Evening all,
So, we are due to take the tin tent away this weekend, and the FF develops a nasty 'bearing' type noise which varies with engine speed.

Having had a good look round, I am 95% certain that it is a bearing in the alternator. Made a start this morning having come off a 12 hour nightshift. Following instructions in the workshop manual, removed the Radiator undershield, and eventually managed to remove the coolant header tank and its support bracket (what a B**tard of a job, but will post more on that later).

So, I am now at the stage where I need to 'rotate the tensioner counter clockwise and remove the drive belt' - sounds simple, but seems very far from it. From what I can see, it would appear thet the 'proper' way to rotate the tensioner would be a long. thin. cranked spanner from above - there is probably a special tool for this, but I don't have it. Has anyone else changed the alternator on a normally aspirated 4.4l AJV8, if so how did you get the tensioner to rotate to release the drivebelt? 2006 (56 Reg) 4.4 V8 Vogue In Bonatti Grey (Gorgeous!!)

I don't know if it varies for the 4.4 but for my 3.6 and 300Tdi you simply put a socket and breaker bar on the nut and twist.
If I remember correctly (sorry been a long day) it's the nut that bolts the idler onto the engine block.

Hopefully it's not as much of a pig of a job as the TDV8

[edit]I had removed enough to get a breaker bar and socket down there mind[/edit] Ed

How did you get the belt off in the end? I'm at the same stage and struggling to work out how to rotate the tensioner to get the belt off. Expansion Tank bracket was a right PITA

Hi,

For mine (that went the week before last) I used a 12" adjustable on the 'flats' at the top of the tensioner and was able to push against the spring enough to release the belt from the alternator. The spring is a little "firm" but nothing a 12" wrench can't handle (ooer missus)

Steve  Formerly happymadison1978

I gave up on the expansion tank bracket and just moved the tank out the way, stupidly located bolts on that bracket  Formerly happymadison1978

Not sure if it's any help but I've just removed the power steering pump on a TD6 and the tensioner nut for the belt is 24mm. I used a standard 24mm ring spanner. On the TD6 at least you can access it and tension/untension the belt without removing the radiator cowl. I just moved the belt out of the way, didn't take it off completely.

I can't even seem to get at it to get the wrench properly on the flat bits, and when I do, there's no movement left in the wrench to even start to apply leverage... How much disassembly did you do?

I've got the Expansion Tank and bracket out of the way, along with the engine cover and intake resonator. Don't really want to remove the fan shroud and the fan, as that would mean messing with the air con pipes.

Ah right, I took the fan off. I was able to 'flex' the AC pipe out the way and it was a fiddle to get the fan and shroud out but that's how i did it there really isn't much space there at all.

Do you have the fan spanner (36mm) and the fan locking spanner too?

Sorry it's not better news. Maybe someone more talented than I will be along with a tip.

I'm in Frodsham and I have the fan locking spanner and a 36mm fan wrench if you need to borrow it. Formerly happymadison1978

I've got the fan spanner but I was hoping I wouldn't have to take it all out. Oh well. I'll give it a go

It's such a simple thing to remove you might as well as it frees up a lot of space. Ed

Well, I've finally managed to get the alternator swapped, but when putting the new coolant in, I noticed that it was blue and not red... Typical! I've reason that the wrong coolant is better than no coolant especially in the short term, but does anyone know what kind of issues it will cause and how long I've got before I need to flush it and refill with the correct coolant?

Mixing the types is poss worse - it causes a reaction and leads to a sludge substance.

change asap Howard
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2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

Booked in for Wednesday with LR to do it. I won't get chance until the weekend and I'm sick of messing with it after the alternator job.

Thanks

Just an update... LR had my car as a 2005 4.4 BMW engined V8 on one of their systems which was why I was sent the wrong coolant. They've now double checked and confirmed that I'm not going mad, that I'm not missing or surplus a supercharger, and are doing the coolant flush and change at no cost to me.

Can't say fairer than that, but I'm wondering how they got my car details wrong in the first place.

Good to hear!



Steve Formerly happymadison1978