Engine: TDI: Advice on alternator removal (a.k.a. advanced archaeology)

[B00TS]

Can anyone give me some pointers on getting the alternator off this TDI?

Does the PS pump have to come out first? If so, how the hell does that come out! I've never seen something so well bolted in.

I've removed the headlight, aux belt/idler and the two through bolts holding the alternator but it's not even wriggling yet...

Thanks in advance,

Boots.

[PNuT]

I have a strange feeling they have bolts from both sides, so a couple of bolts from the belt direction & a couple from the dipstick direction

[doingitsideways]

Yep, I swore profusely while changing my alternator.

Yes, the PAS (or should that be PITA?) pump has to come off.
There are bolts accessed through the pulley as well as the back of the pump.
The bracket that holds them both on, also holds the AC pump ai think, so that's not really a goer.
I put all mine back together, running, and I still have a bolt rattling around in my driver's door pocket. No idea where it's from.

Even when free, it's still a nightmare to manouver the alternator out.
I ended up removing my vacuum pump in a bid to get it free!

[B00TS]

Thanks both of you. I just didn't want to take the pump off unnecessarily.

I'll attack it with some early morning gumption tomorrow...

Cheers!

[B00TS]

Just one last question:

Is the idler pulley supposed to be in two pieces or is mine now broken?

(The bit that fell off legged it under the sump so I've got to fetch the bloody engine tray off to retreive it!)

[PNuT]

Originally Posted by doingitsideways

I put all mine back together, running, and I still have a bolt rattling around in my driver's door pocket. No idea where it's from.

I think we all have a drivers door pocket like that!

[B00TS]

Well, it's out but what a ball ache that job is!

Top hose off and vac pump out did it in the end but even then only just.

I can't believe they didn't make the big aluminium bracket in two pieces so you could remove the top half.

If they'd done that it would've been a 10 min job. As it was I had to swear almost continuously for 3 hours.

Let's hope I don't have to do it again for another 300,000 miles!

On the upside - it's forced me to get a few other niggly jobs done like the spill off hoses and the clips on the top hose...

All that's left now is to refurbish the alternator and get it and the vac pump back in. (Faint whimpers were heard!)

I'll try to get some pics as I do it in case anyone else is crazy/desperate enough to have a go.

Thanks for the pointers guys.

[doingitsideways]

Aye, that bracket is something else!

Tbh, I think my spare bolt is from the top of that bracket, behind the PAS pump.
Think I took it out in a bid to remove the bracket, before realising that Volvo actually designed the bracket first, then built the rest of the car around it.
I didn't have the heart to remove all 7 million bolts holding the pump on again to check!!

Edit:
If you're getting your alternator refurbed like I did, check if they've replaced the press-in captive nuts that are used to mount it.
The ones they used on mine were ever so slightly too "deep" so they prevented the unit fitting either side of the mounts.
Nay bother, just a quick tap with a hammer to relieve them slightly and they tightened back in when bolted up. (after scratching my arse and swearing for a while!)
Just thought it may be worth giving you a heads up before struggling to get it in there, to bring it back out!!