Changing an Alternator on a 3.4 L Cutlass Supreme...

[cdn_olds_94]

Is it as hard as it looks, or is there a easier way of going about it. I got as far as removing everything up to the brakes before the bugs got too much for my son and I. What a stupid place to put the alternator.

[carkhz316]

Agreed on the silly placement. There's a write-up somewhere on here for easy R&R. This biggest point I can remember and mention for you to do, is to pull the two cradle bolts on the passenger side, and lower the cradle to give yourself enough room to take it out like that. I did mine in about 2 hours from start to finish doing it like that having never done one on the 3.4 prior to that.

[Schurkey]

The only time I put an alternator on a 3.4, I had the rear head removed for head-gasket replacement. Super easy with the head and exhaust out of the way. That probably doesn't help you much, though.

[55trucker]

The *regular* course of action is to remove the passenger wheel,

remove the rubberized splash shield from the frame rail,

disconnect the stabilizer bar,

disconnect the lower ball joint,

remove the right side axle shaft nut,

loosen off the three strut nuts at the top of the strut,

using a lever swing the control arm down & free the strut from the ball joint & axle shaft,

tie off the strut to keep it swung out of the way assuming you don't want to remove the caliper to remove the strut entirely,

remove the right side axle shaft,

remove the right side axle shield from the trans housing,

 

 

now with all of that *fun stuff* out of the way you can go after the alternator itself.....

 

which year is yours?

 

if it's a 91 then there is also a rubber cooling hose wrapped in insulation held by a bracket feeding the back side of the alternator's regulator that has to be removed as well,

later models make use of a plastic cooling snorkel that pokes the inlet down under the sub frame.

 

*are you having fun yet?*

[cdn_olds_94]

The *regular* course of action is to remove the passenger wheel,

remove the rubberized splash shield from the frame rail,

disconnect the stabilizer bar,

disconnect the lower ball joint,

remove the right side axle shaft nut,

loosen off the three strut nuts at the top of the strut,

using a lever swing the control arm down & free the strut from the ball joint & axle shaft,

tie off the strut to keep it swung out of the way assuming you don't want to remove the caliper to remove the strut entirely,

remove the right side axle shaft,

remove the right side axle shield from the trans housing,

 

 

now with all of that *fun stuff* out of the way you can go after the alternator itself.....

 

which year is yours?

 

if it's a 91 then there is also a rubber cooling hose wrapped in insulation held by a bracket feeding the back side of the alternator's regulator that has to be removed as well,

later models make use of a plastic cooling snorkel that pokes the inlet down under the sub frame.

 

*are you having fun yet?*

 

Well, it's finished ! 4 hours total repair time. I'll say it again, what a stupid, stupid place for an alternator. Oh yea, I own a 94 Cutlass vert.

[Psych0matt]

Well, it's finished ! 4 hours total repair time. I'll say it again, what a stupid, stupid place for an alternator. Oh yea, I own a 94 Cutlass vert.

 

What method did you end up doing?

[cdn_olds_94]

I went the remove everything route. Striped out brakes, strut, rubber splash guards, dropped the lower A arm, removed the half-shaft and then the alternator. It came apart easy and went back together with no problems.