- 1). Park your car on a level surface and pop open the hood. Disconnect the battery's negative terminal before you begin to work on the alternator.
- 2). Loosen and remove the two mounting bolts that hold the alternator in place. Rotate the alternator toward the v-belt to create enough slack to remove it. Remove the v-belt and check it for wear. If it has considerable wear, now would be a good time to replace it.
- 3). Remove the electrical wires connected to the back of the alternator and mark the alternator with a pen or marker to map exactly where each wire needs to be re-connected on the new alternator.
- 4). Remove the alternator and compare it to your new alternator verify that everything is the same. Replace the new alternator in the reverse order that you took the old one out. Check the belt tension, when replacing the v-belt on the alternator. A little under an inch of deflection is what you're looking for---it is always better to have a slightly loose belt than a belt that is too tight.
- 5). Take your car for a test drive of at least 15 miles, and then allow it to rest. Check it a few hours later or the next day to make sure your battery is now holding a charge and you no longer need to jump start your car.
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