

View attachment 2190182
Your pic is almost exactly what I have left of the bolt. I did try the grounding of a battery to the broken bolt, and then doused it with a penetrating oil. I haven't tried to remove it yet. I'm going to see if I can borrow a small MIG welder and weld a nut on. If I can't get a welder, I'm going to get a fine tip on my torch and get the bolt red hot if possible. Then, thread on two nuts and *hope* I can jam them together tightly enough to remove the bolt.
I'll update what I was able to accomplish. Thanks for the advice thus far...
 
^^^^^

Good plan. Heating the bolt 'might' help break the corrosive bond on the threads just enough to allow removal. A wire welder would be perfect for this job...so if you can source one, that is going to be your best bet. Jam nuts should be your second choice and might work if there is enough thread.

After removing the bolt (by whatever method) be sure to use a bit of anti-seize on the new one .

I think this is the correct bolt ..but double check: Toyota Part : 90119-A0280
 
I did try the "Deboss Garage" method of shorting out a car battery with jumper cables to the broken bolt. This method actually started to work, but, my jumper cables weren't up to the job! If you are going to attempt this, make sure you have some old, HEAVY gauge wire jumper cables! The bolt got hot on one side, I was not able to get the whole bolt glowing red like they were able to on the Youtube vid.
 

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