How do you remove the alternator from a 2002 Chevy Venture?

Answer 1

You have to remove the water bottle on the passenger side. That will give you room to take it out of the vehicle.

New AnswerI did it without removing the washer fluid tank.

1. Remove the cover over the windshield wiper motor. (Pops off, held on by spring clamps.) 2. Disconnect the wiper linkage from the motor. 3. Disconnect the driver's wiper linkage arm from the main pivot arm in the center. 4. Remove the wiper motor bracket. This bracket stretches from one side of the engine compartment to the other, and is connected on both ends to the wiper brackets, as well as to the main pivot arm in the center. There are two bolts at each position. The center and driver's side are facing to the rear and you have to remove them by feel. They are 10mm. A 1/4 drive ratchet will fit, but center and driver's will be difficult anyway. A GearWrench would probably be better. 5. Remove the serpentine belt. 6. Remove the electrical connectors from the alternator. 7. Remove the rear bolts from the alternator. You won't be able to see either one without a mirror. One sits at about the center of the alternator, the other at the rear, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches lower. Both are 15mm. You'll need a wrench, as a ratchet won't fit. Don't have a stubby, but that might help. A GearWrench would have been great. 8. Remove the forward pivot bolt. (Also 15mm, ratchet will work here.) 9. Remove the alternator. You may have to turn/rotate/flip it to get it out and you may have to move the linkages for the wipers as well. Once I got to this point, it was pretty easy.

Steps 4 thru 7 are a real serious pain in the back/arms/sides/hands, etc.

I debated the washer tank method, but I found that once I had removed the wiper motor, I had enough room. You would have to do all this to get the tank out, anyway.

Hope this helps. It's exactly what I did and it worked.

This is from the GM service manual.Run the wipers to full travel on the windshield.

Disconnect positive terminal from the battery, yes actually do it, you will be disconnecting an unfused wire that runs to the positive terminal on the battery.

Remove 1 bolt from the 2 engine mounts (not the 4 holding it to the radiator support) and flip them up.

Set the parking brake, put van in neutral.

Use a ratchet strap on the D/S engine lifting point to the rear of the bumper facing the radiator and pull the motor forward. Don't crush your cooling fans.

Remove the serpentine belt using 3/8 square drive socket in belt tensioner.

Remove 1 bolt from the side (or front, I forget) and 2 from the rear. 15mm.

Disconnect plug and lugged wires from alternator.

Remove alternator from bracket and let rest against firewall.

Remove 15mm bolts from alternator bracket and remove.

Remove belt tensioner with 1 bolt, 15mm.

Remove 3 bolts from Power Steering pump through the holes in the pulleys. A magnet is helpful to remove the bolts after they are loose. I believe they were 13mm.

Reach down back of engine and disengage power steering lines from retaining clip, do not disconnect any power steering hoses!

Pull power steering pump from it's assembly point and let rest down beside engine.

You may find it helpful to remove the belt route diagram/guard in front of the power steering pump. I believe it was a 7/32" bolt, in order to move the power steering pump.

Finagle the alternator out of the van.

Get ready to pay $200+ for a new one.

Up level models with rear A/C and such use the 125amp alternator.