Alternators

I just completed this task on a 2000 Mercury Cougar 2.5 L V6. The only REQUIRED removal which I had to do was the Tie Rod from the Steering Knuckle/hub.

Tools needed :

Socket Set (10,13,14,15, MM I remember using off the top of my head I'm sure there's more)

Extensions (totaling 13-15")

3/8" wobble adapter

3/8" impact universal joints (cheapys just wont do it)

1/2" to 3/8" adapter (impact recommended)

1/2" breaker bar...or you can try with a regular ratchet...but if it's a cheapy...)

If you have at least these tools, you are on a good start, you may need something I'm not mentioning, but these listed above are HIGHLY recommended.

The order I went in...

Passenger Tire

Splash Shields (both)

Serpentine Belt

I was able to feel ALL the bolts with my hand (you just wont be able to SEE them very easily, so have the new alternator handy to know where the old ones are)

The top bolt is pretty easy to get to if you have the right setup of wobble, extensions, and 13 MM socket...

You can achieve this from the DRIVER side of the Y Pipe exhaust...the reason most people say "remove the Y Pipe" ... it does make it EASIER, but more costly, I chose to not replace the exhaust gasket and risk messing up more than I needed to..

The bottom bolt is similar, access from the DRIVER side of the Y Pipe, and you can actually see the bolt from under the car. There's also a little bolt holding the alternator in the center on the back. Then disconnect the wires from the back of the alternator....a small clipped on wire (towards the bottom), a wire held by a 10MM nut, and the 3/4 prong wire held by a metal clip....all these should be visible from the bottom of the car.

After you've pulled all the bolts and removed all the wires from alternator, get a bar (i just used the breaker bar which was 16" long) to tap the alternator straight towards the ground from the TOP. You have a little room to do this if you open the hood and go between the engine and the firewall. Tap gently....

Pull the alternator on the previously disconnected Tie Rod side of the Hub.

Install is reverse.

FYI, you're impatient, I recommend going by the book. It took be a total of about an hour and half....mainly because I was attempting to use 14MM instead of 13MM on the top bolt....no wonder it slipped when I torqued it. Good Luck

Take the neg battery cable loose then remove the belt then the wires from the back of the alternator then remove the bolts holding the alternator then remove it from the engine. You might make sure there is a schematic for the serpentine belt BEFORE you remove it as sometimes it gets removed from the fan shroud, Try NOTORLIT.COM for a manual.

I'm in the middle of doing this job now and so far I have had to take off the passenger wheel, the inner fender splash, and tie-rod end, I finally gave in and dropped the exhaust Y pipe and then was able to get the bottom bolt out. I haven't been able to figure out the top bolt yet and it looks like I may have to pull the half shaft to eventually drop the alternator out of the car. There's no way it's coming out the top.

I just did my alternator today on my 99 cougar. I did it at a friends work, with a lift. I honestly don't think it is possible without a lift. The bolts are extremely difficult to get to. I don't know if you can get to it if you remove other parts, but i do know, your in for a LONG job! have fun~

I'm a car tech my self and if you own one of these cougars like i do, i pity you. the v6 alternator pull is ridiculously dumb. the half shaft has to be removed, the y-exhaust has to be removed(and gasket replaced), also you must replace the pinch bolt and nut. the two alternator bolts are indeed impossible to remove without removing all those parts(wheel, splash guards, serp belt, control arm). have fun!!!

I just did it twice. I do not think you have to touch Y-pipe or half shaft. It does not give you much, except extra work. You have to disassemble the tie-rod end, otherwise you will not be able to pull out the alternator. This is also the procedure from the service manual. The upper bolt is extremely difficult to get to. You need a proper ratchet, not too long, thin handle and with micro drive (72 teeth). Don't even try without micro drive ratchet, as even this one barely "clicks". You can get to this bolt with the ratchet from the top, a second person can help to find the bolt from the bottom of the car (yes, it difficult but you can squeeze your hand there). You may want to try 1/2" socket (instead of 13mm), as it may fit better (in my case it was better). After you loosen the bolt, it can be removed by hand.

I just helped my neighbor and found that if you have a swivel and enough extensions, remove the driver's side tire and you almost have a straight shot at that top bolt. My neighbor thought that I was nuts but after 3 hours on that top bolt, anything was worth a shot. It went back with the same extensions. No need to drop the y-exhaust.

It is a 2 man job for sure, we actually had 3, one holding up 1/2 of the extensions with a piece of string from the top of the motor, one holding the socket on the bolt and one stabbing 1/2 of the extensions and then wrenching with a breaker bar.

~answer~ Don't put yourself through the strain it isn't that hard of a job if you have the right tools handy. 1. take off the wheel grab a 3/8 and 15 take off the tie rod end slide it out of the way. 2. grab a 10 and take off the lower bolt on the black bracket (easier if you have an air tool just whizz it out) 3. grab a 13 3-4 extensions and a wobbly (preferably impact as the non impact i used broke my 13 socket from the pressure) go off the back side of the oil pan fits right on twist until its loose 4.The top bolt can be a pain but with four extension and a 90 degree swivel its a cinch (at an angle.) This part does take two people. One to put the 13 on and hold and the other to hold at an angle so the swivel turns on itself after that it comes right out 5. go get a crow-bar and loosen the pulley by pushing the sharp end down down on the tensioner and letting it rest on the frame is the easiest way (less time consuming.) The bar will hold the pressure of the tensioner while you remove the belt from the alternator. 6. remove the alternator by giving it a tap on the casing and it will fall down: next just maneuver it out through the side of the tie rod end and your done (after you take the u clip and power wire off) This should really take you like 55m - 1 1/2 (first time hand tools) to do, and if you have a rack even less time (a lot easier to get around plus air) so there you have it quick simple and explained to the tee. no half shaft removal...no y pipe drop, just tie rod. I just did mine on the ground so it is possible given the right amount of patience and tools

there is an easier way to get to the top bolt on the alternator. it is possible to reach from the top. you have to move some electrical cables from the engine and take out one nut and with some guidance from below can get a rachet on the bolt and break it loose from the top and then rachet for 5 min to get the bolt out. it barely takes any time compared to how other people were discribing it.

ANSWER

xtra info from my experience recently

After reading all of this I dreaded changing the alt on my girlfriends 2002 v6 cougar. (the last year they were made) This turned out to be a 30m to 1hr job for me. Here are a few things that have helped me out.

1. Make sure that you confirm that your alt is not putting out the juice. (test battery terminal voltage with engine running vs engine off) The car had 12v resting, but after starting and turning on lights with a/c it dropped to 8v. That= bad charging. (14.5v running with new alt now)

2. Take tire off passenger side and jack up.

3. remove access panel to inner fender area.

4. Disconnect tie rod end where it connects to spindal arm. This can be confusing if you don't know what your dealing with. You can loosen the bolt, but there becomes a point where the ball joint will spin in place. If you look under nut area there is an Allen fitting, to insert tool to hold ball joint still while using a box end wrench. Also before taking nut all the way off, tap with hammer to loosen tie rod end from spindel.

5. Take belt off car using a bare socket wrench at tensioner pulley.

6. While loosening bolts to alternator, I noticed that things differed in everybodies here. My alternator is affixed with a stud and nut on the upper area. Yes you need extensions, but not very many like mentioned previously. The other two bolts are easy to get out of lower portion of the alternator.

Note: You might want to make any dissconections to alt before removing bolts. This will give you a solid point to work off of.

7. Remove alternator. I honestly did not think it would come out at first. There was a wire clip that was holding onto one of the lines to the alternator, preventing movement. It will come out with some manipulation. Take your time and enjoy that your not paying a mechanic. LOL

8. Reverse process from here with new alternator.

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Well my mechanice Stacy Got the job done in no time. But he got it done so fast by using the long extension because the conventional extension is no good for the job. He's a mobile mechanic lol. But the job is definitely tough but it does not require 2 to 3 people either.