Member Since: 28 Jun 2007
Location: Mandurah
Posts: 63
Disco 3 V8 alternator replacement
HI all, I thought i would contribute a few photos and words to reflect my D3 alternator replacement on my '05 V8 HSE. It started with symptoms of a whining noise down low on drivers (right) side looking forward. Sounded rather like a supercharger! I had the car idling in garage and then there was a tickng noise from the same area. Moments later when I got into the drivers seat, the red battery indicator had just come one - I think indicating that it had just finally failed and quit charging.
Anyway, thanks to the previous posters here, I was able to build the confidence to do this job myself. I've ordered a replacement Part number YLE500390 off eBay - delivered (<$300AUD) ex USA.
Remember first to put the car in off-road height setting and then remove battery terminals. Raised height makes it easier to get underneath for later steps.
Started by doing steps per here.
1. Remove engine cover - 4 easy to undo spring type bolts - 6mm I think
2. Undo the air filter box screws (6 or so phillips headed screws) and big clamp on air intake and lift assembly aside onto top of motor. place a rag over air intake to prevent any unwanted contamination.
3. Lift aside the small coolant hose running across top of radiator - I didn't undo any coolant hoses in all of this
4. Lift top half of fan shroud of - gentle pressure to lift the shroud it just pops off
5. Next step is where it takes a bit of work to make a tool to hold the fan pulley from turning while undoing the fan coupling. Pics show it. I bought a pice of 3mm flat bar about 25mm wide. Drilled two holes in it and jig sawed out between the holes so it clears the boss when placed over holes. The tool is still on the car so it took a few attempts to get the hole centres right to pass bolts through to hold tool to the pulley. ~50mm centres.
6. The fan coupling then unbolts by holding the tool - long flat bar and then turn the boss in a CLOCKWISE direction when looking at it front on. It is a 36mm boss coupling but I was unable to locate one of these so used a narrow adjustable - not my preferred solution but it worked.
7. Undo the electrical connector for the electric drive on the fan and then fully unwind the fan drive boss and lift the fan/electrical harness away clear.
8. Next step is to get the serpentine belt off the alternator pulley. FIRST - draw yourself a diagram of the path the belt takes - most important as only one way will work.
9. Then, the tensioner for the alt belt (it is located on the right side of fan pulley when looking at front on) has a square drive hole in it - just right for a 3/8" socket drive wrench. I used a long torque wrench drive with a 3/8" adaptor in it - it takes a fair bit of force to heave over to the left (drivers side) to release belt tension - whilst tension is released, slide the belt off the alternator pulley.
10. The rest is pretty easy - undo the large cable connector off the terminal post on the alternator - red cover
11. undo the two bolts from underneath holding the alternator to the engine block - you must first have removed the under tray cover panel (the small forward most cover). Climb under the car for these two bolts.
12. Undo the bolt which runs north/south down line of the car on the upper side of the alternator. The alternator will then gradually fall away from the engine block.
13. cushion it while moving it forward and up out of the engine bay through the narrow opening where fan used to be - on the way unplugging the electrical connector on the back of it (I think I did this from underneath).
Photos here show the idea.
I hope this helps.
PS - at the time of this write up I haven't yet received the replacement alternator but I anticipate refit will be a reversal of these steps.
When you receive your new alternator, count the number of grooves in the pulley on your new alternator vs the removed alternator.
While there is some indication that the pulley will be a 6 groove x 17mm bore x 65mm diameter unit, it appears that the number of grooves may vary between vehicles. In your case, the correct number of grooves is what the removed alternator has. If there is a difference, then just reuse the old pulley.
It is a real pain to do the install and shortly thereafter to discover that the new belt you purchased, (may as well put a new one on given the opportunity), got eaten.
Yes, the second time around will be faster, but it will be less satisfying than the first time.
We all appreciate the effort you put into taking the pictures and posting the writeup.2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
13th Jul 2014 4:30 am
Crispy
Member Since: 28 Jun 2007
Location: Mandurah
Posts: 63
Ok bbyer, thanks heaps for that tip. I will do a check of this prior to fit up, yes it would be a pain to fit it up to then discover not the right pulley. I presume the changeover of the pulley is an easy operation. How do I stop the alt from spinning when undoing the bolt on the pulley?
Thanks again. I will give a close out posting when I have the new alt and all fitted up and working fine.
I just did a check and the unit I've purchased explicitly states its a 6 groove pulley - same as the one on the removed alternator. I reckon I should be ok and not have to change pulley over.
A pulley puller tool just hooks on to the pulley and kind of sucks it off, hence rotation is not a problem; it is a lot easier than getting the radiator fan off where the primary difficulty is rotation.
Pulley removal is the sort of task that if there is a problem, you could take both alternators to a mechanics shop and they would have the tool and do the switch in five minutes so to speak.
The odds are the pulley on your new alternator will be OK and as ordered; it is just something to carefully look at as there is not much obvious difference between a five, six or seven groove at first glance.
In my gallery per the button below, in the Miscellaneous section, I have a number of files related to the alternator and internal regulator that you may find of interest.2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
13th Jul 2014 12:00 pm
Crispy
Member Since: 28 Jun 2007
Location: Mandurah
Posts: 63
Hi guys, I just wanted to close this out, I received the alternator this week and a few nights ago, after a couple of glasses of red, decided I needed to get it sorted. So I did. It was really quite easy and took me around 90 minutes to have it all back together and running. Whining noise all gone.
A couple of tips when reinstating the alternator - get the rear harness plug in place in the alternator first. This is a MUST. You will have to back track - as I did if you dont - plonker. Lower the alternator back down from above through the fan gap and lower it onto the plastic shield, then from below you can position it by placing hand in to hold alternator and with your other hand offer up the first bolt - of the lower pair of bolts. Take particular note - one of the holes in the alternator for the bolts appears elpongated and I think this is a concession to the mechanics reinstating the alternators, the elongation gives you some latitude in getting the bolt to 'find' the hole and then gradually with fingers turn a few turns to get it started. Go a few full turns to be sure it is in place. While it is all still loose and floppy (the alternator that is ) then get the second lower bolt and get it started too. Still leave them pretty loose. Then from above get the top alternator bolt in place. Once you have all three confirmed started, do them up tight.
Once you've done this, you're near done. The rest is easy street. reassemble belts - I fitted a new serp belt as it was a bit cracked and didn't want to have to get back in there for just a belt. Then fan back on, cover plastic shield, Intake assembly, etc.
Once this was done,cranked it over and immediately all back as normal.
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) then get the second lower bolt and get it started too. Still leave them pretty loose. Then from above get the top alternator bolt in place. Once you have all three confirmed started, do them up tight.
