Good morning.


This weekend I plan to replace the alternator. I have seen three sets of instructions: Gus' site, the Jag manual, and an internet set. One says to remove the cooling fans. One says to remove the cooling fans and the upper radiator hose. And the jag manual does not mention either. In a response to one of my other posts, someone said I also need to remove the suppression module (and I am not sure what that is).
Obviously, I would like to remove a little as possible, but I don't want to be in the middle of the job and realize I am stuck.
Thoughts?

 

Brad, like you, I have read a couple of different ways to do it. I am not in need to get it done at this time, but I do remember that from under the car seemed to be easier and one bolt was a witch from either direction.
Good luck and keep us posted. I do hope you have a cool place, I got a shade tree ready for you. Long trip, my brother was in Richmond for a while, nice place.


Wayne

 

I agree that there seems to be a variety of different ways to attack this job, and opinions on what does and doesn't need to be removed.

My car is a '98 so very similar to yours. I did not need to remove the cooling fans or any hoses in order to get the serpentine belt off. There is sufficient room to get a breaker bar and socket on the tensioner pulley.

Once the air box is out, then the suppression module (circled on your pic. below):






HTH,

Mike

 

While you have the serpentine belt off check both the stationary and spring tensioner pulleys. If they are plastic or if they have any play or stiffness turning this is a great time to replace them and its easy and cheap.
When I did my pulleys and belts the only thing I had to take off was one of the thin return lines from the expansion tank as it was exactly in the way of where the breaker bar needed to be to release the belt.



Dave

 

When I replaced mine (2001 XK8) the only things I took off besides the alternator was the belt, air box and hose to the throttle body.

No issue taking the belt off with a short breaker bar. Cleared everything just fine.

 

If it is in your way, remove it, instead of wasting time working around a bad situation.....Just words from an old sage.....When in doubt take it out......Mike

 

Chances are you will remove them it made the job easier.

Gus
www.jagrepair.com

 

have read some posts about jacking the car up and removing the tire and wheel well liner making things more accessible. believe the alternator can be removed thru the side

 

Thanks for all of the replies. A huge help. One thing to make this idiot proof for yours truly.

If I do remove the cooling fans and the upper radiator hose, a process I have already started, is that to make it easier to remove the alternator from the front of the engine between the radiator, or just to make releasing the belt easier? If it is to remove the alternator from the front vs. the side, I would not need to remove the suppression gadget, correct?

Thanks.

Madbrad

 

Hi Brad,
I'd say it will do both. If you've already started with the fans then I'd hold fire on removing the suppression module as you may well find you have enough room to juggle the alternator out.

I went the suppressor out route as I didn't want to waste any of the precious coolant I'd just put in after the valley hose replacement, and I imagine the presence or otherwise of this carefully-located obstruction is one reason for the differing solutions posted.

One thing nobody mentioned is that putting the bonnet/hood in the 'service position' might make your life easier https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...osition-84402/

Big consolation is that you'll get the satisfaction from doing it yourself, and save a fair few $$$ for the post-project celebration beer fund

Good luck,

Mike

 

It's not such a bad job, I managed it by only removing the plastic intake for the alternator, the main airbox and a bracket of some sort. I didn't remove the fans, there's enough room there. Needed to work from above and below, especially for the electrical connectors. Be careful with the signal loom, I found mine to be a bit fragile.


Pics here, they might help: Alternator by Frank Smyth | Photobucket

 

Confirmed the car's problems stemmed from the alternator. That's the good news.


The bad news is that this job is way over my head. Breaking lots of things trying to remove the cooling. (More than two bolts and connectors.) And, I did lose the non-captive bolt for the cooling fans in the melee.

Anyone know where those may be obtained? Just trying to put it back together before it is towed somewhere. Trying to remove the cooling fans was a huge mistake for anyone attempting this job in the future.

Thanks.

 

Sorry it did not work for you. It worked just fine for me.

 

Thanks Gus. Once I studied the issues and put the instructions away, it started make perfect sense. No cooling fan or bolt removal required or necessary. In my case, I had to remove the suppression unit (only on 97's as I understand it) and the airbox bracket. There was plenty of room. For the bushing, after hours of hammering, someone suggested a special tool. I used a 3/4 3/8 socket with a flat washer over the end. The 3/4 socket perfectly covered the bushing while allowing it to move. I inserted a bolt through the socket and through the hole with the bushing. On the protruding bushing side, I placed another thick flat washer with a nut. I proceeded to tighten and, within seconds, the bushing was flushing and the alternator slid easily into place. Now that I know the secret of the airbox nut (hold the bottom, with a 13/16 while removing the top nut) and the bushing secret, this job can be performed issue-free within two hours.