How to remove ALH alternator pulley in car

Wingnut

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This is a followup to my how to remove an alternator post. If you just need to change the pulley, it can be done with the alternator still in the car, but some special tools are required. You can't buy them (YET), so you will have to make them. Many others have done this, so I cannot take credit for the idea, but I can post pictures to help others who want to do it.

Firstly, you need the spline tool to turn the pulley off the shaft. It is available at Metalnerd.com:



Then you need to buy a seperate 12 point bit to hack up to fit inside the special spline tool. You need a 10mm 12 point or tripple square bit like this:



They are availabe at lots of places. Snap-On will sell you a single bit that you need for around $10. Or, you can buy a set of 4 in different sizes for around $10 at many good tool stores. The one in the pic I believe was from a Lisle set I bought many years ago. The product number for the Lisle set is 60750. Just Google it and you will find many hits of places to buy it.

Once you get one, you need to modify it by grinding away the hex part of the shaft so it fits inside the multi splined tool like this:



I just used a bench grinder. Once you have done that, make sure it fits inside the Other part of the tool. Oh, and don't grind away too much as you will need some of the hex part to hold it with a wrench:



I probably should take some measurements so you can grind the appropriate amount away. I had the luxury of having a spare alternator on my bench to measure. It is important to get the length right as there isn't much clearance in the engine compartment between the pulley and the frame. I had to cut about a 1/2 inch off the end of the bit to get it to fit in:



Now you have made the special tool, you need to get under the car & remove the pulley. Removal of the side splash guard is necessary as well as the serpentine belt, obviously. With a screwdriver, pry off the protective plastic cap off the pulley and you can then insert the tools:



Now, you need 2 wrenches. A 17mm to loosen the pulley and a 1/2" to hold the shaft of the alternator. Since you are holding the shaft & loosening the pulley, you need to turn the 17mm wrench as though you were loosening any bolt or nut.....counter clockwise. I used the frame rail to hold the 1/2" wrench solid while I loosened the pulley with the 17mm wrench by pulling it towards the front of the car:



Instalation is the opposite of removal. In this case, I used the harmonic balancer to hold the 1/2" wrench solid while I tightened the pulley with the 17mm wrench by pulling it towards the back of the car (Clockwise):



Now don't forget to put the dust cap back on the new pulley. Total time to do the swap was about 20 minutes, but it took me 10 minutes to make the tool. SO lets say at least a half hour. More if you need to remove the side skirt as mine was allready off.

I hope this helps many of you who have and or will suffer the very common alternator pulley failure. In may case, there was nothing wrong with my pulley. But I was changing the tensioner as it was bad, so I thought I would change the pulley at the same time as a preventative measure as I have seen MANY of these things fail and I would rather do it in a controled situation in my driveay than on the side of a busy highway in the middle of a snow storm :rolleyes:.
 

Growler

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Wingnut,

you should add this to the How To Thread in TDI101
 

oldpoopie

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Yep. Super easy this way. Ill try and get some measurements of my tool when I get home.
 

philh

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Great how-to! I wish that Metalnerd would sell the smaller 12-point bit. Fighting that alternator in and out would have saved me about an hour at least.
 

whitedog

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Wingnut, you could add a link to this thread and a note to the alternator R&R thread.

Thanks for your work on this.
 

Nutsnbolts

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That's fantastic!!! I know I'll be doing mine before too long (hopefully once the winter is done), so I'll have to invest in/fabricate some tools...

Great work, Wingnut!

-Rich
 

oldpoopie

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Wingnut, I tried contacting metalnerd about this a while ago, but didn't get a response. Maybe you could add a poll to this thread to gauge interest. Perhaps the others that have already done this can sing the praises enough that he can be persuaded.
 

Wingnut

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This thread has already been linked in both my Alternator re & re how to and Paramedicks pulley removal how to. So those bases are covered.

And as for a picture of the dimentions of the tool, here is a picture that Bear posted a few months back in Paramedicks how to thread:



I will send a PM to Chuck with a link to this thread. Hopefully he can see the huge benefit to making a tool like this to include with his multi splined tool to remove the pulley. It will cut the time of the swap down considerably and I'm sure there will be a larger market for a kit with this tool rather than his kit with the long 12 point bits.
 

Growler

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I would rather be able to buy the shorter tool separately..

I already have his alternator kit. just need the shortened 10mm xzn tool

awesome thread.
 

whitedog

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Growler said:
I would rather be able to buy the shorter tool separately..

I already have his alternator kit. just need the shortened 10mm xzn tool

awesome thread.
I agree with Aaron. Heck, I haven't even used my alternator tools yet, so just being able to buy the short tool would be awesome. Put me down for one.

I wonder if a Moderator or Administrator could help with establishing a poll in this thread. I know that once a thread is started, you can't add a poll.
 

Wingnut

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It was THIS THREAD from Oldpoopie that inspired me to take some action shots of the procedure in the car. That is why I did this writeup.

This is a nice clean looking tool. The single Lisle 10mm (60780) bit is available for under $4 and if you turn a bunch on a lathe, you could sell them for $15 as a supplement to the Metalnerd tool, for those who already have it.


 
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oldpoopie

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the only trouble is that I tore thru many carbide bits when I made mine. These things are hardened and difficult to cut.
 

mrGutWrench

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oldpoopie said:
the only trouble is that I tore thru many carbide bits when I made mine. These things are hardened and difficult to cut.
__. I was wondering about that. Sounds like a lathe/grinder is in order.

__. And, Wingy!!! Another great how-to -- this is going to save a bunch of us a lot of time and trouble.
 
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RES

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Based on Old Poopie's thread, I believe the overall length of the modified tool is 2 1/4". The hex portion is 3/8" long and the cut down portion with the triple square section is 1 7/8" long. I made a sketch with Visio but I forgot how to post it.
 

Skullbag

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Hey wingnut, i have the 04 PD tdi, my alternator is right up top, as far as I can tell, I need that same special tool, and it seems I can buy it from metalnerd already modified like yours.. How about releasing the tension? Should I get that L tool from them too? Or does the alternator shift position when loosened in order to release tension like the older VW's? Also, any pulleys that are better? Or go OEM?
 

Wingnut

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The regular Metalnerd tool works fine for the PD engines. More room on top, so no need to have to fabricate a tool.
 

2TDIguy

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FYI, NAPA sell the 10mm 12 point driver bit too for $7.10. It needs ground down also. I had to make mine today to use. NAPA part # is 2305. Enjoy.
 

mkivbren

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Do you guys know if the special splined tool can be purchased alone? That way I can just get that and the drivers to cut down? I emailed metalnerd to see if he'll sell it apart but is this tool available elsewhere?
Thanks!
 

mrGutWrench

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mkivbren said:
Do you guys know if the special splined tool can be purchased alone? That way I can just get that and the drivers to cut down? I emailed metalnerd to see if he'll sell it apart but is this tool available elsewhere?
Thanks!
__. It's been about 10 months but I got the spline tool alone from World-Impex. (In fact, I asked for the "tool set" knowing I needed the 10mm driver and the spline and all I got was the spline.)
 

mkivbren

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well boys metalnerd told me 16 for the tool alone but I figure with 170K on the clock I'm going to go ahead and spend 240 for a new alty and be done with it rather then having almost 100 bucks tied up in the pulley alone. My serp belt broke on I95 today about fifteen miles from home. I shut everything down as I had just jump started the battery before I left! Barely got her in the driveway but I made it! The pulley is off the shaft.
 

mrGutWrench

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__. Hey, Wingy. *One* time sitting on the side of the road with a busted pulley is _far_ too many times for me. Has anybody with access to ETKA and experience with these things come up with a replacement pulley that won't frag itself ???? I'd sure like to make sure that mine doesn't do this again but I'm must more interested in making sure that it never happens to MzLauraLee.
 

Wingnut

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There are several people I know of that have put on solid pulleys. Not sure what affects that might have on the bearings or other components of the alternator. Or any of the other serpentine belt related pulleys for that matter? But you can't get any more basic than a solid pulley....no internal moving parts to fail.
 

Wingnut

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Very tight, initially. But once its cracked loose, it should spin off very easily. That is why I use a solid brace (frame rail or main pulley) and often have to use a pipe extension on the other wrench that I turn.
 
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Shhh! Don't tell Snap-On I did that to their wrench but yes that is the secret. Any recommendations for loc tight on the new pulley ? What is the guesstimated torque for the new pulley ?
 

Wingnut

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ninedee_golf_tdi said:
Shhh! Don't tell Snap-On I did that to their wrench but yes that is the secret. Any recommendations for loc tight on the new pulley ? What is the guesstimated torque for the new pulley ?
According to Paramedicks How To, MoGolf says its 59 ft/lbs.

I would not worry about loctite. The belt actually tightens the pulley as it rotates. the loosening direction is the freewheeling direction, so it will not spin off unless the bearing siezes.
 
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