Alternator clutch pulley warning

ttarbox · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:13 pm **Posts:** 11

CATCRD wrote:

ttarbox wrote:

That's unbelievable that they wouldn't replace the dang pulley!! Do they even know that it's not a conventional solid pulley and that it has a one way clutch inside it? Pop the little round cover off the front of it and see if it's full of red dust. I GUARANTEE it's the alternator pulley!

I just made a "deal" with them..I told them to replace the decoupler only and leave the other pullys alone..if it fixes the problem they can charge it off to the extended warranty; if it doesn't, I'll pay for it myself; the parts are on the way..but they ordered an entire alternator, citing they come as a unit; at this point, I don't care, I just want it fixed..at 99k miles, I'm ok with paying for a new alternator..but I'm convinced everyone here is right, so I think the odds are in my favor of getting both decoupler and alternator under warranty..

kccrd · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:35 pm **Posts:** 267

The part # for the pulley on the alternator is 53013554 AE my cost was $53.00 in Sept 08 also very easy to replace. Good luck.

ttarbox · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:13 pm **Posts:** 11

Success!

Much to the disbelief of the service manager, replacing the decoupler (and alternator) fixed the problem..and I managed to slide it in under the last few hundred miles of my extended warranty.

The engine compartment is quieter than it has been in a few years..and a new alternator to boot..

Tim

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:25 am

Time to go buy a lotto ticket! You got DANG lucky on that one, not that you found the problem... But that you had a service manager who actually didn't get selective amnesia about paying for the repair himself... Or getting the warranty to cough for it. I'm amazed that they did that, given their penchant for repeatedly choosing the wrong parts to replace. At the same time, you had the same complaint that they had failed to fix... So it actually shouldn't have mattered where the odometer was - Their "repairs" would have a minimum of a 12/12k attached, which you just kept resetting b/c they hadn't actually fixed it yet.

ttarbox · **Joined:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:13 pm **Posts:** 11

geordi wrote:

Time to go buy a lotto ticket! You got DANG lucky on that one, not that you found the problem... But that you had a service manager who actually didn't get selective amnesia about paying for the repair himself... Or getting the warranty to cough for it. I'm amazed that they did that, given their penchant for repeatedly choosing the wrong parts to replace. At the same time, you had the same complaint that they had failed to fix... So it actually shouldn't have mattered where the odometer was - Their "repairs" would have a minimum of a 12/12k attached, which you just kept resetting b/c they hadn't actually fixed it yet.

No worries about the dealership; I've been buying from them / using their service department for 15+ years and seen them go way above and beyond many times..they are 100% trustworthy.

I kept waiting for the warranty provider to decline..the extended warranty plan is administred by CNA Insurance; it has been fantastic coverage; I will buy their plan again in a heartbeat; I purchased the 5 year / 100k miles, $100 deductable..and used it a few times..new AC compressor, motor mounts, a few pulleys..now an alternator..they never flinched as far as I know..if they did, the dealership addressed it and didn't tell me. Also, now that you mention it, I think they did warranty the pulleys a few times, as I wasn't charged a deductable everytime.

I suspect the dealership has a good relationship with them; they actually had a coupon for $25.00 off a deductable from CNA which they applied to my ticket; I briefly read the coupon; the dealership received them for reaching some lofty sales goal of extended warranty plans; I was out the door with a new alternator and decoupler for $75.00.

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:48 am

ttarbox wrote:

I kept waiting for the warranty provider to decline..the extended warranty plan is administred by CNA Insurance; it has been fantastic coverage; I will buy their plan again in a heartbeat; I purchased the 5 year / 100k miles, $100 deductable..and used it a few times..new ........................... has a good relationship with them; they actually had a coupon for $25.00 off a deductable from CNA which they applied to my ticket; I briefly read the coupon; the dealership received them for reaching some lofty sales goal of extended warranty plans; I was out the door with a new alternator and decoupler for $75.00.

Then again, you didn't need an alternator and the decoupler is only 50 bucks. . . . Your dealer sounds like they have some very nice people working there, but based upon what I've read, I wouldn't trust them with my engine. They simply don't know what they're doing - literally.

AndySRT · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 3:17 pm

thanks for the info. I just popped off the dust cap on mine and I found the reason why I have been threw 2 tensioners in the last year.

darinb · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 11:53 am

I just got my decoupler pulley in the mail (after it sounded like I had a bunch of rocks in an aluminum can under my hood when i threw it in drive)

Question is: do I have to remove the radiator fan and shroud to get to the tensioner pulley? It doesn't look possible without doing so.. If so what do you guys use to get it off? Large adjustable wrench?

geordi · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 2:27 pm

Go to your local parts hut and look in the tool aisle for a "Belt removal tool" that will look like a long bar with a socket box on one end. The sockets are included, you need the 15mm one for our tensioners. Put it on with the bar leaning toward the driver's side, then pull toward the passenger side.

darinb · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 2:43 pm

Thanks for taking the time to answer a beginner's question!

geordi · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 3:32 pm

No worries. We were all beginners at one point, and the people on this site tend toward the helpful end of the spectrum. There is the odd troll... But we tend to smoke them out fairly quickly.

Welcome to the asylum. Grab any jacket with oversize sleeves and jump right in. :mrgreen:

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

does everyone just fashion a 17 mm hex socket or do they buy the special tool to replace the alternator pulley?

geordi · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 4:03 pm

I fashioned a special socket and welded the center of the pulley to the outside... But couldn't get the thing off anyway b/c like an idiot, I thought it had reverse threads. It doesn't. I ended up having to replace the entire alternator with one from Advance Auto. But after 80k miles, it probably needed to be replaced anyway.

If you get a 10mm deep socket from someplace and carve it down narrower with a grinder, it will fit the center alternator shaft. Problem is, then you will need to hold / turn the outside. Hence why I welded the outer ring to the center face of the pulley, to lock them together. But after turning it the wrong way with my first socket (and breaking the socket!) it stripped the center shaft when I tried to UN-lock it. Doh! :banghead:

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

So you insert a 17 mm hex into the pulley and turn counter clockwise to remove the pulley?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 4:49 pm

you'll need either the special tool - or an impact wrench.
because of the pulley freewheeling -
you won't be able to apply any torque without it.

FineDining · **Joined:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:17 pm **Posts:** 21

Thats what I needed to know. Thanks

darinb · **Posted:** Fri May 28, 2010 3:14 pm

OK I think I messed up royally.. I put the alternator + pulley in a vice as previously stated. Tried an air wrench on the inner shaft which did not break it loose. Then tried a wrench with pipe attached.. and just when I thought it had broke loose.. it turns out the inner shaft is rounded off (stripped). When you guys say impact wrench with 17mm hex do you mean the impact wrech you hit with a hammer or an air wrench? Is there a difference between an air wrench and an impact air wrench or are all air wrench's impact?? I am using a Craftsman air tank (about 5 foot high with 150psi) and a craftsman air wrench. If I get the 17mm hex should the air wrench then pull it off?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri May 28, 2010 3:49 pm

I think most folks are using electric impacts - but an air impact should work the same
(hammer impacts have too much force direct in and not enough rotationally - they're much better for chewed up threads)

Not all air wrenches are impact - and I don't know if a regular one will work as well.

basically you're using the inertia of the alternator stator to hold it in position while trying to rotate the pulley off, the 10mm center was to the center of the alternator.
The impact wrench is trying to spin the pulley fast enough to break it free from the shaft, without having any real way to hold the shaft - except for inertia, so a gradual ramp to speed won't work as well.

I couldn't get the vise approach to work either.

geordi · **Posted:** Fri May 28, 2010 5:05 pm

You are now in my situation. Sorry for that.

By clamping the pulley exterior in a vise and using a 10mm socket, you would have wanted the 10mm to be in "tighten" mode (Turning clockwise) which would have the effect of rotating the 17mm pulley exterior counter-clockwise.

The impact trick was for the 17mm external pulley NOT IN A VISE with the 10mm alternator shaft NOT clamped or touched by anything. THEN you would have set the impact gun on "reverse" or counter-clockwise to try what ATXKJ suggested - Using the "impact" of the impacter to overcome the inertia of the non-moving (yet able to rotate free) alternator internals.

Right now... Your solution is to go find an AutoZone and cough up $150 for the full replacement alternator. Luckily for you (and me) it comes with the proper pulley already on it.
Make sure they order the CRD alternator. You will know it's right when it arrives if you can rotate the pulley one direction without the center moving, and the other direction "sticks" and moves the internals too.

darinb · **Posted:** Sat May 29, 2010 9:01 pm

As a last ditch effort before buying the whole alternator I found a 17mm hex socket at sears.. threw it on the air wrench and the pulley zipped right off!! I'd say if you have access to an impact wrench just order the 17mm hex when you order your pulley. With the hex bit it is a piece of cake!

Alternator clutch pulley warning

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