The bolt at the back of the alt, near the top is frozen, even after soaking in liquid wrench. Is this a 10 mm bolt ? Any chance it is not metric, such as 15/32 ? My 10 mm socket fits on snug, but my 10 mm open end wrench feels loose. Don't have a 15/32 to try on it. How bout vice grips? Would it snap off? Ruin the bolt head ?

Thanks,
Desperate Dan


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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

I know it's not an oddball size like 15/32, use whatever socket gets the best fit, you could try to heat it up some with a propane torch and then put more liquid wrench or wd40 on it, the heat will often help break the corrosion loose that is holding it and it will let the liquid wrench soak in better, just don't burn the car up.

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92 Camaro RS 5.0 5-Speed (Quasar Blue)
T-Tops
14" Open Air Cleaner
3.08 Posi-trac
Edelbrock TBI Intake
Crane cam
Ported & polished stock heads 3 angle valve job
HyperTech Chip
SLP Headers (Ceramic Coated)
UltraFlo cat-back exhaust

74 Dodge Dart Sport 360 (11.2 1/4 mile)

2000 Dodge 1500 Ram Sport

 

GTA,

If a 10mm socket fits the bolt head, it is nowhere near 15/32". Either that was a typo and you intended to write 11/32" or there is something awry. If a 10mm fits, it is much closer to 3/8" or so. Try a 10mm six-point socket.

If a socket fits snugly as you suggest, and the bolt will not turn, apply more penetrant and wait, or heat the area surrounding the bolt and apply penetrant as it cools.

I'm guessing that this bolt is threaded into the alternator instead of the engine case or head, so you are fighting the problem of steel fused to aluminum - just the thing an anti-sieze compound would solve if it were applied at assembly. Get some before you reassemble or install the alternator.

Personally, I feel that Vise-Grips (or any other locking plier under any other name) are not well suited to remove rounded fasteners. ChannelLock 410G pliers are excellent for this, since they are self-gripping like a pipe wrench, and have jaws that are hardened to about 62Rc. I've won more than a couple bets using these pliers to remove round fasteners and broken studs - just let the idiots round it off all they want with Vise-Grips, stud extractors, etc, then kick them out of the way and turn it out with the ChannelLocks. Belly up to the bar and start ordering on the unsuspecting victim...

Since you are working with small fasteners and aluminum seizure, it would be very easy to snap the bolt and ruin your weekend. Some heat, patience, and penetrant might pay off. All you really need is a propane torch, not an oxy-accetylene torch.

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Later,
Vader
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"Let the bodies hit the floor!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

lol... there he goes again with another antiseize plug...

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

you just need more mechanical advatage on it. Go to sears and buy the socket allen wrench that fits it, slap it in a socket wrench and use a lot of force.

First time I tried getting it off I used a normal 90 degree angle allen wrench. I snapped the handle off. Just get strong tools and use a lot of strength.

 

Yep. Typo on my part. Not a 15/32. More like a 13/32. The 10 mm socket I have nust be mega cheap because it rounded off right away ! Someone mentioned allen wrench. I used one by mistake at first and yes, I snapped it off ! The propane torxch idea sounds workable. Just heat the alt around the bolt, right ? I won't fry any diodes, etc ? I am realllly close to sealing her up anmd towing her my (new) mech. I had to buy 2 new torx bits since the torx bolts on the front are 2 diff sises. Now I realize that the drive attaching portion of the torx bits is so big that I will get interference from the rad when the bolts come out, necessitating the purchase of the right angle long / short versions of these torx bits !! Where's the nearest cliff ? And now I wonder how I am going to get the belt tensioner to cooperate with me if and when I ever get the bolts off ! Thanks for the ideas, guys. A good idea might be for me to go out and buy a decent set of closed end metric wrenches that don't round off at the first hint of resistance. Maybe a propane torch too. They can't be that expensive.

gta88.... ready to belly up to the bar with the channel locks in hand....

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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

Yep. Typo on my part. Not a 15/32. More like a 13/32. The 10 mm socket I have nust be mega cheap because it rounded off right away ! Someone mentioned allen wrench. I used one by mistake at first and yes, I snapped it off ! The propane torxch idea sounds workable. Just heat the alt around the bolt, right ? I won't fry any diodes, etc ? I am realllly close to sealing her up anmd towing her my (new) mech. I had to buy 2 new torx bits since the torx bolts on the front are 2 diff sises. Now I realize that the drive attaching portion of the torx bits is so big that I will get interference from the rad when the bolts come out, necessitating the purchase of the right angle long / short versions of these torx bits !! Where's the nearest cliff ? And now I wonder how I am going to get the belt tensioner to cooperate with me if and when I ever get the bolts off ! Thanks for the ideas, guys. A good idea might be for me to go out and buy a decent set of closed end metric wrenches that don't round off at the first hint of resistance. Maybe a propane torch too. They can't be that expensive.

gta88.... ready to belly up to the bar with the channel locks in hand....

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88 GTA Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

OK, I finally got the b*tch bolt out thanks to the suggestion to heat the alt around it with a propane torch. Heated it a couple times, added more liq wr, heat some more, add some more l w, then finally, Eureka!

NOW, how do I get the wire off the alt that goes to the positive battery terminal ? Does it pop off ? Of course my Chilton's just says to remove it, without telling me how. It's the wire with the black rubber grommet around it.

Do I just pull it off, use a tool, or what ? Don't want to break it.

Thanx


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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

remove the ruber thing, or rather move it out of your way and take the nut off, then remove the wire. i have removed many altornators in my short life, found out the hard way stock 82 amp alt's dont like 1600 watts of power in my trunk, with no cap, nuthin...*sigh*

 

Thanks. 1600 Watts. Maybe the vibrations were destroying your alts.



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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.