Firstly well done to all you that have done this job in the past you need a pat on the back and a gold star. I am an experienced mechanic and I am struggling with this, My fatty has done the full alternator meltdown shorting the battery out. I cant open the doors without the key in the lock, lost height its on its bump stops I cant release the park or steering lock. Even with a fully charged battery and the Defender 90 beside on jump leads the drain to earth is so high connecting the leads is like welding, sparks and the stud on the wing glows in seconds ,won't release the park or steering lock.
So as I cant move the bloody thing into the workshop the only route is in from the front, I have removed everything I can, and can only just see the bloody alternator, how turbos are changed I have no idea. I cant remove the wheel and arch liner as the locking wheel nut thing is in the boot. It electrically opens and I have a dog guard, annoying is not the word, I am working on a shingle drive Range Rover on bump and cant open my garage door for jacks ect.
As I said I have stripped the nose of the car every hose, top up bottle all the brackets ect are out, fan belt is off and all I can remove is one bolt of the alternator, I cant even see the other two. I am two big to creep under the bloody thing its so low but I cant raise it on a shingle drive locked in park help.
How do people steal these things locked in park and electric hand brake on, I know how to release the hand brake but how do you get into the boot with a dog guard but it is still in park, tried dragging it with the 90 the 90 lost.
Any advice greatly received before I go mad.

Lewis If everything is under control you are not going fast enough.

MY 16 Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle
MY 12 Full Fat TDV8
1952 Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl

The gearshift mechanism has a white movable tab at the right rear corner that when operated will allow the gear lever to be pulled out of park. However I can't advise what has to be removed from the centre console to gain access to the tab.

Can you use a wire hook through the dog guard to latch onto the release tab for the upper tailgate located in the lower tailgate? Once the top is opened, the lower tailgate can be opened by pressing down on (or possibly using a screwdriver to press) the 2 out of sight release tabs at the extreme ends of the top of the lower tailgate.

PS When I had a D4 I fitted a dedicated alternator B+ cable fitted with a CB for when the alternator diodes failed short circuit to prevent a total electrical shut-down. I haven't yet fitted one to my L322 though. I also disabled both the D4's and the L322's steering lock in the CCF to ensure that I could at least steer.

I've not looked on the Workshop Manual yet - but cant you isolate from a wiring perspective the alternator?

Looking at the wiring diagram - you should be able to pull the fuse and disconnect from the starter motor.
Im sure its not as easy as that though - and any time i get under the bonnet my hands increase in size by a factor of five!

and if it helps re post above;



Although you will struggle to get the trim off without the gearshift in neutral with a 2007 - ive had to get to the RCM recently!

Thanks for the above, I knew there must be a way to get the auto box into neutral when dead, as there is a way to get the hand brake off by the cable pull in the boot. As far as I know by the wiring diagram the alternator is connected direct to the starter loom no fuses. If everything is under control you are not going fast enough.

MY 16 Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle
MY 12 Full Fat TDV8
1952 Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl

The following thread has instructions with photos, starting at page 3.

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic23089-30.html

I presume you have been able to open the driver’s door and pop the bonnet. If so, that’s all you need in terms of access. It’s not an easy job, but is possible using the method in this thread. The main difficulty is that the space to extract and replace the alternator itself, even with viscous fan and hoses removed, is very tight indeed. The only extra bit I did was to loosen the oil dipstick tube so that I could move it a couple of mm and that just about worked.

Unfortunately, removing the wheel and wheel arch liner is of absolutely not benefit.

Good luck. My scraped knuckles have recovered, but it took many weeks. Current: 2010 Range Rover L322
Vogue SE, TDV8 3.6, Bournville
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Now gone: 2002 Range Rover L322
Vogue, TD6, Giverney Green

Yes your thread is one I have looked at many times for this job and I have removed way more of the front of the car than you did, and I still cant see the bolts that hold the alternator on, as I said she is on her bump stops and I cant get under it, currently cant move it due to it being locked in park, handbrake on and electrically dead but looks like I now have a lead on that and I might be able to push it into the workshop and get a jack under it and get it up on some axle stands If everything is under control you are not going fast enough.

MY 16 Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle
MY 12 Full Fat TDV8
1952 Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl

From memory, two of the three securing bolts do have to come out from underneath. I don’t think there is any way they will otherwise come out. I would have thought that was possible with it on the bump stops, but clearly more difficult. As you say, few options if not - except to get it lifted somehow. I might be tempted to get a breakdown company to take it to a garage, or is that admitting defeat! Current: 2010 Range Rover L322
Vogue SE, TDV8 3.6, Bournville
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Now gone: 2002 Range Rover L322
Vogue, TD6, Giverney Green

Can you first disconnect the alternator cables so you can get a bit or power into it?
. Cheers, Greg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

It's all done from above

But awkward and fiddly, but 3-4 hours should see it done and running again

Hardest part is getting the alternator out and back in the hole

Ditto all from above, i still have no idea how it comes out you just kind of wiggle it until it seems to just slide out!? From memory I disconnected the cable, followed by the two lower bolts and finally the pivot bolt. No need to remove the turbo or intake pipe.

I had a protective sheet over the radiator as when it comes out it usually comes out quickly

There was no way mine was coming out until I got some big zippy ties and pulled the turbo intake hose down to the chassis. fell out then.

Still got to rebuild it all, waiting for a new fan belt, there is no way I am putting that lot back together with our one. If everything is under control you are not going fast enough.

MY 16 Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle
MY 12 Full Fat TDV8
1952 Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl

I wouldn't be putting it back together without a brand new alternator in place

All sorted new belts ect, but I am getting some strange things happening where the battery went flat.
My drive away locking does not work and the seat keeps going back to my Mrs setting, grrr annoying. If everything is under control you are not going fast enough.

MY 16 Discovery 4 Commercial Workshop and Escort Vehicle
MY 12 Full Fat TDV8
1952 Series 1 80" 3ltr 6cyl