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Major power loss, even while on short drives, running anything electrical kills the motor. Car has sat for a year, wasn't expecting this repair.

Any advice on swapping out the alternator by myself? Looks like a b---- of a swap.

Drain and pull the rad then remove the Alt. I believe you can remove it by dropping it out the bottom if you don't have AC just remove the plastic skirt. Remember to disconnect the battery before you start.

Absolutely have to pull the rad? That bites. Can't come in from behind the drive wheel I guess?

I've done it a few times. I never had to pull my rad. I don't have A/C so I can't speak tot hat issue, but It's a fairly simple job in my experience.

Alright ... here is the story.

The dude I bought the car off of friggin murdered the wiring and electrics, I like blinky lights as much as the next guy but wow, the dash wiring was a mess, the fog lights were wired directly to the stereo fuse .. its was rediculous. Anyways, I had to take the car off the road for a year cuz of a bunch of fines and the many many blinky lights and assorted s--- drained the battery flat. Fucked the alarm, fucked a good many things. I have since rewired the dash. My friend took the car into Canadian Tire to get the battery replaced and they put the battery in for the stock 1.6, instead of the 2.5. Like morons.

Anyways, to get the sticker on the plate replaced I had to take it to get emmission tested. Car started up fine .. ran fine. I drove it over to the testing station and dropped it off. Dude tells me the car was idling high, 1200 rpm or so. So he turned the idle screw down as tight as he could and then left it. I came and picked up the car. Started fine .. ran fine. I parked it again and turned it off, then realized I had it in the wrong spot and went to turn it back over and she was flat as a 12 year old.

Could it be a combo of the incredibly low idle and way to small battery? The power loss is fearsome, all of the sudden and out of nowhere. No alternator problems at all before the car came off the road. All this started after the emmission test and the battery swap.

Tell me it isn't the alternator. I already got to do the brakes and the fluids and the filters and replace one of my 17' yokohama's.

if it is the alternator you can unbolt your ac from the bracket and move it out of the way enough to slip the alt through. easier than removing the rad.

If it was the alternator, it's either on it's way out or toast. When it ran was it whining at all?