Clio 172 alternator issue can anyone help with advice on removal?

[William Mccrory]

Hi guys and girls ,
Sorry I'm a new member to CS and already need some help if poss.
I have a 03 clio 172 yest I broke down with now warning car just died then smoke came
from alternator and it was burning red hot. Could anyone assit me on best way to remove
it ?? Is the best way removing front bumper and slam panel or can u get away with removing
top engine mount and pushing engine back ?? Can anyone shed any light before I break something.
Thanks in advance.

 

[LW93]

When mine went the easiest way was to just remove the upper grill and loosen the slam panel, took us just over an hour was reading online it takes about 3 hours so was worried haha but no need to remove headlights bumpers etc like I've seen!

 

[William Mccrory]

When mine went the easiest way was to just remove the upper grill and loosen the slam panel, took us just over an hour was reading online it takes about 3 hours so was worried haha but no need to remove headlights bumpers etc like I've seen!

brilliant mate was quite worried about it as I have aircon in my car and it is quite a tight squeeze
just didn't know best way of tackling it and don't wanna cause myself more hassle than needed.

Thanks William.

 

[Stoatinacoat]

It's not quite as simple as it sounds.

I would definitely take the bumper and headlight off as a bare minimum as I don't see how you could get it out otherwise as it goes through the headlight hole? Maybe no aircon? Once you're at that point you may as well take the slam panel off as well - two 10mm bolts top right and left which you remove completely then two 13mm bolts in the middle in front of the rad that only need to be slackened then the panel can be lifted out. Leave the bonnet mech thing attached and just plonk the whole thing on the right hand side of the bay away from where you're working.

You'll need to get the belt off so you'll need to slacken the tensioner. Search on here, loads of ways. I use a jubilee clip. Check condition of tensioner, whip belt off, undo and knock out the pinch bolt and nut at the top of the alt bracket (13mm?? Can't remember) and undo and remove the bottom, 16mm bolt then wiggle the alt out. Fit a new belt for the sake of £20. Theoretically you could leave the belt in place and pull the alt out with the tensioner compressed but once you've gone to all the effort of getting that far I wouldn't.

Don't break the little plug below the main power cable and DO remember to disconnect the battery (find your radio code!) otherwise sparky sparky, ouchyoufucker.

 

[William Mccrory]

just done a new belt when the timing belt and dephaser was done last week so its a brand new alternator belt fitted along with that. So that belt should be fine to keep on. Its not orig radio in the car so no radio code required and yep already disconnected battery mate thanks tho lol
How do I slacken tensioner tho ?

 

[loggyboy]

There is renault tool for slackening the spring, but its easier to use a jubilee clip around the tensioner.
Search should assist.
Its quite feasible to do with the light and bumper in place, just the slam panel off is enough.

 

[William Mccrory]

Thank you @loggyboy much appreciated mate.

 

[Stoatinacoat]

You must have small hands! I don't even know how you can get the slam panel off with the bumper in place but there you go.

If it's a new belt you don't have to take it off entirely which saves some hassle. You can just drop it off the alternator pulley Jubilee clip goes around the spring you can see. Buy a big one and cut the excess off, first one I bought was too small which is not great when you have the car already stripped down.

 

[loggyboy]

Slam panel has 6 13mm bolts, 4 on top then 2 between rad and chassis, its fiddly to reach, but they only need to be loosened as the slam panel has slotted holes so once loose the whole panel just slides up

 

[William Mccrory]

Thanks guy's all help has been appreciated. That's my alternator just turned up so looks like job for tonight

 

[William Mccrory]

Cheers for all the help guy's. Alternator is fitted and back to running like it should.
As for the taking the bumper shite off ats just lies I done it myself with just removing
the grill and loosening off the slam panel not even fully removing it. Gd luck tho was
tricky getting it out but few twists and turns and out it came.