Replacing the Alternator - help please

[Chazwozza]

Hi there,

I've had my Scirocco for about 3 months now, a 1988 .8 Carb Scala. Anyway, the alternator died last week, fair enough really as I'm pretty sure it's 28 years old.

Anyway, I've got the new one, ready to replace it, however, I am completely stuck on the lower bolt holding it to the block.

I'm just checking that a) I need to undo the bolt behind bottom right of the alternator (facing the engine bay) that is threaded into the block.

The only other way I could see to take it off of the block would be to take the belt cover off and go through there - which I was hoping I could avoid.

So, assuming I'm correct with that bolt, b) What do you use to get it off? Simply using my wrench and elbow grease, it literally does not budge an inch. The bolt or spanner isn't getting chewed up, thankfully, it just does not move. I've tried WD40 to no avail. I'm a fairly novice mechanic, so am I being stupid and not using a tool? Or am I just f*&%ed?

Cheers for any help!

[DT1]

The bottom bolt is accessed via a hole in the cam belt cover, it's an allen bolt and needs a 6mm key. It's easier with an allen key on a ratchet rather than the right angle key.

You can't actually see the head of the bolt but it's not difficult to locate as long as you put the key in straight.

http://vagpart.com/vw/scirocco-sci-eu-1 ... alternator #5 is the allen bolt that you need to slack off.

Not sure what bolt you are looking at on the bottom right? Do you mean #3? If so, leave it alone.

[MK21800]

When I took mine off, I bought a new bolt from vw.

I found that the allen headed bolt didn't want to budge - I was using a hex key in a socket, and of course the inner head started to round off a little bit due to the bolt being stuck fast in there.

Some folk say to try and bash a slightly undersize socket onto the outer part of the head, but I found this impossible to get any purchase on actually bashing it on, due to the bodywork being in the way. And the lower belt cover. Same goes for bashing a slightly oversized allen key in there, I couldn't get any leverage to hit it hard enough due to the bodywork being in the way.

What I did was invest in a set of these :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irwin-Bolt-Gri ... B000QW6K8I

Which IMHO are a really good piece of kit. Get your new alternator bolt, and choose the bolt grip that is very slightly smaller than the head. Then I found I could just tap that on very carefully to the alternator bolt outer head as you don't have to hit it as hard, and it bites in, get it on as far as you can so it has a good grip. Then I got a breaker bar on it, the bolt came out.

Bear in mind that whatever you use these on will need replacing as it mashes them up, although with allen headed bolts it actually doesn't ruin the inner bit. But I found them very useful for these damn allen headed bolts that don't seem to want to move. I think I've also used them on the throttle body bolts as well, cos same thing happened with them.

Also, if I remember right, I had to remove the lower belt cover as well, which may have involved taking the pulley off. To do this, I used an oil chain wrench to hold the pulley still. The head of the bolt is kind of recessed into this cover.

Of course, if yours comes out really easily with an allen key then there's no need to do either the bolt extractor thing or the pulley thing. Just whack the key in there and away you go. Personally I would recommend any way you do it, it's worth getting a nice new bolt. About two quid if I remember right.

Those Irwins are a great bit of kit though I found.

[duggers]

As stated there is a rubber bung (or should be) that you remove from the top belt cover and use a 6mm hex socket to remove the bolt, Undo the tensioner bolt and Robert's your fathers brother.
If the hex head rounds off its because you've tried to use a cheap allen key!
Obviously the battery is disconnected before you start any of this.........

[MK21800]

If the hex head rounds off its because you've tried to use a cheap allen key!

Probably guilty as charged.

Although when I finally started undoing the bolt it was mega stiff and a bit rusted on the threads so I'm erm... gonna go with that as my excuse.

[Chazwozza]

Ah ok, probably best I couldn't budge the bolt I was having a go at...

Anyway my belt cover seems to have had the bung filled in, I did notice something odd looking there, presumably someone lost the bung... Hence I thought I had to take the cover off to get to where the alternator bolt was obviously going.

I think I'll either take the belt cover off or drill a hole back in the belt cover to access the bolt.

Is the belt cover just to protect hands and cables and so forth? I realise that's a fairly silly question but I'm used to Minis so the Scirocco seems high-tech to me and I don't want to ruin it with my ignorance haha!

Cheers for the help

[mark1gls]

Yes cover just there to protect hands etc, The bolts can get rusted in so you may need to fit a new bolt once you get it off I smeared a little copper grease over my bolt when I put it all back together.

Pictures..


When I fitted my cam belt, you can still access the bolt with the bottom cover fitted but it's best to remove the top cover (as in picture) so you can see what's happening with the bolt and if you are rounding it off.

[MK21800]

I think I'll either take the belt cover off or drill a hole back in the belt cover to access the bolt.

Edit -

Tried in the parts for sale section? Surely someone's got an intact one knocking about.