HELP!!!

[BlkXJ21]

I am stuck in Attica, IN; alternator shot & I can't get it out. First, is there a trick??? Second, if there's anyone nearby that can offer assistance or encouragement, feel free to come by the Crossroads Family Restaurant parking lot tomorrow (Sunday the 16th) sometime in the morning. I honestly have no plans, so I can't really nail down a time, but if you happen to be driving by and see a black XJ in the parking lot, come on in (I'll buy the coffee). Otherwise, if anyone has any thoughts on how to get it out, let me know. Thanks!

 

[Pat]

A little more detail please. What have you tried up to this point? Getting it out should not be that big of problem? Year of XJ would also help greatly.

 

[Rev Den]

Start engine.

Crawl under Jeep.

Cover your eyes.

Smack center of rear of alternator "smartly" with a hammer.

Dried mud will fly out and you should be fine.

Assuming that it is not charging.

Rev

 

[BlkXJ21]

Ok, sorry Pat, you're right, not enough details (it's been a long day). I can't get the two bolts to move AT ALL!!! I've tried from the top and the bottom, I've tried unbolting the bracket (got those nuts and bolts off, but won't budge). I've PB Blasted them both, but can't seem to get leverage at all. It's almost like you have to take something else out to get to it, but I would rather not do extra destruction to fix the problem. It's a 2000 XJ.

Rev, are you saying it's possible I don't NEED to get it out? Boy, that would be nice! I'll try that first (of course, I'll have to get the belt back on and all the mounting bolts back on before I'll know, but it'll be better that messing with those damn bolts!).

Thanks for the quick responses, guys (that's why I love ).

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Rev, are you saying it's possible I don't NEED to get it out? Boy, that would be nice!

I'll back him on that...

I swamped mine out at HnH, and the alt quit chargin.

I pulled it out, then hosed it off to take it back for the warranty. Pimply-faced kid at Advance hooked it up and it charged fine.

Put it back it, and I've been driving it to work for three months, no problem.

So yeah, get the mud out of it...

Robert

 

[IllianaXJ]

Yep, and if smacking it with the hammer doesn't work, take it to a car wash. With the engine running, spray some LOW pressure water into the alt, flushing the mud out. Worked for me after a Redbird run.

 

[nick86]

It has to come out from the bottom.

 

[Rev Den]

Yup

Rev

 

[LBEXJ]

Sorry I missed this post ... hell, I could have gone on up to help him out.

Last post was 21 hours ago, so hopefully flushing the mud out did the trick for him.

Les

 

[FlexdXJ]

Start engine.

Crawl under Jeep.

Cover your eyes.

Smack center of rear of alternator "smartly" with a hammer.

Dried mud will fly out and you should be fine.

Assuming that it is not charging.

Rev

It works I had to do it the day after Rev told me that, twice!

 

[hanaxj87]

Yeah Egghead showed us Rev's alt. hammer trick last outing on Matthew's rig...

It started charging and he finished the day out..

Sweet trail repair trick.

Nick

 

[BlkXJ21]

Hey guys, I tried to whack it, but to no avail, so I ended up changing it out on Sunday. IT was a major fiasco, but it worked out. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[HaleYes]

I must have missed this one too. Glad you got it going.

For future reference, you can also take a bottle of water and poke a couple of small holes in the lid. Squeeze the bottle and use it to flush mud and gunk out. I've done this several times and it works well. Of course, you'll want to do this with the engine off. I usually sacrifice a couple bottles and it's worked everytime.

 

[TheEddie]

Also, to help it from accumulating try to get a pressure washer pointed at it not too long after you wheel. I've had mine submerged many a times and it seems like rinsing it off religiosly has saved me. Other XJs that I wheel with have had to replace theirs many times, but they never hose it off.

Sorry I wasn't there to help you bro! See you in December!