Steps to change Alternator on diesel L300 Delica?

sck_nogas

sck_nogas

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Staff member
Okay, I'm going to be doing some wrenching at my house, to replace my alternator this weekend, and want to make sure I'm not doing it the "hard way". So, any suggestions or advice would be useful.

Here's my overly detailed, highly enumerated plan, following the steps listed in the Service manual on page 16-9-2 for a 4D56 - 4WD <Double Belt Type>...
  1. Get Delica up on the ramps
  2. Disconnect the battery
  3. Unscrew the oil cap (to release pressure to drain oil)
  4. Slide underneath the Delica on a creeper with headlamp and tools!
  5. Position oil drain pan to catch oil (with paper/rags to catch the drips/splashes)
  6. Remove oil drain plug and drain the oil into drain pan.
  7. When oil is completely drained, replace oil drain plug and tighten.
  8. Wipe bottom of engine to ensure no loose drips
  9. Disconnect the battery charge lead from the alternator with 12mm wrench
  10. Unplug the alternator connector
  11. Disconnect the oil tube connection
  12. Disconnect the oil hose connection
  13. Disconnect the vacuum hose connection
  14. Loosen the "hinge" nut on the alternator with a 14mm wrench
  15. Loosen the lock nut on the belt tension adjuster for the alternator with 12mm socket
  16. Loosen the belt tension adjuster for the alternator with 12mm wrench
  17. Remove "hinge" bolt and remove the old alternator
  18. Install the new alternator and insert the "hinge" bolt
  19. Tighten the belt tension adjuster for the alternator with 12mm wrench (not over 10 ft/lbs)
  20. Tighten the lock nut on the belt tension adjuster for the alternator with 12mm socket (not over 20 ft/lbs)
  21. Tighten the "hinge" nut on the alternator with a 14mm wrench (not over 40 ft/lbs)
  22. Reconnect the vacuum hose connection
  23. Reconnect the oil hose connection
  24. Reconnect the oil tube connection
  25. Plug the alternator connector in
  26. Tighten the battery charge lead from the alternator with 12mm wrench (not over 15 ft/lbs)
  27. Remove the old oil filter
  28. Apply light bead of new oil on the surface of the new filter gasket (see page 12-4)
  29. Tighten the new filter by hand
  30. Come out from underneath the engine (am thinking all of this work can/should be done from underneath? According to page 01-40 )
  31. Put 5 quarts of oil into engine and check for oil leaks
  32. Reconnect battery
  33. Start engine and check for oil leaks and test alternator
  34. Stop engine and replace fuel filter? (see page 13-123) (By the way, I think the pages for section 13-76 of the Fuel Service manual are out of order...)
So, any suggestions?

Scott
 
It went okay. The real issue I had is that I have a 2016 Hyundai D4BF engine installed instead of the old 1991 Mitsubishi 4D56T engine. (Previous owner had Comox Valley Delica replace the engine with a new one in 2016) So, the bad alternator used a type-5 connector as compared to the stock Delica connector. But, fortunately they just left the old connector and harness in a ziptied bag. So, I took out the old connector, and ziptiied the new one back into a bag, and was of to the races. I did NOT have to remove the drivers seat, but I realized this after I did. :(
 
Hey
sck_nogas said:
It went okay. The real issue I had is that I have a 2016 Hyundai D4BF engine installed instead of the old 1991 Mitsubishi 4D56T engine. (Previous owner had Comox Valley Delica replace the engine with a new one in 2016) So, the bad alternator used a type-5 connector as compared to the stock Delica connector. But, fortunately they just left the old connector and harness in a ziptied bag. So, I took out the old connector, and ziptiied the new one back into a bag, and was of to the races. I did NOT have to remove the drivers seat, but I realized this after I did. :(
Click to expand...

My battery light and the A/T Temp light came on yesterday. Assuming I need to change the alternator. I was planning on trying to change the belts first and see what that does. Any tips? Was it fairly easy to do it yourself? Did you have yours rebuilt? Thanks Nick
 
The swap out was not too bad. The biggest issue for me, was that in order to replace the alternator, you have to change the oil. Which is "weird" to me!

But after you drain the oil, it's just a few bolts to loosen to get the belts off, then take off the connectors from the alternator (both oil and electrical) and then remove the bolts holding it on.

I did the majority of the work underneath the car, so make sure your are on good jack stands/ramps, have your rear tires wedged/chocked, and have a decent creeper to glide around on.
 
sck_nogas said:
The swap out was not too bad. The biggest issue for me, was that in order to replace the alternator, you have to change the oil. Which is "weird" to me!

But after you drain the oil, it's just a few bolts to loosen to get the belts off, then take off the connectors from the alternator (both oil and electrical) and then remove the bolts holding it on.

I did the majority of the work underneath the car, so make sure your are on good jack stands/ramps, have your rear tires wedged/chocked, and have a decent creeper to glide around on.
Click to expand...

Great! Thanks! Did you get it rebuit or put a new one in?
 
I too changed mine recently. You don't need to change the oil though? I used a girling clamp to squeeze the oil return line and that worked fine.
like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Girling-Br...973598?hash=item363d51521e:g:-UAAAOSwlHNbntOj

After installing one of those cheap alternators I bought from ebay I had my factory one rebuilt. Since I don't trust the cheap one I installed the OEM back in.
Anyone want a slightly used ebay alternator? $100 plus shipping. was used for 2 weeks and worked flawlessly
 
Thanks. That new one you bought sck_nogas. How is it doing? Jumbo_shrimp I was thinking about having mine rebuilt. I love how helpful the Delica community is on here
 
The one I installed runs like a champ! I also had to swap out the battery, since after so many voltage drops, a cell reversed and the battery was TOAST!
 
Did the alternator swap without incident, but now it isn't starting. Started fine before, battery is charged and connected and it turns like a champ, but isn't starting...

Thoughts?
 
Jumbo_shrimp said:
I too changed mine recently. You don't need to change the oil though? I used a girling clamp to squeeze the oil return line and that worked fine.
like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Girling-Br...973598?hash=item363d51521e:g:-UAAAOSwlHNbntOj

After installing one of those cheap alternators I bought from ebay I had my factory one rebuilt. Since I don't trust the cheap one I installed the OEM back in.
Anyone want a slightly used ebay alternator? $100 plus shipping. was used for 2 weeks and worked flawlessly
Click to expand...
Hey Jumbo_shrimp. I might be interested in your alternator. I had mine rebuilt but the rectifier assembly is bad. So in need of one of those. Or any idea where to track just that part down?
 
I am looking to do this soon. Alternator died at night while it was raining on a cross country trip. I went to a local auto shop to have them test my current alt prior to me doing all the work (hoping it was just corroded or something) and they told me it was bad but they only ever hooked a device up to the battery? My thought is that they would take a volt meter to the positive and negative leads of the alt itself. I ain't know shit about cars but I feel pretty good about swapping the alt, other than not having done it before.
 
mswitt1234 said:
I am looking to do this soon. Alternator died at night while it was raining on a cross country trip. I went to a local auto shop to have them test my current alt prior to me doing all the work (hoping it was just corroded or something) and they told me it was bad but they only ever hooked a device up to the battery? My thought is that they would take a volt meter to the positive and negative leads of the alt itself. I ain't know shit about cars but I feel pretty good about swapping the alt, other than not having done it before.
Click to expand...

You're in for a real treat!
 
mswitt1234 said:
I am looking to do this soon. Alternator died at night while it was raining on a cross country trip. I went to a local auto shop to have them test my current alt prior to me doing all the work (hoping it was just corroded or something) and they told me it was bad but they only ever hooked a device up to the battery? My thought is that they would take a volt meter to the positive and negative leads of the alt itself. I ain't know shit about cars but I feel pretty good about swapping the alt, other than not having done it before.
Click to expand...
It's pretty easy to do. I've done it on two L300s, one L400, and am about to do it again on my L300... Alternator is leaking oil... Feels like it's made by Lucas... :)
 
sck_nogas said:
It's pretty easy to do. I've done it on two L300s, one L400, and am about to do it again on my L300... Alternator is leaking oil... Feels like it's made by Lucas... :)
Click to expand...
It's been alright so far. I end up taking longer than what something like this should take but it's almost out. I think we may have taken the lock both out too much as the alternator is hinged upward a bit and the block the lock bolt threads into first is loose from the alt.
 
mswitt1234 said:
It's been alright so far. I end up taking longer than what something like this should take but it's almost out. I think we may have taken the lock both out too much as the alternator is hinged upward a bit and the block the lock bolt threads into first is loose from the alt.
Click to expand...
Once the alternator's out you'll have plenty of room to reassemble the adjuster/lock bracket.
 
Just changed my alternator. Definitely don’t need to change your oil or clamp the line. I think maybe 3 tablespoons of oil comes out so not a lot. I would definitely suggest replacing the small flex oil line on the back of the alternator. When mine failed 5 years ago there was a stream of oil all the way to the auto parts store. So if yours is original I would definitely replace it ASAP!
 
I ended up draining the oil just because it was time and and could get two birds stoned at once. I am having a heck of a time getting the hinge bolt out. Did anyone else have trouble with that?
 
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