Alternator Replacement DIY ?

[Clutch1]

I did a quick search and could only find one for the 2.5L.
http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163506

I see we have an intake manifold removal diy at least:
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20966


This doesn't seem like an amateur job. Are there any alternative methods?

 

[brettmag]

I also need to replace my alternator in my 2013 GTI with only 63,000 km. Will let you know what I find tonight.

 

[brettmag]

I did a quick search and could only find one for the 2.5L.
http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163506

I see we have an intake manifold removal diy at least:
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20966


This doesn't seem like an amateur job. Are there any alternative methods?

Hi, I did the job in 2-3 hours with almost no mechanical ability. Way better than paying the dealershit $1400-1700 CDN as they quoted me. My friend at a shop was able to download some work instructions, but they proved to be useless. Don't need to touch the air conditioning compressor as they say.

Here's a quick summary of the steps:

Disconnect negative battery cable.

Use a ratchet to move the serpentine belt tensioner enough to move the belt off the pulleys. Move the belt out of the way. Don't have to completely take it off
.
Loosen and remove the 4 bolts on alternator. Two on top and one on bottom.

Alternator should move around now. Move enough to disconnect the plug and remove the nut to remove the second cable. It's tight and takes some time to remove the nut.

The hard part: removing the alternator through the top. There are some plastic hoses near the top of the engine that you can remove the one torx screw to give you a bit of room. Also, near the bottom of the alternator close to the headlight there are some metal cooling pipes (I'm assuming), you can remove the black cap on the one to give you a bit more room too. Now gradually wiggle it out. Took some time cause I didn't want to break anything.

Now reverse the steps with the new alternator! I bought one that was remanufactured but looks exactly like new. It was $280 CDN.

Let me know if you have questions. Good luck!

 

[MavWreck]

I'm about to have it. Any tips that might save me some time?

 

[torga]

I'm about to have it. Any tips that might save me some time?

Get a 13mm ratcheting wrench for the lower-right alternator bolt. That thing was a bitch and a half. You have to snake your arm from the bottom, past the rad fans and A/C compressor to get to it. You will hate your entire life if you do it with a regular wrench. Socket/ratchet won't fit, even a low-profile one won't.

That's the only hiccup; the rest of the job is stupid easy. The other three bolts are very accessible and the accessory belt is one of the easiest to deal with of any car I've worked on.

 

[MavWreck]

Get a 13mm ratcheting wrench for the lower-right alternator bolt. That thing was a bitch and a half. You have to snake your arm from the bottom, past the rad fans and A/C compressor to get to it. You will hate your entire life if you do it with a regular wrench. Socket/ratchet won't fit, even a low-profile one won't.

That's the only hiccup; the rest of the job is stupid easy. The other three bolts are very accessible and the accessory belt is one of the easiest to deal with of any car I've worked on.

Thanks, did you take the wheel and inner well off or just the scrape pan?

 

[torga]

Just the scrape pan. All I had to do was jack it up slightly so I could fit underneath.

 

[Allchokedup]

I just did stockgti's and didnt have to pull anything except the alternator. It SOOOOO much easier when you have ratchet wrenches that fold at the head.
Just move a few hoses..unhook battery first, takes about an hour total

 

[torga]

I just did stockgti's and didnt have to pull anything except the alternator. It SOOOOO much easier when you have ratchet wrenches that fold at the head.
Just move a few hoses..unhook battery first, takes about an hour total

I think the official method involves removing the A/C compressor? Screw that. I just had to move a couple hoses, take off an AC line cap and be very careful around the oil sensor plug. But like I mentioned, that lower-right bolt is a bitch. ratchet wrench, minimum, is necessary for this job; a flex-head ratchet wrench would be the ultimate tool for that bolt.

 

[MavWreck]

This job has gone all kinds of sideways. The biggest issue is that the alternator is placed differently from all the pictures and videos I've seen. The bolts run parallel to the axle, not perpendicular. There's also no way to get to the bolts without removing the pulleys and some of the pulley assemblies. Not even with the wrenches. Also, I don't see anyway to get it out the top so now I've got the condenser off and I'm waiting for Amazon to deliver a set of triple square sockets because none mine fit.

 

[torga]

This job has gone all kinds of sideways. The biggest issue is that the alternator is placed differently from all the pictures and videos I've seen. The bolts run parallel to the axle, not perpendicular. There's also no way to get to the bolts without removing the pulleys and some of the pulley assemblies. Not even with the wrenches. Also, I don't see anyway to get it out the top so now I've got the condenser off and I'm waiting for Amazon to deliver a set of triple square sockets because none mine fit.

Oh, I did not realize you had a 2.5L! All my tips and perspective came from a 2.0T - I've got no idea how the 2.5L alternator is bolted up.

 

[MavWreck]

Oh, I did not realize you had a 2.5L! All my tips and perspective came from a 2.0T - I've got no idea how the 2.5L alternator is bolted up.

It's an utter nightmare geometrically. I'll get it done, but it's way more time consuming than I wanted. I should try and get some photos to post up as I put it back together.

 

[MavWreck]

Got it swapped out and it tests as okay, but the battery isn't holding a charge. I had it checked before I swapped the alternator and they said it was good, but somethings not right. Any ideas of something I may have gotten wrong that could be sucking the charge or is it most likely just the battery?


edit: definitely not the battery. I charged it and disconnected it and it held the charge.

 

[gijoewoz]

Got it swapped out and it tests as okay, but the battery isn't holding a charge. I had it checked before I swapped the alternator and they said it was good, but somethings not right. Any ideas of something I may have gotten wrong that could be sucking the charge or is it most likely just the battery?


edit: definitely not the battery. I charged it and disconnected it and it held the charge.

Did it hold a charge with a load on it? Just because you charged it up to 12.6v and put a multi meter to it doesn't mean it won't drop like a rock as soon as it tries to turn the starter. Put a meter on a fully charged battery and have someone try to start the car, note how low the voltage drops. Get the car running and test the voltage at the battery with the engine running, rev it as well and watch to see how the voltage changes.

 

[MavWreck]

Did it hold a charge with a load on it? Just because you charged it up to 12.6v and put a multi meter to it doesn't mean it won't drop like a rock as soon as it tries to turn the starter. Put a meter on a fully charged battery and have someone try to start the car, note how low the voltage drops. Get the car running and test the voltage at the battery with the engine running, rev it as well and watch to see how the voltage changes.

Drops to 2.0 when cranking. I tried leaving it on the charger and it just doesn't want to take a charge. I managed to jump it and take it to Autozone. I had them check the alternator, but they couldn't test the battery because it was totally flat. The alternator was putting out 14-14.5 volts, but showed as having failed diodes just like the one I replaced. I had Autozone charge the battery and then test it. It tested as bad.



So now I have a new battery, but I'm wondering if the battery caused the alternator problem or the other way around. I may just take it to a shop and have them have a look.