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Tim Choy
Tinkerer
WA
UZZ31 Soarer GT Limited

Posts: 12
Reg: 08-2007

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 08:42 pm, by:  Tim Choy (Talonsmail) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I recently had the pleasure of my alternator dieing on me (no, not a power steering pump leak - it just packed it in on a hot day). I searched but couldn't find a decent guide on removing a v8 alternator. I also wasn't able to find information on if a 2J alternator would fit, so I thought I would write up a quick guide.

If there is already a guide for this on other forums - feel free to link it in this thread.

A few things:

- When your alternator goes, you will likely have the catalytic convertor light come on as well as the japanese text which says "Alternator is not charging the Battery".


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- Most alternator problems experienced by people with the V8 Soarer /SC400 is due to a leaking powersteering pump. Fix the pump first before doing anything with your alternator.

- When removing the alternator, do it all from within the engine bay. Its easier. No need to jack the car up, etc.

- Lastly, the answer is Yes. The 2J alternator DOES fit on a 1UZFE engine, with the help of a couple of washers. And it does get rid of both your warning lights, and provide suitable amps to run the electrical system, as well as charge your battery. The proper v8 alternator is difficult to get in Australia, unless you buy a new unit, so just use a 2J alternator instead.





-= The Procedure =-

- Undo the positive terminal of your Battery (10mm socket). Wrap the terminal in a rag, to stop it from flinging back up and touching the battery terminal whilst you are working.

- Undo the 2 bolts holding the radiator overflow bottle in place (10mm socket). Unplug the overflow bottle (on the engine side), and also unplug it from the top of the radiator. Unplug the radiator overflow sensor's electrical connection, and remove bottle. (lean it up against a wall, and push the smaller pipe into the bigger one to stop leakage).

- Get something to block the leaking radiator fluid that's coming out from near the thermostat. I rolled up a bit of rag and stuffed it in the pipe.

- Undo the engine side of the large radiator pipe that connects to the thermostat housing. Use a plastic bag to block the leaking fluid by stuffing it in the thermo housing. Tuck the pipe into the space where the overflow bottle was.

- Before you do the next step - do yourself a favour and draw a picture of how the serpentine belt runs through the pulleys.. It will save you so much time if the belt comes fully off.

- Get a 14mm socket and put it on the end of a small breaker bar. To the right of the PS pump, there is a black pulley. There is a silver plate behind it, with 3 markings (they tell you how much tension the serpentine belt has). Put the socket on the pulley, and turn anticlockwise. The pulley is spring loaded, and so you'll see the serpentine belt lose tension. Undo the serpentine belt from the PS pump, the alternator and the tensioner pulley.

- Get a 14mm socket, undo the top retaining Nut, and the bottom bolt. Slide the alternator off the top bolt, and lay it down so that the pulley is facing the ground. On the back of the alternator, use a flat head screwdriver to help you remove the electrical connector. then use a 12mm socket to undo the other nut on the back of the alternator (which will be underneath the rubber protective casing).

- Lift the alternator out of the engine bay. Be careful not to dent or scratch any of the other pulleys when lifting it out.

If you are replacing the v8 alternator with a 2J alternator (i.e. off a 6Cyl Soarer, or an aristo, etc), make sure that you get an alternator that has the correct plug on the back. There is 2 plug types. Round, and oval. You need the one you buy, to be the same shape as the one in your Soarer. Generally the oval plug comes off 1995 models onwards. Pre-1995 will probably be round.

Lower the alternator into place, and put it so that the pulley is faced towards the ground. Bolt up the 12mm electrical cable, and plug in the other eletrical connector.

Heres the important bit. The 2J alternator's top bolt hole section, is 8mm shorter than the v8 alternator.


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You'll need a couple of 4mm washers, and you will need to put them on the ENGINE side of the top alternator bolt.


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Then slide the 2J alternator in (so that the washers are in between the engine and the alternator).

- Do up the top Alternator nut and the bottom alternator bolt.

- Fit the Serpentine belt back into place (here's where your drawing comes in handy :-)

- Refit large radiator hose.

- Refit overflow bottle and connections.

- Connect the positive battery terminal.

- Check all your clamps are on, and tight.

- Start car and your warning lights will be gone :-)


Hope this was useful to someone out there.

~Tim
Tim Choy
Tinkerer
WA
UZZ31 Soarer GT Limited

Posts: 13
Reg: 08-2007

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 08:53 pm, by:  Tim Choy (Talonsmail) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I forgot to mention one thing. During troubleshooting, leave the car off and run a multimeter over your battery terminals. It should be close to 12V. When your car is started, rev it to 2500RPM whilst performing the same battery check. It should be close to 14V. If you start the car, and it's still 12V, stop the car and check the alternator sensor fuse (and the other fuses whilst you are at it). If they are fine, then check alternator connectors, before going up this path of replacing the alternator.
Bruce Bell
Tinkerer
Queensland
E-JZZ31

Posts: 22
Reg: 05-2007

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 09:02 pm, by:  Bruce Bell (Vk4trs) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Just yesterday, I replaced my alternator as well. Prices quoted on a 2JZ alternator, $110 from wreckers, or $220 reconditioned. (at least for mine)
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455

Posts: 1512
Reg: 08-2005

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 11:51 pm, by:  Miles Baker (Milesb) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is the V8 alternator not able to be rebuilt? I would imagine the power steering fluid just kills the brushes.. or does it eat up the commutator too?
Barry Precious
Tinkerer
Moza
4.0GT V8

Posts: 49
Reg: 07-2007

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 12:10 am, by:  Barry Precious (Barryp) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In my case the fluid only affected the rectifier - but the alternater needed a good clean while it was off.

Just as a matter of interest I got my alternater out by just removing the pulley on the serpent belt tensioner - didn't touch the radiator at all. Its a bit fiddly to get out but it can squeeze out. I am so scared of touching my plastic overflow tank in case it starts to leak or gets cracks...

Nice tutorial - its a very common problem to resolve...
Tim Choy
Tinkerer
WA
UZZ31 Soarer GT Limited

Posts: 14
Reg: 08-2007

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Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 06:52 pm, by:  Tim Choy (Talonsmail) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I got quotes from many popular shops, but a rebuild was quoted between $300 and $400. Everyone else wanted me to 'bring it in' (extremely hard when you work a 9-5). Sourcing a wrecked alternator is often easier to do on weekends/after work and it will set you back $200 at most, if you fit it yourself.
Daniel Blomfield
TryHard
South Island
Soarer Limited V8 UZZ31

Posts: 160
Reg: 02-2010

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010 - 07:34 pm, by:  Daniel Blomfield (Soarer_nz) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

this is fantastic I have just completed this on my Uzz31 after being unable to find a reasonably priced replacement (less than $400.00) and picked up a 2j alternator for just under $200.00 only thing I have to say is make sure you get one with the right plug cause when I went to the wrecker they tried to give me one out of a JZA80 and it had a different plug but then they found one in a JZZ30 with the round plug so all in all very happy all working no issues and $200.00 better off
John Jantzen
TryHard
Tasmania
V8 '31 on '30 suspension

Posts: 221
Reg: 11-2005

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 01:09 pm, by:  John Jantzen (Taslex) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You can get the oval plug on a short length of wires if you can't get a round-socket alternator.
I just spliced the new plug behind the round plug on the harness, thereby giving me both types of plug available in case it goes again.

Certainly with my car, a '91, I couldn't do the job entirely from the top. I needed to unbolt the "U-Tube" support bracket for the power steering lines to get enough clearance to get it out, otherwise I agree with the procedure - great write-up, thanks! An easy job to remove the alternator on these cars, I think.

When my alternator failed last Dec, also a victim of high temperatures rather than PS fluid, it would still show 14.1v on a voltmeter across the battery, even though the Kanji error message was being regularly displayed, and electrical systems started shutting down nevertheless. I suspect that while the voltage was about right, the current available was not enough.

I've not dismantled the old alternator yet, but I am having it assessed by an auto electrician.
It will be interesting to hear what failed or is below spec.
Allan Langford
TryHard
Vic
UZZ31

Posts: 107
Reg: 05-2010

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 01:24 pm, by:  Allan Langford (Allan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

ashdown-ingram do a new to old style adapter for the alternator plugs
Guy Moore
TryHard
QLD
mmm manual & lsd goodness

Posts: 164
Reg: 03-2010

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 02:02 pm, by:  Guy Moore (Thesoarerguy) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

same with oex brand they do an oval to round plug adaptor
John Jantzen
TryHard
Tasmania
V8 '31 on '30 suspension

Posts: 223
Reg: 11-2005

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 06:55 pm, by:  John Jantzen (Taslex) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yep, I got an OEX and that's the bit of kit I was referring to.
Daniel Blomfield
TryHard
South Island
Soarer Limited V8 UZZ31

Posts: 161
Reg: 02-2010

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 08:35 pm, by:  Daniel Blomfield (Soarer_nz) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

you I contemplated splicing the oval plug but when I reminded the spare parts dealer I was after one with a round plug he "remembered" he had one out of a JZZ30 soarer that had a round plug so problem solved my old alternator was poling which I am told is caused by faulty regulator and armature was making an awful screeching noise towards the end sounded like a bad bearing what was worse was I put new brushes in the bloody thing only 2 weeks prior. however I will be keeping the old alternator and rebuilding it as it's far to expensive and hard to find replacements if I should be so lucky to have a second one fail
John Jantzen
TryHard
Tasmania
V8 '31 on '30 suspension

Posts: 231
Reg: 11-2005

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Thursday, September 30, 2010 - 12:40 pm, by:  John Jantzen (Taslex) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Guy & Allan, I checked with Ashdown here, and they had the OEX adaptor.
Make sure you get the right one, as OEX have adaptors for either situation - replacing a round socket alternator with an oval socket one, or vice versa.
Most of us would be going from a round female plug (on the harness) to a male oval socket (on the new alternator) so you will need a female oval plug to male round socket type adaptor.
The OEX type is known as Harness Connector HXK-22. It costs under $15 and makes the job easy, plus it adds about 150mm to the lead, which assists with any future alternator removal.
Phil Harbrow
Tinkerer
NSW
UZZ30, UZZ31 & LS400

Posts: 61
Reg: 07-2005

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 08:35 am, by:  Phil Harbrow (Gt_v8_4l) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

New Japanese made alternators are available through EBay Motors out of California. $140 delivered and are easy to fit yourself.Similar pricing for the LS400 alternators
Jim Burrough
TryHard
Victoria
UZZ31 x 2, UZZ32

Posts: 109
Reg: 08-2006

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 07:53 pm, by:  Jim Burrough (Jfb) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The last two (at least) out of my three alternator failures have been rectifiers. Worth checking before replacing the whole alternator.
Insist on a Japanese rather than Chicom replacement rectifier.

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