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Picture DIY : Lexus IS350 Alternator Replacement or Removal
New to the forums, I kept looking for some DIY's on how to replace the alternator but no luck. it sounded pretty basic so i went ahead and did it. Besides, I didn't feel like paying 1,000+ before i at least attempted at it.
*I did not use any specialty tools. Just your average socket set and extensions. maybe a flat head.
DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
I removed my alternator without messing with the electrical fans, or radiator. this is how:
-Remove the radiator support plastic cover and engine cover.
* you will need to remove the ECU box in order to NOT mess with the radiator, fan or hoses.
*Once you loosen up the ECU, just pull it out of the box, an tuck it away like so:
*Now remove the actual box. Once you get all the bolts mentioned below, Just pull it, it'll come off.
*You should have a lot more room by now, so grab your 14mm and get the belt loose:
-In case you forget how the belt pattern goes, this helps:
*Below you can see what bolts you need to get rid of in order to remove the alternator:
(Now keep in mind, I did remove my pulley to make things easier in the long run)
*Now start to wiggle the alternator around, Use a pry bar if you need to get it loose.
-this step is optional, I removed the following bolt to help the alternator squeeze through the hoses.
**Continue to wiggle the alternator around. Follow the pictures below:
^Only took me 3hrs, and an hour of that was figuring out the right tools need to get at the lower ALT bracket attached to the block.
About the DIY, specifically the fuse block removal; I can say I didn't have to touch that box at all. Instead I managed maneuvering the ALT around and only had to move out of the way the plastic wiring harness portion on the front of the block above the ALT area.
This is a great write up, and it helped me a lot with this whole process, but just wanted to add a few notes for anyone who is doing this as it can be a real pain.
First is with the clips that hold the ECU in place from the side. The white body has square cut outs that the black prongs from the housing go through. I mangled up the plastic pretty good on this prying at it with a small flat head before I was able to remove it, and even after getting it out, do not know how you would go about pressing those clips properly to just let it release?
Second is after you remove the 2 bolts from the front of the black ECU housing and the nut from the back, you literally have to PULL the hell out of that thing to get it to come free. The front right corner towards the bottom has an air duct that protrudes down, and it has a little extrusion on the side of it that kind of locks it in place pretty well when mating it with the lower port.
Lastly, the issue with the hidden bracket that is back behind the alternator itself which is an absolute pain to get to! I was able to get to it with a ratchet wrench, 3 inch extension, and a deep well 12mm socket. Not sure if there was a different bolt holding it on his car, but the nut was not a 10mm on mine. It takes some tricky moves to get your hands and wrench down there properly, but it is possible. When I had it out I took some pictures, so I hope they will help.
After going through this and reading other reviews about this, it does not surprise me that some dealers are charging just under $1K for this job with parts, but if you are willing to do it and save yourself 800, then it's probably worth it. Good Luck!
What's the secret for getting the ECU clips off? I've been trying to pry the clips but am not having any luck! They're getting kind of messed up looking...
Well, got the ECU out last night, but damn, that nut behind the alternator is seemingly impossible. Even if I can get a wrench on it, I'm not sure how I'm NOT going to drop it somewhere...
Well, got the ECU out last night, but damn, that nut behind the alternator is seemingly impossible. Even if I can get a wrench on it, I'm not sure how I'm NOT going to drop it somewhere...
I'm not sure what the trick to those ECU clips is either? Mine are all messed up, but still seems to hold in place fine afterwards.
After you break that nut free, it should spin free by hand. If dropped, it will likely end up on the plastic undercarriage plate that needs to be removed when changing the oil. I just maneuvered my arm down and in from the right of the headers the same way I was able to finagle the wrench in to place.
08-06-14, 09:53 PM
Picture DIY : Lexus IS350 Alternator Replacement or Removal
