I fixed my car!

"wkiernan" (wkiernan) 07/12/2014 at 17:47 • Filed to: None

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Yay me! Hardly bled any at all, either!

My alternator went bad. This is the second time I've replaced the alternator on my '99 Miata, so it was a lot easier, which brings me to tip no. 1: if you're planning on keeping your car for 21 months or more you might not want to get the cheapest available rebuilt alternator from some random online outlet. This time I bought a rebuilt alternator from a local store, and it comes with a three year warranty. If I had done that last time, even if the alternator croaked after 20 months like my cheapo one did, at least I would have got the replacement for free.

Tip no 2 is 99'-Miata-specific. The last time I did it, the instructions I found on line didn't tell me I had to remove this engine brace that sits right behind the alternator, but if you don't there's no way to take the long hinge screw underneath the alternator out. I finally figured that out after much wasted effort last time; this time the brace was the first thing to come out, and after that everything else was pretty easy. Also, this time I was able to do the whole thing from on top, instead of jacking the car up, removing the plastic shield underneath, etc.

List of ingredients: replacement alternator, 12mm, 1/2", 14 mm wrenches, 12 mm and 14 mm socket wrenches, ratchet, 3" and 6" extensions for sockets, DEET spray (I live in Florida and the mosquitoes in my yard are terrible). Yes I was too cheap and lazy to replace the belt, it's only 20 months old and it looks like new.

claramag, Mustaco Master > wkiernan 07/12/2014 at 18:21

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Didn't bleed? Not a real mechanic

God if I could tell you the number of junkyard alternators I've swapped out...I ain't even pissed though, it's like a 10 min job on my car. Belt, 3 bolts, wires, 3 bolts, belt, bam

So easy it's fun now