How do you replace an alternator on a 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredo with air conditioning?

Answer 1

i have a 1993 Cherokee and you need to remove the battery holder to pull the alternator out its just unhooking the wires and and the two bolts. you need to find out how to loosen the belt tensioner

I have a 1992 Jeep Cherokee with air. Its quite a lot more effort than this. I just did it and it took me slightly under 3 hours.

You'll need a 15mm, 13mm, 10mm and 8mm sockets and a 3 inch and 6 inch socket extender. You will need the same sized for regular wrenches as well.

The problem is available room. You have to take out the battery and the battery holder (15mm nuts), then remove the fan housing and then the fan (4 13mm nuts that are hard to get off if the serpantine belt is not tight) - the fan is in the way and you won't be able to get the alternator out if its inplace.

Next, you need to remove tension on the belt - this is done with a 13mm socket and wrench (access is tight on some bolts). Remove the bolt in the back of the power stearing pump assembly, then down below the pump you'll find another to loosen (don't remove). the loosen the one at the top fo the power stearing pump - you'll find a bolt under the pump where you can loosen the tension on the belt. This may be stiff and will require a 6 inch extension (the air filter and water hoses are in the way)

Once the belt is loose, you can take the 2 bolts that hold the alternator off (15mm). There is are 2 cables attached. One to an insulated post (10mm socket) and another one that is ground and some other alternator connections. the cables are attached to the block via a 13mm nut - remove this and you can pull the alternator out (I had to wedge it out with a broom handle). remove the cables, and clean the contacts on them with some 150 grit emery cloth. Pull the Alternator out and put the new one down and re-attach the cables. You'll need an 8mm socket for 2 of these nuts.

Slide the Alternator in and get the bolts in (its a tight fit on the engine).

Reassemble in the reverse order (getting the bolts back on the fan assembly took me quite a while).

I spent $115 on a the new alternator.