The tensioner pulley is toward the front of the car, best reached underneath (I had my car up on ramps when I did the replacement, which was a god idea) - I think it was a 13mm wrench used to move pulley toward the back of the car to loosen the serpentine belt.
I then slid the belt from around the alternator pulley so that the alternator could be removed.
the alternator comes out the top of the engine compartment, but to take it out I had to remove the coolant reservoir, and the wiper fluid container to have socket access to the three bolts that mount the alternator. One bolt is on top, the other two are underneath (looking at the new alternator is a good reference to see where the bottom two bolts are located).
There are also two electrical connectors and the nut-mounted positive cable that need to be removed prior to taking the alternator out.
There is not much room to get the old alternator out, but you will find one position in which the alternator can be removed - keep notice if this, as the new one has to go in the same way as the old one came out.
I did it myself - it wasn't too bad, but having a second person around to move the tensioner pulley while I work the belt would have made life easier.
The alternator is on the top left corner of the engine as you are looking at it from the front.
Your alternator could be bad.
Are there any steps on how to change the alternator on a 1198 ford contour?
how do you replace a horn in a 1998 Toyota Camry
It is important to know the cost of the repairs in a vehicle. For a 1998 Ford Escort it will cost between $20 and $50 to replace the flex plate.
The idler pulley is between the alternator and the A/C compressor.
Remove the neg battery cable, then the belt.Then the wiring and mounting bolts,
brake diagram for 1998 ford escort
Unscrew the barrel cylinder at the back of the lighter.
How do you replace a 1999 Ford Escort headlight bulb?"
A cassette radio player goes in a ford escort 1998.
about $135 at les schwab