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HAVING TROUBLE GETTING TO THE BOLT HEAD THAT TIGHTENS THE ALT.ITS SENT THROUGH THE EARS FROM THE INSIDE TO THE FENDER.ANY IDEAS? I CAN'T EVEN PUT MY FINGERS ON THE DANG BOLT HEAD.ITS THE 3.0 ENGINE. THANKS  

can you narrow down the year..???   so i can look up the proper info.,...

i don't work on a lot of infinity's

and i have a lot of different sources of info...  the first question always is what year...  

SORRY, 2000.  

perhaps  this will help...



it does look like you have to remove the LONG bolt from the rear as it looks like a captured nut on the front..

more to come..  

oh... by the way..  how do you know the alternator is bad.????//and that you don't just have a dirty cable connection someplace???    please.. use a digital volt meter for testing..   do not pull a battery cable to test the alternator.. this will blow the alternator and possibly thousands of dollars in parts..


i think this applies to your car...

  1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the Precautions section.
     
  2. Remove or disconnect the following:

     Negative battery cable
     
     Splash guard on the right side of the vehicle
     
     Drive belt
     
     Four A/C mounting bolts
     
     Radiator fan and shroud
     
     A/C compressor forward
     
     Alternator harness connector
     
     Alternator mounting bolts and lower the alternator from the vehicle
     

     


Install or connect the following:


Alternator and torque the bolts to 38 ft. lbs. (52 Nm)

Alternator harness connector

A/C compressor back into location

Radiator cooling fan and shroud

A/C compressor mounting bolts

Drive belt and tension the belt

Splash guard

Negative battery cable



NOTE
Proper belt tension is important. A belt that is too tight may cause alternator bearing failure; one that is too loose will cause a gradual battery discharge and/or belt slippage, resulting in belt breakage from overheating.  

this might explain.. why you cannot reach it from the TOP...  remember... remove 4 bolts and swing ac compressor aside..   this does not mean that you have to discharge the freon ...  


 

i hope this helps...  

wife smelt odor in cabin,when i checked it out myself,the odor was a burning/electtical smell coming from that area.Turned off engine and next day done the same thing.drove car to local mechanic and had the analog tester put on battery(by the way cables are very clean)and it read low.Gave the car some accelleration and the tester would move up to green.But my hand on the back of alter.casing and it was extremely HOT!!(burnt my fingers).Our opinion is that the alternator is on its way out.Dont want to have a failure on the interstate/hyway with the wife on here way to work.Ive already got several steps completed removing the old one. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help waynep7122!!  why just the negative post.i removed them both.  

volt meter testing is the way to test charging systems...   people have tried the WRONG way and pulled a battery cable with the engine running.. DO NOT do this... this is what i was Saying NOT to DO..

OH... alternators run smoking hot..  they will burn your hand when you touch them...

i would worry more about an older battery that is resisting accepting the charge..  this can cause the alternator to overheat as its trying to force the current into the battery..


do you own a digital volt meter?????

engine off...  turn headlights on for one minute then turn them off..

set digital volt meter to 20 volts scale...

measure the battery...  

12.65 volts is a fully charged battery
12.45 volts is a 3/4 charged battery
12.25 volts is a 1/2 charged battery..

inspect the ends of the battery case..  if they are bulged out.. the battery is probably worn out..  will have reduced reserve power..

if you have over 12.5 volts...    start the engine..   you should now have over 14.1 volts.. and probably less than 14.8..  this shows the alternator is working fine...

but it has to be done with at least a 3/4 charged battery...