Alternator Removal...gone wrong!
 

So the alternator on my 1981 300 TD has bad bearings...no problem, just take it off right? Weeelllllllll I got one bolt off, the one attached to the adjusting nut, then I snapped off the lower bolt about half way through the alternator...wait, it gets better...so the bolt that is closest to the engine block is giving me fits. I am scared to death of snapping this one off too, but I have gotten the nut off, but the bolt seems STUCK. I mean stuck! The whole alternator moves, bracket and everything, but the bolt will NOT budge. Is it threaded all the way through? I BP Blasted the hello out of it, and nothing. I have changed lots of alternators, this one is killing me. Am I missing something? AND if I do manange to get the bolt out, what about the one that I snapped off? I have to be missing something...there is no way that this should be this difficult. Anyone had similiar experiences?

Can you send pictures ?
We can try to locate same bracket on our machines and see if some hidden nut or pin exists...
OK, by ' TD" do you mean you have a WAGON ... ?
with the suspension pump head your alt bracket may be different from most on the forum..so need to clear that up...

When I replaced my the alt on my 240, that bolt would not come out, as it hit something, thereby not allowing enough room to remove it.
I was as frustrated as you seem to be. I eventually removed the other bracket it is bolted to. That one is bolted (with four bolts, IIRC) to the engine block.
I'm thinking they did it like that to prevent the bolt, were it to fall out, from damaging the fan, or more.
I reinstalled the bolt from the front and double nutted it, so far so good.

The bottom most bolt tightens into the alt itself, no nut.

I had the same thing on my '81
 

I didn't snap a bolt but I had the same experience. Those long bolts fit fairly snug in the thru-hole in the alternator, and in my case the bolts had a buildup of hard corrosion inside the hole, preventing them from coming out. I finally had to remove my radiator and A/C condenser to be able to whack the long bolt out from the front, using a big hammer and socket extension.

Whew...I am starting to get nervous about the amount of hell I might have to go through for a 'simple' alternator. I do have a wagon, if that makes a difference, also I am amazed that the whole alternator will move, and yet the bolts stay firm...amazing. You guys have given me hope that the bolt I snapped may not be as bad as I thought, usually when I break a bolt( it seems to happen to me ALOT) it ends up costing me much money. I hope I do not have to remove all of the pieces that some of you have had to, put I should prepare myself....is there a diagram of the bracket for the alternator on the front of the motor, or does anyone have a good picture? I will work on getting some pictures of my situation. Right now I am afraid to touch it.

That lower bolt that attaches the alternator to the engine mount bracket with the four nuts, can be a PITA.

I had to remove the bracket off the engine block with the alternator. I couldn`t turn the bolt, and the alt. would hardly move at all. I soaked the bolt in PB Blaster for over a week. used my air impact on it, and it would turn but not come out.

finally bought a smaller diameter bolt same length, and beat the snott out of it with a large hammer. since it hangs down so low, I guess all the salt, road grime etc... over the years rusted the bolt to the aluminium.
The rust actually swells up and makes it tighter.

when I used the new bolt, I slathered it up with anti-seiz compound. great stuff, use it on everything :D.

one thing I noted after I got the bolt out, the PB Blaster only penitrated about 1/4 inch.

Note: I should add here, I had pulled the engine which made it easier to remove said bracket. I used the inpact after I removed it. I soaked the PB stuff when I had it sitting upright, w/o much penitration.
It is bolt #2 in the below post.

Charlie

Low quality pics.

Second is the adjustment.

First is from the back:
#1 is the adjustment nut.
#2 is the bolt that screws into the alt, no nut.
#3 is the bolt that won't come out all the way. You can also see four nuts that hold the other bracket on, there is at least one more on the front of the engine.

It looks like I am going to have to pull the bracket..I hope that is not too much trouble....the fun continues....thanks for the pics. Number 3 is NOT moving!

Have you tried tightening it yet? Tightening a stuck bolt can sometimes break free corrosion.

I thought of that, but am terrified of breaking it off, then having two snapped bolts to deal with..

if you can get some heat to it, that should help. Not a oxytorch unless you are very accurate with it's placement as to not damage nearby pieces, but perhaps a mapp or propane torch. The heat and resulting thermal expansion usually go a long way to breaking loose that corrosion from dissimilar metals. For sure use anti-sieze or as least grease when you put it back together.

Hopefully the long bolt through the alternator will still have a piece sticking out of the block you can heat up, then grab with locking pliers to twist out and replace.

Some times the best way to fix something like this is heat, and patience!

This might sound silly, but I had though of using a small torch to get some heat on the pieces..I am a bit concerned about the fluids that have leaked and accumulated on and around the area. You know, typical stuff, oil, BP Blaster, and who knows what else. I do not want to make a roman candle :D

There is a nut on the front, as I recall, that was difficult to remove.

I would not put a torch on mine, there is 20+ years of fuel and oil packed on that area when I pulled my alt this weekend. too easy to get into even more trouble. I would think if you broke the bottom bolt, your only option is to rtemove the entire baracket since that one threads in solid rather than a bolt and nut

That is my plan, I think...how hard is it to pull the whole bracket? Do you have to pull the radiator, water pump, or anything? I tried again, and CAN NOT make the top bolt closest to the block budge...that #&%@#^! is STUCK! PS..I had a 69 SCJ...dont ever sell it!