Help How Do You Remove An Alternator From A D4D

[Mike Whitworth]

Hi Folks

how on earth do you get the alternator off a D4D I have it unbolted but the only way I can see to get it out is to lower the sub frame and disconnect the steering

sure there has got to be an easier way ??????????????????

Thanks in advance for any advice

Mike

[anchorman]

Which D4D?

[Mike Whitworth]

Hi I should have said it is a 2001 1995cc Rav4 D-4d GX

[anchorman]

Partly as you thought. Have a read at this;

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=126638entry1131106

[Mike Whitworth]

Thanks for the link I will have a go m Regards

Mike

[Patrick cochrane]

Just finished doing one on a 2005 D4d rav 4 

yes it’s a pig .got alternator disconnected from engine and there is not a gap available to remove it from behind engine too tight , looked at dropping sub frame and out same hole as driver side track rod but a lot o work involved . Ended up removing intercooler on top of engine ( 4 screws and 2 hose clips). Then take the bracket off that supports the back corner of intercooler 3 14mm bolts 

alternator comes up out next the turbo easily enough , new one went down in fine but getting them bolts for top alt bracket in again grrr

[Avalon]

On 1/7/2020 at 6:01 PM, Patrick cochrane said:

Just finished doing one on a 2005 D4d rav 4 

yes it’s a pig .got alternator disconnected from engine and there is not a gap available to remove it from behind engine too tight , looked at dropping sub frame and out same hole as driver side track rod but a lot o work involved . Ended up removing intercooler on top of engine ( 4 screws and 2 hose clips). Then take the bracket off that supports the back corner of intercooler 3 14mm bolts 

alternator comes up out next the turbo easily enough , new one went down in fine but getting them bolts for top alt bracket in again grrr

Apparently this just made it to the top of my list of jobs to do after ending up stranded in the outside of 3 lanes at rush hour with about 30 seconds warning. I managed to jump it using a Battery pack and make it to safety, but not my idea of fun. After the original made it to 125K I can’t complain that much. My reaction to the accepted logic of dropping the shaft etc. was ‘Hadaway and .....’. Going via the top looks a much easier route initially, also one that’s less likely to result in me replacing a drive shaft, ball joint and TRE and possibly having to have tracking done just because at this stage it’s not worth putting old parts back if disassembling/reassembling.

[Avalon]

Just to confirm after doing the job, 100% no need to remove the full shaft/separate the ball joint, it’s a 10 min job to remove the intercooler, engine cover and rear support bracket/glow plug relay bracket. The one thing I wish I had to make life easier was a longer 14mm ratchet spanner, though the normal methods of extension work (pipe). Obvious rules apply, disconnect the Battery and put it in charge - a duff alternator will run it down relatively quickly depending on if you were using lights etc.

1. Remove intercooler (3 bolts, loosen two worm drives), engine cover, rear support bracket (single bolt) and glow plug relay bracket (single bolt), you may also wish to remove the loom bracket (single 10mm bolt) on the rear left corner of the block.

2. Remove plastic cap by sliding it off (towards the wing), unscrew the alternator but *carefully* and put it in the new alternator for safe keeping. Undo the bottom 12mm bolt, it’s easy to find (look at the new alternator) and won’t be overly tight, 1/4” drive is perfect.

3. Alternator bolt is held in a C cup on the wing side, 14mm ratchet spanner from the rear is the easiest way, unless you have a long ratchet spanner or a very long 1/4” breaker and 14mm socket. Once loose the bolt is too long to remove, so just slide it out as far as you can to release the far end.

4. Tensioner pulley is again 14mm, I put the spanner in and then used cord over the end and hooked it over the bonnet close bracket, this allows finer control over how much tension to take off, especially if you are doing this solo. Lift the belt off and the alternator will pivot free.

5. Wiggle the alternator free and be careful not to drop it.... having dropped it, pick it up and bring up past the engine and out through the top. Yes, it’s tight, you will need to move the large flexi pipe to the right and the injector loom/glow relay loom out the way.

6. Compare the two alternators, including the p/n, my 05 D4D XTR uses a 130amp, but one manufacturer was happy to try and sell me a 100amp unit, also pay attention to the sleeve in the (large) pivot bolt aperture, it likely needs tapping back as flush as it’ll go, or you’ll have to take it out and start again because it won’t fit.

7.Reverse of 5, I found it easier to loosely put the lower bolt in first, it allows you to approximately line up the rest. I had to combine a pry bar and the ratchet spanner to get enough pressure on the pivot bolt to get the taper to start into the thread.

8. If replacing the belt (it’s £7 from ECP and likely less at your local factor) then route it accordingly, I took it off the tensioner pulley and put it over the alternator as this was easier due to the ridges. Tensioner is again realistically a lot easier from top pulling the spanner upwards as you have a better range of movement, cord trick makes life easy. Check that the belt is sitting in the grooves at the top and the bottom (no need to remove the arch liner, it’ll pull back far enough to see).

Put the rest back together and remember your Battery probably isn’t fully charged, especially if you ignored the bit about charging it at the start. After that check the voltages, but the lack of warning lights is usually a good start (I got them whenever RPM was below 1500). Cost wise this isn’t a bad job, you can get remanufactured units for as little as £100. Personally I paid £148 for a Remy with 3 years warranty, expect to pay a surcharge of £25-50 unless you’re in very good terms with your factor, for comparison ECP is just over £251 + surcharge.

[Captngit]

So I started this job but can't get the c Cup bolt out enough to release using ratchet spanner I'm tight against frame and it won't slide out. Kinda stuck because I now can't get the spanner off either because it's against the frame and of course being a ratchet spanner it's not going to let me reverse it back to remove the spanner. 

 

Any suggestions?

[SilverNancy69]

On 3/1/2020 at 8:19 PM, Avalon said:

Just to confirm after doing the job, 100% no need to remove the full shaft/separate the ball joint, it’s a 10 min job to remove the intercooler, engine cover and rear support bracket/glow plug relay bracket. The one thing I wish I had to make life easier was a longer 14mm ratchet spanner, though the normal methods of extension work (pipe). Obvious rules apply, disconnect the battery and put it in charge - a duff alternator will run it down relatively quickly depending on if you were using lights etc.

1. Remove intercooler (3 bolts, loosen two worm drives), engine cover, rear support bracket (single bolt) and glow plug relay bracket (single bolt), you may also wish to remove the loom bracket (single 10mm bolt) on the rear left corner of the block.

2. Remove plastic cap by sliding it off (towards the wing), unscrew the alternator but *carefully* and put it in the new alternator for safe keeping. Undo the bottom 12mm bolt, it’s easy to find (look at the new alternator) and won’t be overly tight, 1/4” drive is perfect.

3. Alternator bolt is held in a C cup on the wing side, 14mm ratchet spanner from the rear is the easiest way, unless you have a long ratchet spanner or a very long 1/4” breaker and 14mm socket. Once loose the bolt is too long to remove, so just slide it out as far as you can to release the far end.

4. Tensioner pulley is again 14mm, I put the spanner in and then used cord over the end and hooked it over the bonnet close bracket, this allows finer control over how much tension to take off, especially if you are doing this solo. Lift the belt off and the alternator will pivot free.

5. Wiggle the alternator free and be careful not to drop it.... having dropped it, pick it up and bring up past the engine and out through the top. Yes, it’s tight, you will need to move the large flexi pipe to the right and the injector loom/glow relay loom out the way.

6. Compare the two alternators, including the p/n, my 05 D4D XTR uses a 130amp, but one manufacturer was happy to try and sell me a 100amp unit, also pay attention to the sleeve in the (large) pivot bolt aperture, it likely needs tapping back as flush as it’ll go, or you’ll have to take it out and start again because it won’t fit.

7.Reverse of 5, I found it easier to loosely put the lower bolt in first, it allows you to approximately line up the rest. I had to combine a pry bar and the ratchet spanner to get enough pressure on the pivot bolt to get the taper to start into the thread.

8. If replacing the belt (it’s £7 from ECP and likely less at your local factor) then route it accordingly, I took it off the tensioner pulley and put it over the alternator as this was easier due to the ridges. Tensioner is again realistically a lot easier from top pulling the spanner upwards as you have a better range of movement, cord trick makes life easy. Check that the belt is sitting in the grooves at the top and the bottom (no need to remove the arch liner, it’ll pull back far enough to see).

Put the rest back together and remember your battery probably isn’t fully charged, especially if you ignored the bit about charging it at the start. After that check the voltages, but the lack of warning lights is usually a good start (I got them whenever RPM was below 1500). Cost wise this isn’t a bad job, you can get remanufactured units for as little as £100. Personally I paid £148 for a Remy with 3 years warranty, expect to pay a surcharge of £25-50 unless you’re in very good terms with your factor, for comparison ECP is just over £251 + surcharge.

Today's job...
I've had the wheel and the arch liner off purely because I'm 5'6 1/2'' so it's difficult for me to do anything at the back of the block. I'm not sure if you know that this seems to be the ONLY instruction on the whole of the internet, so thankyou. 

 

[Avalon]

On 9/30/2023 at 7:42 AM, SilverNancy69 said:

Today's job...
I've had the wheel and the arch liner off purely because I'm 5'6 1/2'' so it's difficult for me to do anything at the back of the block. I'm not sure if you know that this seems to be the ONLY instruction on the whole of the internet, so thankyou. 

 

Hopefully it helped 🙂

[MartynG]

I unbolted an engine mount, jacked the engine up slightly, and made enough room to shoehorn it out from the rear.  Quite a quick job after wasting half a day trying other routes...

[Deedboi]

I'm trying to do this job on my 2005 d4d xtr rav.... I have 2 belts on mine... Where is the tensioner bolt located on this version... I've got the 2 bolts on alternator out/loosened.... But stuck now.... Any help appreciated 👍

[philip42h]

7 minutes ago, Deedboi said:

I'm trying to do this job on my 2005 d4d xtr rav.... I have 2 belts on mine... Where is the tensioner bolt located on this version... I've got the 2 bolts on alternator out/loosened.... But stuck now.... Any help appreciated 👍

Read this thread and follow the links ... ?

There's a "how to" on the subject. Links to it are included in this thread along with advice arising from members experience ...