pontiac montana alternator

[downeastxj]

The mother in law's 2005 pontiac needs an alternator and she asked me to do it, as I am a lot cheaper than letting the local garage do it. Being a front wheel drive van it looks like it will not be too much fun. Reading online I have read three different ways to do it.

Some sources say to remove the cover over the wiper motor and linkage, but I'm not sure if this would give me enough room.

Others say unbolt the subframe and lower the engine. Really, just to change an alternator?

Third and most common answer I see is to unbolt the top motor mounts and use a ratchet strap to pull and rotate the engine forward for more clearance. I have done this before on my 99 lumina to change the back three spark plugs and it is pretty easy.

I'm thinking probably pull the wiper motor cover and linkage and rotate the motor will be the way to go. Anyone have any advice? I won't be off from work til friday, so I have some time.

Thanks for any input

 

[eflores]

I did the one in my old mans Montana trice without pulling motor mounts or any of that crap get a wobble socket adapter and some wratcheting wrenches

 

[downeastxj]

Update. I ended up pulling the whole wiper motor and linkage assembly, and unbolting the motor and pulling it forward. It wasn't a matter of getting to the bolts, that was easy enough with just a standard ratchet and a gear wrench. The problem was getting the the alternator out of the engine bay. It's bigger than the space between the intake and the cowl. Even with the wipers gone it just wouldn't fit. Anyways, my schedule got changed at work and I was able to get the mother in laws junk out of the garage two days early.