Just replaced the alternator on my 1997 XJR, british built,and did all the connection in the exact reverse as I took it out. When I started the car for testing, a very loud belt slipping noise and some smoke started to come out of the alternator area. After shutting off the engine the alternator pulley was very hot and I now have the dash battery light on but don't pull any check engine codes. Any ideas? I will be removing the alternator again and check everything one more time. By the way what a pain the butt it is to remove that sucker.

 

Your description sounds as if the pulley on the alternator was either not rotating or rotating with a lot of resistance causing the belt to slip and smoke.

Did the pulley on the alternator rotate freely by hand before installation?

Try loosening the belt and rotating that alternator pulley by hand in situ.

 

I will do that before taking it out and post results later, thanks for the advice.

 

@jackra_1, your suggestion was right on the money. Still working on adjusting the tension and if you've worked on this engines you know that they engineered the alternator while high on pot. Why didn't they designed it differently beats me.

 

Tell me about it as I went thru some gyrations replacing mine a while ago!

 

Yes it was a bear and now the party gets better. I made it si tight that messed up the water pump and now is leaking. For that I am taking the radiator out to have enough room to work.

 

Oh boy sorry to hear that.

On my car there is plenty of room to do the water pump without taking the radiator out which is good since I might have had to mess with the air con when I replaced my water pump.