[Doug164]

Like a fool I bought the car even though it had a whining noise. I thought it would be a breeze to fix as I planned to do the cambelt etc anyway.
But having replaced all belts, tensioners and idlers the noise was still there.
The noise is rather like a US police siren and having searched this forum extensively I decided it was possibly the power steering pump. Having now changed this the po*y noise is still there.
So that only leaves the alternator lurking at the bottom of the engine as the likely culprit. I tried to isolate this by using nylon string as a substitute short belt just round the bottom pulley, the tensioner and the alternator and this showed the noise to be from the alternator briefly before the string loosened and jumped off.
So that leaves me to get the bloody thing out. A search on "alternator removal" doesn't give me many clues. Some say it will come out the bottom but a visual says this can't be true as the cross member completely shuts in the back of the engine.
There is a post that says take the drive shaft out but does this give enough room to get the rather bulky looking alternator out?
Any help from anyone who has manged to successfully extract one would be most appreciated.

 

[iainfm]

Given that you've got a 1.6, the easiest way might be to remove the inlet chamber which is easier to do than on the larger engines...

 

[Doug164]

Iain,
Having just changed the PS pump I am familiar with at least undoing and moving sideways the inlet chamber (plenom). I wanted to avoid disturbing all the electrics attached to this but if needs must then ....
Would I also have to remove the alloy inlets. They look like a pig to get at but maybe easier with the plenum off.
I see you are breaking a 156 - is the alternator available ??
Doug

 

[iainfm]

Nah, leave the inlet manifold itself in place. Don't worry too much about the electrics - they go back again ;-)

Yep, I've got the alternator. It's still on the engine, but the engine is out so it'll be easy to remove!

 

[Doug164]

Iain,
Thanks for that - can you PM me re costs and to post down south.
Also can you see what bolts need to be undone - there looks like a nasty 19mm in bottom right position plus others that might be be hidden.
You wouldn't believe that I bought this car with the idea that it would be nice and simple to maintain and that I would get rid of the 166 which scares me to death with what might go wrong (although I've fixed most of the usual faults). Oh well the best laid plans and all that!!!
Doug

 

[iainfm]

If that's all that's wrong with it, it's not too bad, is it?

I'll send you a PM and take some pics when I come to remove it. Might be tonight, might be through the week. Things are a little messy at home right now.

 

[Doug164]

Iain,
Thanks for that. Sort out the mess at home first - that has to be the priority. It will take me a day or so to get the plenum off as I tend to take these things slowly at best.
Doug

 

[iainfm]

Couple of pics here:





Basically, after disconnecting the battery, removing aux belt, and anything in the way of getting it out:

Remove the 13mm (iirc) nut that holds the heavy cable on, and the 8mm (iirc) nut that holds the charging indicator cable on. The big one is located under the plastic flap.

Undo the 2 mounting bolts - one it 17mm an one is 19mm (go figure!), both have nuts on the inboard side.

Remove bolts, and the alternator should be free. It may need some wiggling to get it out of the bracket.

:thumbs:

 

[Doug164]

Iain,
Thanks for the info. It doesn't look too difficult now - famous last words. Good photos too.
Doug

 

[iainfm]

Clear out your messages, and I'll send you that PM you asked me for!

 

[Doug164]

Well it took a while - just to get the alternator out that is. It is an absolute pig of a job but as Iainfm says it can be wiggled out of the top once the inlet plenum has been removed.
However that simple statement doesn't cover the multitude of wires that have to be unclipped. pipes removed, brackets unscrewed etc before the alternator at last emerges into the light of day.
On the bench the bearing sounds right rough which wasn't the case in situ so I am pretty confident that the whine will now be gone - but that assumes I can get it back together again.
I am much in Iainfm's debt for his help in this so many thanks to him.
Doug
PS will update when I get it going again