replace Alternator

[designkaw]

Any Ideas on steps to replace the alternator on XC90
How do you drain coolant to remove hose

[jblackburn]

This should be what you're after.

Sorry for the late reply.

I generally just take off the upper radiator hose, a bit of coolant will come out, so stick a pan under the car, but you don't need to drain the entire radiator.

[Jake of Sigourney]

Replaced the original alternator on my 2001 V70 T5 with 185K miles (only put out 12 volts, rather than usual 14+ volts) and battery repeatedly ran down after charging. This job was difficult but doable with patience. Disconnect battery negative cable after you charged it up. Never rely upon an alternator to charge up a depleted battery. Start by creating "operating room" in the engine compartment. Pull upper radiator hose, catching antifreeze on rag. Pull up coolant reservoir and remove black covers of computer modules (nut on aft end), then carefully pull up and forward on computer modules (next to power steering pump). You now have ready access to the accessory belt and power steering pump bolts (12mm). Remove serpentine belt (14 mm box wrench pulled forward will ease belt tension). Loosen nut one turn on rigid line to power steering pump (so you can rotate the line), then remove the three pump mounting bolts (fourth only holds sheet metal piece), and swing pump up and out of way, leaving hose attached. (rag beneath will catch any leaked fluid). Loosen hose clamp of turbo intake tubing, and push this hose down and towards driver side to create access to bolts holding alternator and air conditioner compressor. Remove the three bolts holding alternator (12 mm), and loosen (lower) air conditioner compressor bolts (same 12 mm) by two turns, but no more.

Alternator is now loose. Pull up and forward, but it is still tethered by the red power cable. Rotate it clockwise (looking down) and remove(but take care not to drop it) the 13 mm nut holding the red power cable and pull free the smaller field wire, (but not by the wire, instead grab the connector with a pliers). You should now be able to swing alternator around to best extract it from a critically tight passage, but on my 2001 V70, not without some choice words for the Volvo design team (older model Volvo's with this same engine (2.4 turbo) had sufficient room). First try creating sufficient clearance to remove the alternator by removing the cover of the inside headlamp, taking care not to damage the wire connector and lamp, itself. If that does not work, then you need to torque the engine backwards on its mount by simply use a combination of a 2x2 vertically held fulcrum (see attached photo) against the metal front piece that holds the radiator (take care not to touch the radiator), and a 2x4 lever that touches the intake manifold just right of where you will pull up the alternator. By rotating then engine back a half inch or so, sufficient room is created to extract the alternator. You need to rotate it in two axes (IQ test) while you pull it out. You can loop a bit of cord around the pulley to help remove it.. Once successful, you are qualified to serve as a midwife performing a breech delivery.

Reverse procedure to reinstall. Dropping new unit down is easier than pulling it out. Rotate it so that the connector face is near your red cable and field wire. It is much easier to secure these wires now, than after the alternator is bolted in. Carefully secure power cable with 13 mm nut (clean it first with emery paper or nail board, then clean rag or paper towel.), and plug field wire in. If the field connector does not tightly engage the lug, then carefully crimp it to assure an adequate mating. If you over tightened it, then open it with a small slotted screwdriver. Once wires attached, then rotate the alternator and drop its posterior flange in the slot behind the compressor (shares the same bolts). Start the lower alternator two bolts first. If you can't feed the bolts, then use a screwdriver as an alignment tool. Then install the top alternator bolt. It is difficult to align this top bolt ( use patience and again try alignment with a screwdriver). Snug the top bolt down with a 1/4 inch drive, only then finish tightening the bottom two bolts. Finally, tighten the two lower compressor bolts (Use a 3/8 drive, and the next one trying to remove the bolts will curse you). Inspect serpentine belt and idler for wear, replace if in doubt.
You might consider have the vendor test your replacement alternator before installing it, although Volvo units rotate backwards to most, and the store may not be capable. new alternator tests out in the store before you take it home. Also, make sure the pulley is the same size. Restore everything to rightful place, tighten power steering metal line nut, and top off with more antifreeze. Then check the voltage output while engine is idling. It should read at least 14 volts (assuming your battery is sufficiently charged to start the engine), and the alternator/charging failure light won't be glowing red.

If your radio has locked itself out because battery was dead or disconnected for a prolonged time, then once power restored and the battery fully charged, then leave ignition turned on position I, (turn on radio and "locked" message will be displayed). After a few hours or more (leave it turned on overnight with charger connected, if you are worried about your battery), the radio will reset itself, that is will then indicated "code" and be receptive it keying it in with the digital buttons. Just enter proper code, nothing more, and the radio will turn itself on. If you don't have your radio code number written somewhere, then just call any Volvo dealer, and they will graciously and freely look up your radio's code number using your VIN number. If your radio was, for some reason, is a replacement or from salvage, etc. then send a digital photo of the radio's serial number label to your dealer's service department, and they can cross reference it in their computer and get the code for your radio. Volvo dealers love to do this type of service for you, so that you will buy your next Volvo from them, so don't feel at all bad asking for their help.

A second suggestion is that this is a very good time to also replace your timing belt if not already done at 100K mileage. While you have the alternator out, most of the work accessing the timing belt is already completed. Change the timing belt every 100K miles as a prophylactic measure. Waiting for it to fail will damage the engine valves and a replacement kit with tensioner is cheap via the Internet (see my separate posting regarding changing this belt), it was actually much easier than changing the alternator.

Best of luck // Jake in Sigourney

[aaron1611]

Hi I just came across your post on the alternator removal and I'm hoping that you might have the information that I'm looking for. My bottom two bolts holding the alternator on went missing awhile ago as today the top bolt broke free and so I've removed the alternator and I have new one ready to install but I can't locate the size of the three bolts that I need to reattach the alternator back onto the car. The bottom two go through the ac compressor and I need the size and length as well as the size and length for the top bolt. Any ideas on where I can get this information? I believe they are M8 bolts. Thank you.

[oragex]

.
I suggest calling Volvo for the bolts, better to get the exact thread to them
For the 2.4 and 2.5 petrol engines

[aaron1611]

Perfect. thank you. I reached out to my local Volvo Parts and they couldn't tell me but there is another dealership that I can call this week.