thank you for the video. As a tip.... That bolt that holds the belt tensioner assembly to the lower bracket is a HUGE pain to put back on. After fighting with it (and failing for 1/2 hour). I simply slid the top alternator bolt out and assembled the lower bolt and tensioner FIRST... Then easily pivoted the alternator back up where it belonged.
I wanna thank you for this video! My 70 year old neighbour with cancer needed his car to go to the doctor,asked me to put a alternator on his 2001 civic. I never worked on a Honda before, just watched this and 2 hours later he's back on the road.I did it for $20 bucks and a lot of pride!
Kevin Peterson great work and good for you on helping someone in need! Replacing the alternator on a civic is so easy that it should be crime to charge what stealerships charge to do a quickie job.
You deserve some sort of medal for your tutorial-making ability and skill as a mechanic both. The most I've done on a car before today was change the tail lights, and you walked me through swapping out my alternator without a hitch (well, I stripped a nut, but that was corrosion's fault, not yours). Great explanations and service tips throughout, and most of the time you had the camera in a good spot to see everything. Honestly the hardest part for me was getting the belt looped back around the crankshaft (?) pulley at the end; ended up using a coat hanger to fish down and tug it into position. Thanks again for the tutorial - keep doing what you're doing!
a medal? Nobody's given me one yet :) Glad you found the video useful and informative. Don't forget to subscribe if you like to learn more about how I fix cars :) Thanks for watching
Though this was an easy job for myself (20 years experience both performance and non-performance applications), this is an absolutely perfectly done video tutorial on how to do this job. Good job with narration, camera views, and showing people how to not only do the job, but how to do it RIGHT....and staying on topic the entire time. Props to you, sir!
I had the flashing battery light come on when the car is stopped but goes out when driving. Few days later the car would even start. The battery was dead. So I bought a used alternator and used your video as a guide to replace the alternator on my 05 civic. This fixed the problem. Thank you!
Hey just wanted to say this video saved me. Not only did I learn something new but I also saved money. Thanks for help a young college student out! Couldn't thank you enough!
Excellent video and descriptions. Even a newbie such as myself was able to replace my alternator on my 2005 Honda Civic following your complete and detailed instructions. Although, what took you 2 minutes to replace the bottom bolt on the alternator, took me two hours, as I dropped and lost the bolt twice (once even had the embarrassment of having my wife find it for me-Ha). Hope you can continue to produce more instructional videos. You are a natural. Thanks again!
glad you liked my vid. The point is that you were able to do your own alternator and that is what counts. Sure it may have taken you two hours to get that pesky bolt in BUT... now you know that if you ever had to do the job again that you'd probably do it in 1/10 the time.
I took the old alternator out today following what you did in your video. All went well. I suppose all the bolts etc were easier being I had the timing belt, crank seal, cam sensor, and water pump replaced 40,000 miles ago at a Honda dealership in Fargo. They did well by me, I might add. New alternator arrives in 2 days, I look at this car as a present for my Grandson when he turns of age. I hope it survives the time. Thanks for your help, it was great!
That's good to hear that all went well with your alternator removal. Depending on the mileage and how well you've kept up with maintenance on your civic chances are that it might last long enough for your grandson to take the car :) My 1991 Civic ran over 500, 000kms without a hiccup before I finally sold the car and even now the new owners are STILL driving it around with over 530, 000kms on it and going strong. If you take care of a car it will take care of you.
I will be changing the alternator, battery, and both belts in a couple of days on my 2005 Civic LX. Everything you show here looks identical to my engine. 204,000 miles and this is its 1st alternator/belt/battery change. I will have my laptop running this video as I change all my parts. Thanks so much for such a detailed DIY video.
Hi Chuck, it helps to pre-lubricate the fasteners a day or two before if you've NEVER removed the bolts before. Since this is the first alternator at 204, 000 miles I suspect the fasteners may be quite rusted or very tight from the factory. Give the screws a squirt of WD-40 or equivalent penetrating lube before doing this job to make this job a LESS stressful. Good luck and don't forget to subscribe!
@@piercedasianI just did this job on my 2005 civic. I replaced my belts and alternator. My question though is, is it normal to hear a light squeak when pressing on the gas? Or does it mean that the belts are loose? Like I said it’s not a loud squeak just a light one when accelerating
Thank you for your thorough video. You did not leave anything out and explained how to troubleshoot a faulty battery or alternator, including its replacement.
I hope you never stop making videos :) Videos are well captured, you are clear and easy to understand. It's great. Now first thing in the morning, I am gonna visit CanadianTire and get me a new battery. I already had in my mind to pick up a MotoMaster Eliminator since it's got 4 year warranty. I don't think I'll be driving my '05 Civic for more than 4 years. Thank you.
Great video!! My alternator conked out last night. its freezing here -15c but after watching your video showed me the tricks i needed to go out and do it. Had the old one out and new one in under 2 hours. Thanks
Thanks for the great video, to get to the bottom bracket easily you can pop off the wheel and remove the shroud cover just above the 'A' arm. Easy access and only takes an extra 5 minutes of work if you have the tools handy.
Good video for my 2005. The only thing I did different was to remove the lower alternator bracket from the side of the block without trying to remove the tightening adjuster. I also waited to remove the wires until the alternator was free and turned sideways. Took me 2 hrs total. Thank you for your help !!
Thank you so much! I was able to change the alternator and save the $170 the shop quoted me. (I also got the part from Amazon and saved almost $300). I have such a sense of accomplishment and knew exactly what to do the whole time thanks to this video
That's awesome news. So glad you were able to change this out yourself. It's super easy and can be done with a just a few hand tools. No idea why a shop would charge as much as they do to change this bad boy out.
This has to be the best you tube instructional video I've ever used. I give a 95 out of 100. Needed a little more visual on removing the wiring harness boot. Not sure if there was anything that could improve reinstalling the power steering belt.
yeah I wish I had a 2nd set of hands or someone to help me film me doing the work. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I am a one man operation that does it all :)
The voice of experience. I've done a few of these myself and this is nicely done. And what 7th gen civic owner doesn't have a few extra names for that tensioner nut, lubing it is a nice tip.
that is the very reason why I share my knowledge with TH-camrs alike. Saving money is never a bad thing and I get to leave a little bit of my legacy on the Internet :)
not more than 50 ft lbs. The bolts aren't very large and thus don't need to be extremely tight. You likely didn't fry the ECU because of that b/c there are multiple ground points and you'd have to have a REALLY bad contact to cause any real electrical issues on the car.
I also made contact with the positive terminal when removing my old one, sparks flew however my ECU didn't die on me until the next day. Could that have been the cause?
Great job and best video out there for this model! Your explanation is excellent and tips were helpful as well. As a DYI car owner playing "mechanic" because I have more time than money right now, your video was a huge blessing to me. The only thing I had to get help on was removing the wiring clip from the bracket mounted to the alternator as that wasn't well explained and not visible. I also found I could turn the wheel and access the lower bolts and pulleys through the wheel well.
I just followed your video to change my alternator and you were right on the money. The only thing different that I did was take off the left tire and taken the two plastic button clips to access the lower bolt for the adjuster/bottom bracket bolt. Other than that, Great Video.
Great video thanks for being so detailed about it. Now i can upgrade my 70amp alternator to a 160amp alternator without messing it up. I've learned over the years to work for 15 min and take 5 min break so your not getting agitated so your not breaking things. Thanks again for the video.
lol, wow 170 amp alternator. That can only mean one thing: AMPLIFIERS :) Yes taking breaks is a FANTASTIC idea. I remember when I used to get frustrated or tired or achy fixing cars. If I took breaks often I worked more efficiently and my "logic" would work with me and not against me.
On the bottom of the alternator hole, the bracket that the bolt slides into through the little eyelet on the adjusting screw. Make sure that bracket is pulled all the way up until you feel a click (top parts of the metal should be level) Thanks for the video!!!
yes! cant wait to do this when the weather get warmer. its 19 degrees here and cramping my style! stupid firestone installed a new belt and it has been squealing on me for weeks.
aarrgggh! that drives me batty when folks install new belts and they squeal. In their defense it probably was better for them to not overtighten the belt install than to install it too tight. The reason why it is better that it is loose than too tight is it is not putting excessive pressure on the alternator bearings. They installed it just tight enough that is considered "acceptable" but since the belt is brand new it probably also stretched a bit (almost all belts do) so hence why the tension of the belt would've changed over a short period of time. Interestingly I have had squeaky belts on this generation civic almost every time I've installed a new belt. Fortunately tightening this belt is fairly easy. Thanks for watching!
awesome! that makes sense, because the belt did not squeal until a couple months after it was installed. and whats more, it was warm when it was installed in the fall.
Great video. One tip I would say is to take the front driver's side wheel off and then remove the plastic shroud covering the crankshaft & lower alternator bracket. It makes removal & replacement and belt replacement a lot easier.
+The Guvnor Good tip - you could do that but that would mean more work. I guess it depends on how big your hands are. My hands are quite small so I can reach into a lot of places where others cannot.
I replaced my kid's alternator yesterday in sub-zero temps. You are probably right about hands. Mine kept jamming. I needed to remove the shroud to align the lower alternator bracket properly as after market alternators are seldom exactly the same size as OEMs.
yeah I guess it depends on your hand size. Yes even OEM alternators vary a little tiny bit in sizing and "geometry" of where the holes are and in *some* cases require you to tweak the brackets a tad bit.
Just wanted to post my appreciation for this video. Saved me some cash on labor and I also just wanted to know how to do it. Sending lots of good karma your way.
It is interesting you say that I have an accent. Like other people around the world I'm sure they don't hear their own accent (why would they when they're all around others that speak just like them?). What is neat is that I think our Northern US citizens sound just us fellow Canadians yet I've heard so many times that I have an accent that is different. Out of curiosity can you describe my style of speaking and accent?
GREAT instructive and helpful video. One of the best and most informative videos of the ENTIRE process and done correctly and efficiently which is of course should be the whole purpose of a repair/replace video. KUDOS
@ Znarf Ski - glad you were able to fix your own car. Yeah that alternator clip can be a little confusing if you haven't removed it before so I guess it can stump first timers. Great tip on the wheel well suggestion. My hands are small so I was able to just reach down to remove the bolt.
awesome video ty so so much!! my check engine light came up when the power started to drain from the battery, I hope when I install the new alternator tomorrow, that the problem is fixed! I am confident now having watched this tutorial :)
+piercedasian I believe the engine was being powered poorly and after the fix I was able to diagnose successfully a strange idle surge. the gasket between the throttle body was replaced and idle sits at a comfortable 750 rpm
Hello Pierce, just wanted to leave a note to personally thank you for making time to help the automotive community. Your video above was a very helpful guide for me to tackle a 2005 Civic alternator today. Great to see you're Canadian too judging by the Motomaster battery, haha (I'm in the GTA). The part sold to me by my regular parts supplier (AC Delco) did not fit, so being a Sunday, I had to get a Champion unit from Canadian Tire. I struggled mightily fitting the alternator into the bracket (you made it look so easy, lol), and had to hammer in the metal bushing on the alternator to make it fit, and even then, it was still super-tight. Are you a technician by profession? Thanks so much again. Fingers crossed the car won't die, lol, but everything is back to 14.2V and above again.
thanks Dalton, I wish my lighting and point of view of my camera was better but it was shot on my own. There was a few more tips I wanted to throw into the video BUT it would be rather difficult to do so with me being the camera guy and the mechanic.
Make it worth your while then for making videos. I would donate money via PayPal. This video saved me $200 in labor, even though it took me 6 hours to do everything, it was very helpful to watch step by step.
+iamaynard if you'd like you can send any donations to crxsi AT shaw DOT ca :) A million thanks to those that watch my videos and subscribe to my channel and a BILLION eternal thanks to those that donate!
I need to replace an alternator on an 05 civic. Gonna use your video and hope everything goes smoothly. Just to note, I'm not a mechanic and the most I've ever done mechanically was changing oil or changing break pads so this seems very challenging to me but hopefully I'm just over thinking this lol.
Nah, you're definitely over thinking this. Just make sure you have the right tools, maybe some penetrating oil and a few beers. This job is so easy for me now that I can do it in less than 20 minutes. Trust me you'll be fine...
Thanks alot man. My son and I tackled the job and you're right, it was fairly easy after watching your video. Sadly I'm still having a charging issue even after replacing battery and alternator. When I hook jumper cables, the car electrifys up nice and strong but once I remove the jumper cables the lights flicker a little and even after a little bit of driving as soon as I turn off the vehicle it goes back to being 100% dead. I don't see anything visibly wrong with any thing and am now just scratching my head. Not being a mechanic is frustrating lol.
@piercedasian Great Video! I have done a few replacements on my 04 Civic and this one was the most cut & clear tutorial. If you were able to make it that clear to a guy like myself (not even close to a car mechanic) then you did an excellent job. Thank you!
glad my vid was useful and clear to you. I try really hard to teach my viewers how to do things with the understanding that they might not have ANY prior car repair experience. Some folks likes yourself appreciate my videos while others HATE them b/c I spend too much time explaining things with a lot of time spent listening to me explain every little detail.
piercedasian, Dude, I wish that all of the DIY videos on TH-cam were made exactly as you made your's. Thanks to guy's or gals like you for making such a precise video. Long story short, I lost my bottom alternator bolt, as a month had past since I'd taken it out. I remembered that it was a Funky looking bolt. Fortunately, I located it due to your video. I know some will say " Any bolt would have worked ".. However, I like to put things together, as they were. So thanks for the great Video brother. Tim B.
hey Tim, glad you liked my video. Yeah I hate hacking things or putting "stop gaps" in place. Do it right the first time so that you don't have to revisit the job again.
piercedasian, I totally agree with that statement. Take the time to do it right. I live by that rule nowadays. I learned my lessons as a young kid.. The hard way.. lol.. Take care, Tim B.
Thanks for your work with this! Difficult spots: I always have trouble with electrical connects, until I learn them. The plastic alternator clip has a piece that pushes up to release it from the bracket. The side of the plug-in connector to the alternator has a clip to push in slightly. I found I did not have to unscrew the 12mm tensioner bolt at all for removal, just the top and bottom (14mm bolts). That is, the entire tensioning bracket came off the car with the alternator unit, once the top and bottom 14mm were undone. On re-install, I'm having terrible problem with squealing belt, however. It seems to squeal during rapid acceleration (0-15 mph range), but very little at idle and just about none at travel speeds (45 mph to 65 mph). It's as if when the engine shakes slightly, the belt goes into spasm and then has to "settle down" or "get back into groove"/alignment. But it is LOUD. Don't want to take everything off to retension it, to see if that will help. It's like doing the whole job twice. The belt is not really loose. at the middle of the belt, between the engine crank and the alternator pulley, I'd say about 3/8" to 1/2" inch give. Much less near the pulleys themselves. Visually, it runs without a bulge or slack down to the a/c pulley in the front. Side note: replaced with a Duralast from Autozone, because of the excellent lifetime warranty. It tested fine at the store and is doing 14V over a range of speeds/rpms. However, it didn't fit well under the top bolt. Supposed to swing pretty freely, so it can be adjusted, but it was so tight I actually had to heavy tap it in with a hammer....ya'all have no idea how hard it is to line up all the holes when there is absolutely no free play with the unit between the two (upper) posts. Took a hour of fiddling.
Bottes Noir Hi Bottes Noir - My point form response below: 1. Connectors can be very tight even if you push the little plastic tab that "unhooks" the little tab that locks onto a tiny pin on the base of the connector. Dirt and a tight fit from factory make removal difficult at times. 2. On a civic that hasn't been messed around with there should be 2 bolts holding the alternator to the engine bracket assembly. The top bolt being a 14 mm and the bottom tensioner bolt that is 12mm. The tensioner MUST be loosened and removed in order for the alternator to be removed. The tensioner bolt not only secures the alternator but allows the little long wing nut bolt to screw/unscrew to tighten or loosen the serpentine belt. 3. To tighten the belt loosen the 12mm tensioner bolt, loosen the top 14mm bolt and then turn the wingnut bolt clockwise to tighten the belt further. Squealing belt is likely caused by a loose belt. 1/2" deflection is too loose. 1/4" or less is what it should be. 4. I did explain how to loosen the upper mounting bracket to accommodate for the variances in the alternator thickness. It's a "split ring" sleeve inside the mounting bracket and you can widen it by taking a long ratchet extension and using a hammer to lightly tap it out to widen the gap. Great work nonetheless on your replacement. Hope you're able to resolve the squealing issues.
+Bottes Noir thanks for watching my vid. Glad you were able to replace your own alternator. The reason why you had difficulty getting the alternator in was b/c the pinch sleeve on the top of the alternator was "extended out" to accommodate the previous alternator. I did mention this service tip in my video explaining how to retract that pinch sleeve as a service tip to make reinstallation easy. In any case I'm glad you got your ride all fixed up!
piercedasian your vid was awesome and complete. Thanks for your reply. I remembered the part about the pinch sleeve in the vid just as soon as you mentioned it in your comment. It was one of those things that didn't catch my attention the first time ("I won't need to know that bit," I thought). Meanwhile, I believe the squealing is coming from the a/c compressor, when it is turned on. I did put more refrigerant into the system shortly before doing the alternator install. Car was running fine for a quick test drive immediately thereafter, but it is possible I put too much refrigerant in (I just used the pressure gauge they sell with the refrigerant). In any case, I'll have some time to look at it shortly. If I get a chance, I'll take some pics of the bolts on the alternator. I have the '04 VP. I'm sure there are three bolts involved: top (sleeve), bottom (goes into the block, as best I recall), and the tensioner bolt. I know because I distinctly remember having to remove the tensioner bolt with the alternator off the car and it was not super easy, because there was nothing to hold the alternator against the torque required to loosen the bolt.
was there a reason why you had to add refrigerant to the a/c system? Topping off refrigerant actually isn't a simple task as how the aftermarket makes it to be. In fact there are precise means to get the right charge in using the factory spec'd charging table. Usually out of most people's realm of understanding but I caution you on adding refrigerant as and overcharge condition can actually be hazardous and can lead to damage of the a/c system. The alternator is mounted to the car via two bolts. the 14mm bolt that goes through the pinch sleeve and then a small 12mm tensioner bolt that passes through the tensioner's "eyelet" and screws into the lower part of the alternator. The tensioner is a 10mm wing bolt that attaches to the tensioner eyelet that is sandwhiched between the lower bolt and alternator body. The tensioner bolt when loosened or tightened against the bracket pivot guide rail moves the alternator away from the engine block as you tighten it (moves the tensioner eyelet). The 14mm bolt you removed on the lower part of the alternator is in fact the pivot guide rail that bolts into the side of the block. I'd double check the a/c compressor operating pressures with a proper gauge set. Overcharge condition will definitely cause belt slippage (b/c compressor can't compress the gas). Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
It does help, very much. Thanks. I'll have to get/buy proper equip for the a/c, which had a problem with being intermittent (turning off even though cabin temp was not too hot) and blowing air that was 'very cold'. After a long period thinking it was not a charge problem, I finally thought the symptoms might point to a need to re-charge, after never having done anything to change/maintain the cooling/heating system for as long as I have the car. (Although, I don't think I can discharge pressure/fluid myself if the pressures are too high, so...it might be a trip to the shop I'd hoped I might avoid). I think I see what's up with the bolts now. I did remove the whole pivot guide rail. I just saw that big 14mm bolt in the back and said 'that looks easier than trying to find the 12mm one'. That's how I ended up with the whole assembly off the car (and trying to get torque on the 12mm as I described so I could transfer the guide rail to the new alternator).
Your skill as a mechanic is only matched by your narration and video production skills. Fine job sir. One question: Does the voltage regulator play a role in this? Is that down there by the alternator?
Thanks for the kind words pauljoiry! The voltage regulator is part of the alternator and is actually the part that the positive cable bolts onto on the alternator's output. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much! But need help.. the ONE thing that is out of the shot is the one thing I cannot figure out... that clip attaching the alternator bracket to the wiring. Any hints?
You just slide the plastic elbow onto the alternator wiring bracket. If you look closely at the wiring harness you’ll see a slit. That little metal bracket on the back of the alternator has a small bracket that will slide into that slit.
I appreciate your help sharing this great video. Just I have one additional doubt. In the alternator, there is the bolt that goes the positive cable of battery and charge all electrical system. Well, that bolt in my alternator is broken, so, the cable of battery does not contact full in it. What I do to fix it? Can I put a new bolt? Thank you.
***** Hi Jose, what you broke off is the alternator output post which is part of the voltage regulator assembly. Can you replace the stud? Not that I am aware of as it is part of the voltage regulator. You're either going to have to get a replacement voltage regulator and rebuild the alternator or go get another alternator that doesn't have that piece busted off. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... :( Hope it works out for you.
Great video! My only suggestion would be to remove the front driver's side tire to get to the lower alternator bolt for the people who don't have "the force..." Also, I think if the battery was dead you would not risk burning out the alternator since the alternator has a built in regulator.
yes removing the front driver's wheel well cover would definitely help those that have huge hands or aren't experienced in "feeling" for the hole :) If the battery were dead it would cause the regulator to go on full output which generates a tremendous amount of heat and puts undue stress on the alternator circuitry when it can be mitigated by putting in a fully charged battery into the car before starting up the car. It is more of my crazy precautionary measures than it is out of necessity.
Thanh you for video. After replaced alternator and engine light had gone, with engine off 12.5 v and with engine is running indicate showing only 11.5 v what is wrong . Is alternator is not correct charging.
Hey my civic is having electrical problems. The radio shuts on and off frequently while driving, dashboard lights flicker on and off so do the headlights and the rear lights. And it's gotten to the point where my car voltage gets so low it shuts off. Do you think this might be the alternator???
It is most likely the alternator or bad battery. While the car is on take off one of the connections of the battery and if it turns of them it is your alternator.
DeserEagle211, although your suggestion could work to isolate where the failure is occurring I must tell you that disconnecting the battery while the car is running is VERY damaging to your car's electronics. The battery acts a voltage buffer for the electrical system and helps flatten out the voltage and current fluctuations in the charging system so as the voltage dips and spikes don't harm the precision electronics in the car. You could do this on old school vehicles that didn't rely on computers to run (think carburetor cars). The proper way to check the electrical system is using a voltmeter as demonstrated in my video. The volt meter tells all and is safe and simple to do.
Very informative. I wish they’d put the power steering pump below the alternator, I will hand this job over to a mechanic because I don’t wanna deal with it 😂
It really isn't too bad at all. The PS pump is insanely easy to remove and once it is out of the way that it is in fact quite easy to remove the alternator. I'd suggest you give it a shot at replacing it. It is so easy that no word of a like that I can have this alternator swapped out in less than 20 minutes. It is THAT easy to do.
Thanks for your video, it's very helpful. But if disconnect the battery from the vehicle will it affect the ECU or other electric component of the vehicle?
Yes it can but they're relatively minor issues. For example your radio's clock will need resetting and if you're still using the factory radio then you'll need the unlock code to get it working again but aside from that no issues. in fact your ECU will reprogram itself for the current operating conditions which in some cars actually IMPROVES car operation :)
I've successfully replaced faulty alternator following your video, It works great now. Thanks a lot. But now I have Daylight driving light issue on Honda Civic 1.7 l engine. Can you make a video how to fix that?
hey das - I'm just finishing up a a/c compressor bearing replacement and had to double check this tutorial again for on the install for the position of the a/c hose stay ( the curved edge triangular one) on my 02 civic ex. I also have to get to the right rear door wiring and fix the srs code 93. I've also seen both of those videos of your too Do you work on honda hybrids ever? I've also got an 9th gen civic that is a second gen civic hybrid -06 non nav that I've been servicing DIY since 2013. Thanks - both thumbs up.
unfortunately hybrids up in Canada sell in very limited numbers therefore I have not had the privilege to work on one yet. Sorry I couldn't be of any help.
one tip for people doing this. for those low bottom bolts remove drivers side tire and you have much easier time accessing the bottom bolt of alternator. as well as making sure belt is on rivets right.
Valid point. I used to do that but found my hands are small enough that I could reach down but for someone with large hands or are new to this you’re right... it would make it easier. Thanks for sharing that with our viewers.
Thanks for this video. It helped me a lot. Though when I started the car it squeeled, so I tightened it and I think I may have tightened the pulley to much because the car cannot turn over now. Any thoughts
+James Thistleton I doubt that you over tightened the belt to the point that the engine won't turn over. A car starter has enough torque to move a car that is left in gear with the e-brake applied so a little rubber belt couldn't stand a chance against a starter's torque. You could try to loosen the belt. The proper way to tension it is to tighten such that when you put on the longest part of the belt that it deflects no more than 1/4 of an inch.
Thanks. Your video is so helpful. May God bless you always. Keep up the good work. Be safe always. I did not able to do it without your help. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I'll drink a couple of beer for you. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
Hi my question is if powrr stereling pum is likin fliud truh the alternator may damage the alternator and what is the consecuences thanks for the video
nice video. I helped my friend change his alternator and everything went as you showed. However when we test drove it , the radio shut off all gauges went to zero then back on and when we stopped the car it wouldnt start again. I charged the battery and started it. It ran for a bit and died. thing is the alternator was tested and so was the battery. any clues.?
Civics have a weird harness that controls voltage from the alternator .... I cannot think of the name, but there is another part that can go bad and cause the symptoms you are having... I think it's in the fuse/relay box and is controlled by the ECU. (I may be a little bit off, have never had to personally deal with it, but have heard about it)
what part number for alternator should i get. The store gives me 2 different part # for a Denso alternator as they say the US spec civic is different than the Canadian Spec civic. Any ideas? I have part# 2104225 and 2104148. Anyway thanks for posting this video. Really great guide.
It depends on your model of civic. For example in a 7th generation civic in Canada we have a model called the SiR which is really a US equivalent to a civic Si model so IF you have a Canadian Si model then really it is more like a US Civic EX or HX model. To my knowledge there were no real differences between alternators on lower model civics EXCEPT the SiR/Si that used the 2.0 later v-tec motor. What model of Civic do you have an is it a Canadian or US spec civic?
piercedasian Canadian spec 04 Civic LX non-vtech. Parts shop that I went to was pushing a Bosch branded alternator part# AL1295X (not the same store that gave me the denso part numbers) Anyway thanks for the quick response
So I'm pretty new to this kind of stuff and I have a question about the power cable bracket. From birds eye view when you're putting the alternator back in I see that you placed/screwed in on the left side of the alternator. Mine doesn't seem to fit on that side. So I placed/screwed it on the right side of the alternator but from birds eye view it is still facing the same direction/looks in the same position and all. Does that make sense? And will that affect it at all? Thank you!
the power cable really can go on in one direction. For the 7th gen civic the power cable nut (10mm) is on the left side of the alternator if you're looking at it from the front of the car. I'm not sure how you'd attach that power cable on the right side of the alternator. There's a good chance I am not understanding your explanation.
![Alternator Replacement [2003 Honda Civic]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZoinHRVkRbs/mqdefault.jpg)
![Alternator Replacement [2003 Honda Civic]](/img/tr.png)
thank you for the video. As a tip.... That bolt that holds the belt tensioner assembly to the lower bracket is a HUGE pain to put back on. After fighting with it (and failing for 1/2 hour). I simply slid the top alternator bolt out and assembled the lower bolt and tensioner FIRST... Then easily pivoted the alternator back up where it belonged.
Thanks for the tip!
I wanna thank you for this video! My 70 year old neighbour with cancer needed his car to go to the doctor,asked me to put a alternator on his 2001 civic. I never worked on a Honda before, just watched this and 2 hours later he's back on the road.I did it for $20 bucks and a lot of pride!
Kevin Peterson great work and good for you on helping someone in need! Replacing the alternator on a civic is so easy that it should be crime to charge what stealerships charge to do a quickie job.
You deserve some sort of medal for your tutorial-making ability and skill as a mechanic both. The most I've done on a car before today was change the tail lights, and you walked me through swapping out my alternator without a hitch (well, I stripped a nut, but that was corrosion's fault, not yours). Great explanations and service tips throughout, and most of the time you had the camera in a good spot to see everything. Honestly the hardest part for me was getting the belt looped back around the crankshaft (?) pulley at the end; ended up using a coat hanger to fish down and tug it into position.
Thanks again for the tutorial - keep doing what you're doing!
a medal? Nobody's given me one yet :) Glad you found the video useful and informative. Don't forget to subscribe if you like to learn more about how I fix cars :)
Thanks for watching
Though this was an easy job for myself (20 years experience both performance and non-performance applications), this is an absolutely perfectly done video tutorial on how to do this job. Good job with narration, camera views, and showing people how to not only do the job, but how to do it RIGHT....and staying on topic the entire time. Props to you, sir!
I had the flashing battery light come on when the car is stopped but goes out when driving. Few days later the car would even start. The battery was dead. So I bought a used alternator and used your video as a guide to replace the alternator on my 05 civic. This fixed the problem. Thank you!
glad you're all fixed up. Thanks for watching my vid!
Hey just wanted to say this video saved me. Not only did I learn something new but I also saved money. Thanks for help a young college student out! Couldn't thank you enough!
+rafael uribe you're very welcome. That's what I'm here for :) Ahh yes college. Do I wish I was in college again seemed so long ago... :)
Excellent video and descriptions. Even a newbie such as myself was able to replace my alternator on my 2005 Honda Civic following your complete and detailed instructions. Although, what took you 2 minutes to replace the bottom bolt on the alternator, took me two hours, as I dropped and lost the bolt twice (once even had the embarrassment of having my wife find it for me-Ha). Hope you can continue to produce more instructional videos. You are a natural. Thanks again!
glad you liked my vid. The point is that you were able to do your own alternator and that is what counts. Sure it may have taken you two hours to get that pesky bolt in BUT... now you know that if you ever had to do the job again that you'd probably do it in 1/10 the time.
I took the old alternator out today following what you did in your video. All went well. I suppose all the bolts etc were easier being I had the timing belt, crank seal, cam sensor, and water pump replaced 40,000 miles ago at a Honda dealership in Fargo. They did well by me, I might add. New alternator arrives in 2 days, I look at this car as a present for my Grandson when he turns of age. I hope it survives the time. Thanks for your help, it was great!
That's good to hear that all went well with your alternator removal. Depending on the mileage and how well you've kept up with maintenance on your civic chances are that it might last long enough for your grandson to take the car :) My 1991 Civic ran over 500, 000kms without a hiccup before I finally sold the car and even now the new owners are STILL driving it around with over 530, 000kms on it and going strong. If you take care of a car it will take care of you.
I will be changing the alternator, battery, and both belts in a couple of days on my 2005 Civic LX. Everything you show here looks identical to my engine. 204,000 miles and this is its 1st alternator/belt/battery change. I will have my laptop running this video as I change all my parts. Thanks so much for such a detailed DIY video.
Hi Chuck, it helps to pre-lubricate the fasteners a day or two before if you've NEVER removed the bolts before. Since this is the first alternator at 204, 000 miles I suspect the fasteners may be quite rusted or very tight from the factory. Give the screws a squirt of WD-40 or equivalent penetrating lube before doing this job to make this job a LESS stressful. Good luck and don't forget to subscribe!
@@piercedasianI just did this job on my 2005 civic. I replaced my belts and alternator. My question though is, is it normal to hear a light squeak when pressing on the gas? Or does it mean that the belts are loose? Like I said it’s not a loud squeak just a light one when accelerating
Thank you for your thorough video. You did not leave anything out and explained how to troubleshoot a faulty battery or alternator, including its replacement.
You're most welcome. Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you never stop making videos :)
Videos are well captured, you are clear and easy to understand. It's great.
Now first thing in the morning, I am gonna visit CanadianTire and get me a new battery. I already had in my mind to pick up a MotoMaster Eliminator since it's got 4 year warranty. I don't think I'll be driving my '05 Civic for more than 4 years.
Thank you.
Great video!! My alternator conked out last night. its freezing here -15c but after watching your video showed me the tricks i needed to go out and do it. Had the old one out and new one in under 2 hours. Thanks
fixing cars in minus 15C is brutal but I'm glad you were able to fix your own car! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great video, to get to the bottom bracket easily you can pop off the wheel and remove the shroud cover just above the 'A' arm. Easy access and only takes an extra 5 minutes of work if you have the tools handy.
yes I used to do it that way but since I''ve got small hands that I don't need to do that to get to that lower bolt.
Good video for my 2005. The only thing I did different was to remove the lower alternator bracket from the side of the block without trying to remove the tightening adjuster. I also waited to remove the wires until the alternator was free and turned sideways. Took me 2 hrs total. Thank you for your help !!
Glad you liked the vid and thanks for sharing the alternate way how you removed the alternator.
Thank you so much! I was able to change the alternator and save the $170 the shop quoted me. (I also got the part from Amazon and saved almost $300). I have such a sense of accomplishment and knew exactly what to do the whole time thanks to this video
That's awesome news. So glad you were able to change this out yourself. It's super easy and can be done with a just a few hand tools. No idea why a shop would charge as much as they do to change this bad boy out.
This has to be the best you tube instructional video I've ever used. I give a 95 out of 100. Needed a little more visual on removing the wiring harness boot. Not sure if there was anything that could improve reinstalling the power steering belt.
yeah I wish I had a 2nd set of hands or someone to help me film me doing the work. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I am a one man operation that does it all :)
you saved me a big headache... the Chilton just wasn't cutting it. a big thanks!!
Jason Soderlund you're welcome. Chilton sucks! I had several copies of them and I've recycled them. Useless manuals for the most part.
The voice of experience. I've done a few of these myself and this is nicely done. And what 7th gen civic owner doesn't have a few extra names for that tensioner nut, lubing it is a nice tip.
glad you liked the video! Thanks for watching!
Step by step very descriptive video. Thank you, so much.
thanks for watching!
Helped me knock this job out in 1 hour. My wallet and I thank you for your knowledge and willingness to share it with the world.
that is the very reason why I share my knowledge with TH-camrs alike. Saving money is never a bad thing and I get to leave a little bit of my legacy on the Internet :)
My sister drives the civic. Replacing her alternator this evening. Thanks for the awesome video!
you're most welcome! Thank you for watching!
Thank you for this very informational and clear step by step video. I just finished replacing my alternator and now my car is fine.
+Lord_Trumoo sweet! Good job!
Hey do you know the Torque specs for the alternator bolts? I'm pretty sure I fried my ECU because I didn't tighten it enough to be grounded.
not more than 50 ft lbs. The bolts aren't very large and thus don't need to be extremely tight. You likely didn't fry the ECU because of that b/c there are multiple ground points and you'd have to have a REALLY bad contact to cause any real electrical issues on the car.
I also made contact with the positive terminal when removing my old one, sparks flew however my ECU didn't die on me until the next day. Could that have been the cause?
Great job and best video out there for this model! Your explanation is excellent and tips were helpful as well. As a DYI car owner playing "mechanic" because I have more time than money right now, your video was a huge blessing to me. The only thing I had to get help on was removing the wiring clip from the bracket mounted to the alternator as that wasn't well explained and not visible. I also found I could turn the wheel and access the lower bolts and pulleys through the wheel well.
I just followed your video to change my alternator and you were right on the money. The only thing different that I did was take off the left tire and taken the two plastic button clips to access the lower bolt for the adjuster/bottom bracket bolt. Other than that, Great Video.
Michael Bednorz yep, sometimes if your hands are big then going from underneath the car by the splash guard is definitely the way to go.
Great video. Thanks for uploading it, I had no confidence going into this before watching.
glad it worked out for you Ray.
Thanks, This was the last thing needed for my 04 Si to get it back on the road.
sweet! Glad that I was able to assist you so that you could get your ride back up and running :)
Great video thanks for being so detailed about it. Now i can upgrade my 70amp alternator to a 160amp alternator without messing it up. I've learned over the years to work for 15 min and take 5 min break so your not getting agitated so your not breaking things. Thanks again for the video.
lol, wow 170 amp alternator. That can only mean one thing: AMPLIFIERS :)
Yes taking breaks is a FANTASTIC idea. I remember when I used to get frustrated or tired or achy fixing cars. If I took breaks often I worked more efficiently and my "logic" would work with me and not against me.
piercedasian, thanks dude, this video just saved me about 500 bucks. I'll def check your channel before I have a repair shop do any work on my car
Great Job. amazingly clear and straight forward. You make it look simple which is the mark of a great teacher. sure do appreciate your work.
+djtafoya1 Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching!
On the bottom of the alternator hole, the bracket that the bolt slides into through the little eyelet on the adjusting screw. Make sure that bracket is pulled all the way up until you feel a click (top parts of the metal should be level)
Thanks for the video!!!
great advice. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for the excellent video! I can tell you have a passion for doing the job right the first time! It saved me about $400.00.
glad you were able to save all that money. Great work!
Thanks man. This really helped. Got my car done in a few hours before I had to go to work.
Heff Gee wow, fixing cars before going to work? Good for you!
yes! cant wait to do this when the weather get warmer. its 19 degrees here and cramping my style! stupid firestone installed a new belt and it has been squealing on me for weeks.
aarrgggh! that drives me batty when folks install new belts and they squeal. In their defense it probably was better for them to not overtighten the belt install than to install it too tight. The reason why it is better that it is loose than too tight is it is not putting excessive pressure on the alternator bearings. They installed it just tight enough that is considered "acceptable" but since the belt is brand new it probably also stretched a bit (almost all belts do) so hence why the tension of the belt would've changed over a short period of time. Interestingly I have had squeaky belts on this generation civic almost every time I've installed a new belt. Fortunately tightening this belt is fairly easy. Thanks for watching!
awesome! that makes sense, because the belt did not squeal until a couple months after it was installed. and whats more, it was warm when it was installed in the fall.
yep belts do stretch and thus can squeal later on down the road.
Great video. One tip I would say is to take the front driver's side wheel off and then remove the plastic shroud covering the crankshaft & lower alternator bracket. It makes removal & replacement and belt replacement a lot easier.
+The Guvnor Good tip - you could do that but that would mean more work. I guess it depends on how big your hands are. My hands are quite small so I can reach into a lot of places where others cannot.
I replaced my kid's alternator yesterday in sub-zero temps. You are probably right about hands. Mine kept jamming. I needed to remove the shroud to align the lower alternator bracket properly as after market alternators are seldom exactly the same size as OEMs.
yeah I guess it depends on your hand size. Yes even OEM alternators vary a little tiny bit in sizing and "geometry" of where the holes are and in *some* cases require you to tweak the brackets a tad bit.
Excellent video, Honda fixed, completed and running again
awesome news! glad you got things all fixed up!
Just wanted to post my appreciation for this video. Saved me some cash on labor and I also just wanted to know how to do it. Sending lots of good karma your way.
glad you found the video useful Lucian! Saving money is always a bonus :)
Pierce, having had lived across the US, I had never heard your style accent before. Then, reading I saw you live north of us down here. good video.
It is interesting you say that I have an accent. Like other people around the world I'm sure they don't hear their own accent (why would they when they're all around others that speak just like them?). What is neat is that I think our Northern US citizens sound just us fellow Canadians yet I've heard so many times that I have an accent that is different. Out of curiosity can you describe my style of speaking and accent?
By far the best video for the subject.
glad you liked my vid!
Excellent descriptive step by step Video. May use this video when I need to change the Civic 2004 belts or alternator. Keep up the good work !!!
thanks! Glad you liked the video!
GREAT instructive and helpful video. One of the best and most informative videos of the ENTIRE process and done correctly and efficiently which is of course should be the whole purpose of a repair/replace video. KUDOS
Glad you liked the video Steve!
Great video. Clear language, great step by step. Thanks a ton!
Glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching.
@ Znarf Ski - glad you were able to fix your own car. Yeah that alternator clip can be a little confusing if you haven't removed it before so I guess it can stump first timers. Great tip on the wheel well suggestion. My hands are small so I was able to just reach down to remove the bolt.
Thanks for making such a great video. I don't think I could have done it without your help
you're most welcome. I'm sure you could've figured out.. I just helped make it easier for you!
This is an excellent video!!! I was able to repair my daughters car and everything worked perfect. Thanks for your help!
Glad to hear that you were able to fix your own car.
Way better than the 1A Auto video! Thanks!
Glad you found it useful!
awesome video ty so so much!! my check engine light came up when the power started to drain from the battery, I hope when I install the new alternator tomorrow, that the problem is fixed! I am confident now having watched this tutorial :)
how did your alternator swap work out for you? is the car good now?
All good!! The extra power generated from the new alternator revealed a small vacuum leak which was easily remedied :) ty ty ty
sweet! A vacuum leak? how did an alternator fix reveal that? I guess the engine probably ran smoother and you hear a hissing noise of some sort?
+piercedasian I believe the engine was being powered poorly and after the fix I was able to diagnose successfully a strange idle surge. the gasket between the throttle body was replaced and idle sits at a comfortable 750 rpm
ah I get you. Glad it all worked out for you in the end.
Very good easy to follow instructions please make more videos you are good at teaching.
glad you liked my vids!
Between your vid and another guys vid you guys saved me alot of time and trouble. You did a great job, keep it up, thank you very much.
+ggrimaldo1 you're very welcome. Thanks for watching :)
Very good video. You speak and explain really clearly. Great examples. Thank you.
+D Tuner glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching :)
Just used your vid. Thanks so much! Perfect simple instructions.
Hello Pierce, just wanted to leave a note to personally thank you for making time to help the automotive community. Your video above was a very helpful guide for me to tackle a 2005 Civic alternator today. Great to see you're Canadian too judging by the Motomaster battery, haha (I'm in the GTA). The part sold to me by my regular parts supplier (AC Delco) did not fit, so being a Sunday, I had to get a Champion unit from Canadian Tire. I struggled mightily fitting the alternator into the bracket (you made it look so easy, lol), and had to hammer in the metal bushing on the alternator to make it fit, and even then, it was still super-tight.
Are you a technician by profession? Thanks so much again. Fingers crossed the car won't die, lol, but everything is back to 14.2V and above again.
Excellent video, step by step with good views of parts, showed me everything I need to know. Thanks
+Dave CM glad you liked my video thanks for watching!
Thanks, best alternator change out vid out there !
thanks Dalton, I wish my lighting and point of view of my camera was better but it was shot on my own. There was a few more tips I wanted to throw into the video BUT it would be rather difficult to do so with me being the camera guy and the mechanic.
Well if someone couldn't do it with this video they haven't a business trying anyways lol
lol agreed!
Thank you so much for making this video. This was very helpful and made the job go very smoothly
you're most welcome. Thank you for watching!
You're the man! Saved me some major labour costs! Thanks!
corduroy41 glad you found the video useful. Saving money is awesome!
Make it worth your while then for making videos. I would donate money via PayPal. This video saved me $200 in labor, even though it took me 6 hours to do everything, it was very helpful to watch step by step.
+iamaynard if you'd like you can send any donations to crxsi AT shaw DOT ca :)
A million thanks to those that watch my videos and subscribe to my channel and a BILLION eternal thanks to those that donate!
Thank you for making such a descriptive video. It helped me out a lot.
glad you liked the vid. Thanks for watching.
I need to replace an alternator on an 05 civic. Gonna use your video and hope everything goes smoothly. Just to note, I'm not a mechanic and the most I've ever done mechanically was changing oil or changing break pads so this seems very challenging to me but hopefully I'm just over thinking this lol.
Nah, you're definitely over thinking this. Just make sure you have the right tools, maybe some penetrating oil and a few beers. This job is so easy for me now that I can do it in less than 20 minutes. Trust me you'll be fine...
Thanks alot man. My son and I tackled the job and you're right, it was fairly easy after watching your video. Sadly I'm still having a charging issue even after replacing battery and alternator. When I hook jumper cables, the car electrifys up nice and strong but once I remove the jumper cables the lights flicker a little and even after a little bit of driving as soon as I turn off the vehicle it goes back to being 100% dead. I don't see anything visibly wrong with any thing and am now just scratching my head. Not being a mechanic is frustrating lol.
Two Thumbs Up, very detailed and visual, it cannot be better. Thanks!
Lyudmil (Montreal, Canada)
you're most welcome. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Used this video step by step and got the job done. Thank you bro
Glad it helped
Excellent very informative instructions. I will definitely use it when the time come to work on the alternator and belts
glad you liked the video! Thanks for watching.
Well done! You made the job a lot easier.
thanks!
Thank you so much for posting this, great video and incredibly helpful and in depth.
+sageof6paths1 glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
Great video. Clear and precise. Very well presented. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for watching Ryan glad you liked it.
@piercedasian Great Video! I have done a few replacements on my 04 Civic and this one was the most cut & clear tutorial. If you were able to make it that clear to a guy like myself (not even close to a car mechanic) then you did an excellent job. Thank you!
glad my vid was useful and clear to you. I try really hard to teach my viewers how to do things with the understanding that they might not have ANY prior car repair experience. Some folks likes yourself appreciate my videos while others HATE them b/c I spend too much time explaining things with a lot of time spent listening to me explain every little detail.
Excellent excellent you are a great mechanic well done pleasure watching learned everything thank you
+Robert Bagdassarian glad you liked my vid! Thanks for watching :)
Bravo!!! Best DIY video I've used. Thanks buddy.
+SofaKingStoked !!! glad you liked my video! Thanks for watching :)
piercedasian, Dude, I wish that all of the DIY videos on TH-cam were made exactly as you made your's. Thanks to guy's or gals like you for making such a precise video. Long story short, I lost my bottom alternator bolt, as a month had past since I'd taken it out. I remembered that it was a Funky looking bolt. Fortunately, I located it due to your video.
I know some will say " Any bolt would have worked ".. However, I like to put things together, as they were. So thanks for the great Video brother. Tim B.
hey Tim, glad you liked my video. Yeah I hate hacking things or putting "stop gaps" in place. Do it right the first time so that you don't have to revisit the job again.
piercedasian, I totally agree with that statement.
Take the time to do it right.
I live by that rule nowadays.
I learned my lessons as a young kid..
The hard way.. lol..
Take care, Tim B.
Very clear video! Great job! And thanks for the instructions piercedasian !
You're welcome Bas!
Around 8:06 in your video, is that black plastic and screw needed for the positive terminal?
nope, not needed at all.
Thanks for your work with this!
Difficult spots: I always have trouble with electrical connects, until I learn them. The plastic alternator clip has a piece that pushes up to release it from the bracket. The side of the plug-in connector to the alternator has a clip to push in slightly.
I found I did not have to unscrew the 12mm tensioner bolt at all for removal, just the top and bottom (14mm bolts). That is, the entire tensioning bracket came off the car with the alternator unit, once the top and bottom 14mm were undone.
On re-install, I'm having terrible problem with squealing belt, however. It seems to squeal during rapid acceleration (0-15 mph range), but very little at idle and just about none at travel speeds (45 mph to 65 mph). It's as if when the engine shakes slightly, the belt goes into spasm and then has to "settle down" or "get back into groove"/alignment. But it is LOUD.
Don't want to take everything off to retension it, to see if that will help. It's like doing the whole job twice. The belt is not really loose. at the middle of the belt, between the engine crank and the alternator pulley, I'd say about 3/8" to 1/2" inch give. Much less near the pulleys themselves. Visually, it runs without a bulge or slack down to the a/c pulley in the front.
Side note: replaced with a Duralast from Autozone, because of the excellent lifetime warranty. It tested fine at the store and is doing 14V over a range of speeds/rpms. However, it didn't fit well under the top bolt. Supposed to swing pretty freely, so it can be adjusted, but it was so tight I actually had to heavy tap it in with a hammer....ya'all have no idea how hard it is to line up all the holes when there is absolutely no free play with the unit between the two (upper) posts. Took a hour of fiddling.
Bottes Noir Hi Bottes Noir - My point form response below:
1. Connectors can be very tight even if you push the little plastic tab that "unhooks" the little tab that locks onto a tiny pin on the base of the connector. Dirt and a tight fit from factory make removal difficult at times.
2. On a civic that hasn't been messed around with there should be 2 bolts holding the alternator to the engine bracket assembly. The top bolt being a 14 mm and the bottom tensioner bolt that is 12mm. The tensioner MUST be loosened and removed in order for the alternator to be removed. The tensioner bolt not only secures the alternator but allows the little long wing nut bolt to screw/unscrew to tighten or loosen the serpentine belt.
3. To tighten the belt loosen the 12mm tensioner bolt, loosen the top 14mm bolt and then turn the wingnut bolt clockwise to tighten the belt further. Squealing belt is likely caused by a loose belt. 1/2" deflection is too loose. 1/4" or less is what it should be.
4. I did explain how to loosen the upper mounting bracket to accommodate for the variances in the alternator thickness. It's a "split ring" sleeve inside the mounting bracket and you can widen it by taking a long ratchet extension and using a hammer to lightly tap it out to widen the gap.
Great work nonetheless on your replacement. Hope you're able to resolve the squealing issues.
+Bottes Noir thanks for watching my vid. Glad you were able to replace your own alternator. The reason why you had difficulty getting the alternator in was b/c the pinch sleeve on the top of the alternator was "extended out" to accommodate the previous alternator. I did mention this service tip in my video explaining how to retract that pinch sleeve as a service tip to make reinstallation easy.
In any case I'm glad you got your ride all fixed up!
piercedasian your vid was awesome and complete. Thanks for your reply. I remembered the part about the pinch sleeve in the vid just as soon as you mentioned it in your comment. It was one of those things that didn't catch my attention the first time ("I won't need to know that bit," I thought).
Meanwhile, I believe the squealing is coming from the a/c compressor, when it is turned on.
I did put more refrigerant into the system shortly before doing the alternator install. Car was running fine for a quick test drive immediately thereafter, but it is possible I put too much refrigerant in (I just used the pressure gauge they sell with the refrigerant).
In any case, I'll have some time to look at it shortly.
If I get a chance, I'll take some pics of the bolts on the alternator. I have the '04 VP. I'm sure there are three bolts involved: top (sleeve), bottom (goes into the block, as best I recall), and the tensioner bolt. I know because I distinctly remember having to remove the tensioner bolt with the alternator off the car and it was not super easy, because there was nothing to hold the alternator against the torque required to loosen the bolt.
was there a reason why you had to add refrigerant to the a/c system? Topping off refrigerant actually isn't a simple task as how the aftermarket makes it to be. In fact there are precise means to get the right charge in using the factory spec'd charging table. Usually out of most people's realm of understanding but I caution you on adding refrigerant as and overcharge condition can actually be hazardous and can lead to damage of the a/c system.
The alternator is mounted to the car via two bolts. the 14mm bolt that goes through the pinch sleeve and then a small 12mm tensioner bolt that passes through the tensioner's "eyelet" and screws into the lower part of the alternator. The tensioner is a 10mm wing bolt that attaches to the tensioner eyelet that is sandwhiched between the lower bolt and alternator body.
The tensioner bolt when loosened or tightened against the bracket pivot guide rail moves the alternator away from the engine block as you tighten it (moves the tensioner eyelet).
The 14mm bolt you removed on the lower part of the alternator is in fact the pivot guide rail that bolts into the side of the block.
I'd double check the a/c compressor operating pressures with a proper gauge set. Overcharge condition will definitely cause belt slippage (b/c compressor can't compress the gas).
Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
It does help, very much. Thanks.
I'll have to get/buy proper equip for the a/c, which had a problem with being intermittent (turning off even though cabin temp was not too hot) and blowing air that was 'very cold'. After a long period thinking it was not a charge problem, I finally thought the symptoms might point to a need to re-charge, after never having done anything to change/maintain the cooling/heating system for as long as I have the car. (Although, I don't think I can discharge pressure/fluid myself if the pressures are too high, so...it might be a trip to the shop I'd hoped I might avoid).
I think I see what's up with the bolts now. I did remove the whole pivot guide rail. I just saw that big 14mm bolt in the back and said 'that looks easier than trying to find the 12mm one'. That's how I ended up with the whole assembly off the car (and trying to get torque on the 12mm as I described so I could transfer the guide rail to the new alternator).
Your skill as a mechanic is only matched by your narration and video production skills. Fine job sir.
One question: Does the voltage regulator play a role in this? Is that down there by the alternator?
Thanks for the kind words pauljoiry! The voltage regulator is part of the alternator and is actually the part that the positive cable bolts onto on the alternator's output. Hope that helps.
best video on changing the al. lots of great tips very helpful, you rock bro. cheers and thanks
+Sebastian Crabbily glad you liked my video. Consider subscribing if you want the latest on my DIY car fix it videos :)
Thank you so much! But need help.. the ONE thing that is out of the shot is the one thing I cannot figure out... that clip attaching the alternator bracket to the wiring. Any hints?
You just slide the plastic elbow onto the alternator wiring bracket. If you look closely at the wiring harness you’ll see a slit. That little metal bracket on the back of the alternator has a small bracket that will slide into that slit.
Cool to get a heads-up, prior to project. Don't need a Chiltons any more!
lol, glad you found the video useful.
Thank you. Your video helped a lot !
You’re most welcome!
Extremely useful video ! Thank you!
you're very welcome!
Great video. Exactly what I needed
glad you found the video useful!
This video helped me out big time . Thanks !
you're most welcome. Thanks for watching :)
I appreciate your help sharing this great video. Just I have one additional doubt. In the alternator, there is the bolt that goes the positive cable of battery and charge all electrical system. Well, that bolt in my alternator is broken, so, the cable of battery does not contact full in it.
What I do to fix it? Can I put a new bolt?
Thank you.
***** Hi Jose, what you broke off is the alternator output post which is part of the voltage regulator assembly. Can you replace the stud? Not that I am aware of as it is part of the voltage regulator. You're either going to have to get a replacement voltage regulator and rebuild the alternator or go get another alternator that doesn't have that piece busted off. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... :( Hope it works out for you.
Great video! My only suggestion would be to remove the front driver's side tire to get to the lower alternator bolt for the people who don't have "the force..." Also, I think if the battery was dead you would not risk burning out the alternator since the alternator has a built in regulator.
yes removing the front driver's wheel well cover would definitely help those that have huge hands or aren't experienced in "feeling" for the hole :)
If the battery were dead it would cause the regulator to go on full output which generates a tremendous amount of heat and puts undue stress on the alternator circuitry when it can be mitigated by putting in a fully charged battery into the car before starting up the car. It is more of my crazy precautionary measures than it is out of necessity.
Very well done my good sir!!!
you're most welcome!
Excellent video thanks so much!
You're welcome David!
Thanh you for video. After replaced alternator and engine light had gone, with engine off 12.5 v and with engine is running indicate showing only 11.5 v what is wrong . Is alternator is not correct charging.
alternator could be bad or poor quality if it isn't making the full 13.8-14.4 volts out when running.
Hey my civic is having electrical problems. The radio shuts on and off frequently while driving, dashboard lights flicker on and off so do the headlights and the rear lights. And it's gotten to the point where my car voltage gets so low it shuts off. Do you think this might be the alternator???
It is most likely the alternator or bad battery. While the car is on take off one of the connections of the battery and if it turns of them it is your alternator.
DeserEagle211, although your suggestion could work to isolate where the failure is occurring I must tell you that disconnecting the battery while the car is running is VERY damaging to your car's electronics. The battery acts a voltage buffer for the electrical system and helps flatten out the voltage and current fluctuations in the charging system so as the voltage dips and spikes don't harm the precision electronics in the car. You could do this on old school vehicles that didn't rely on computers to run (think carburetor cars).
The proper way to check the electrical system is using a voltmeter as demonstrated in my video. The volt meter tells all and is safe and simple to do.
Very informative. I wish they’d put the power steering pump below the alternator, I will hand this job over to a mechanic because I don’t wanna deal with it 😂
It really isn't too bad at all. The PS pump is insanely easy to remove and once it is out of the way that it is in fact quite easy to remove the alternator. I'd suggest you give it a shot at replacing it. It is so easy that no word of a like that I can have this alternator swapped out in less than 20 minutes. It is THAT easy to do.
Thanks for your video, it's very helpful.
But if disconnect the battery from the vehicle will it affect the ECU or other electric component of the vehicle?
Yes it can but they're relatively minor issues. For example your radio's clock will need resetting and if you're still using the factory radio then you'll need the unlock code to get it working again but aside from that no issues. in fact your ECU will reprogram itself for the current operating conditions which in some cars actually IMPROVES car operation :)
pls show us how to unplug the green electrical connector in more detail from the alternator
easy to do. Just push the tab and gently wiggle it and it should just "pop" off.
I've successfully replaced faulty alternator following your video, It works great now. Thanks a lot. But now I have Daylight driving light issue on Honda Civic 1.7 l engine. Can you make a video how to fix that?
glad you fixed your vid. Daytime running light issue? Watch my CRV DRL relay fix video. That will almost certainly solve your problem :)
Thanks for making this video.it was very helpful.keep it up and thanks again!
glad you found the video useful!
Thank u so much,you are a life saver!!
You're very welcome!
hey das - I'm just finishing up a a/c compressor bearing replacement and had to double check this tutorial again for on the install for the position of the a/c hose stay ( the curved edge triangular one) on my 02 civic ex. I also have to get to the right rear door wiring and fix the srs code 93. I've also seen both of those videos of your too
Do you work on honda hybrids ever? I've also got an 9th gen civic that is a second gen civic hybrid -06 non nav that I've been servicing DIY since 2013. Thanks - both thumbs up.
unfortunately hybrids up in Canada sell in very limited numbers therefore I have not had the privilege to work on one yet.
Sorry I couldn't be of any help.
one tip for people doing this. for those low bottom bolts remove drivers side tire and you have much easier time accessing the bottom bolt of alternator. as well as making sure belt is on rivets right.
Valid point. I used to do that but found my hands are small enough that I could reach down but for someone with large hands or are new to this you’re right... it would make it easier. Thanks for sharing that with our viewers.
Thanks for the video.Great help!
Luis Hernandez you're very welcome. Thank you for watching!
Thanks for this video. It helped me a lot. Though when I started the car it squeeled, so I tightened it and I think I may have tightened the pulley to much because the car cannot turn over now. Any thoughts
+James Thistleton I doubt that you over tightened the belt to the point that the engine won't turn over. A car starter has enough torque to move a car that is left in gear with the e-brake applied so a little rubber belt couldn't stand a chance against a starter's torque. You could try to loosen the belt. The proper way to tension it is to tighten such that when you put on the longest part of the belt that it deflects no more than 1/4 of an inch.
Thanks. Your video is so helpful. May God bless you always. Keep up the good work. Be safe always. I did not able to do it without your help. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I'll drink a couple of beer for you. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
You're welcome and glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi my question is if powrr stereling pum is likin fliud truh the alternator may damage the alternator and what is the consecuences thanks for the video
the fluid will eventually short the alternator out. Get that fixed asap so you don't ruin your charging system.
nice video. I helped my friend change his alternator and everything went as you showed. However when we test drove it , the radio shut off all gauges went to zero then back on and when we stopped the car it wouldnt start again. I charged the battery and started it. It ran for a bit and died. thing is the alternator was tested and so was the battery. any clues.?
Civics have a weird harness that controls voltage from the alternator .... I cannot think of the name, but there is another part that can go bad and cause the symptoms you are having... I think it's in the fuse/relay box and is controlled by the ECU. (I may be a little bit off, have never had to personally deal with it, but have heard about it)
Christopher Hazard oh man, could you possibly look up what this piece is? These are the EXACT symptoms my car is having, too :(
Did you figure out what it was? Having the SAME EXACT ISSUE with my 02 Civic.
Defendership it's the ELD electronic load detector
Grate video. So much help thank you
glad you like my vid. Thanks for watching!
what part number for alternator should i get. The store gives me 2 different part # for a Denso alternator as they say the US spec civic is different than the Canadian Spec civic. Any ideas? I have part# 2104225 and 2104148. Anyway thanks for posting this video. Really great guide.
It depends on your model of civic. For example in a 7th generation civic in Canada we have a model called the SiR which is really a US equivalent to a civic Si model so IF you have a Canadian Si model then really it is more like a US Civic EX or HX model. To my knowledge there were no real differences between alternators on lower model civics EXCEPT the SiR/Si that used the 2.0 later v-tec motor. What model of Civic do you have an is it a Canadian or US spec civic?
piercedasian Canadian spec 04 Civic LX non-vtech. Parts shop that I went to was pushing a Bosch branded alternator part# AL1295X (not the same store that gave me the denso part numbers)
Anyway thanks for the quick response
glad you got that all figured out! Thanks for watching :)
So I'm pretty new to this kind of stuff and I have a question about the power cable bracket. From birds eye view when you're putting the alternator back in I see that you placed/screwed in on the left side of the alternator. Mine doesn't seem to fit on that side. So I placed/screwed it on the right side of the alternator but from birds eye view it is still facing the same direction/looks in the same position and all. Does that make sense? And will that affect it at all? Thank you!
the power cable really can go on in one direction. For the 7th gen civic the power cable nut (10mm) is on the left side of the alternator if you're looking at it from the front of the car. I'm not sure how you'd attach that power cable on the right side of the alternator. There's a good chance I am not understanding your explanation.