After getting jump started two days in a row, I knew either my alternator or battery was in need of replacement, and after a quick trip to Auto-Zone, the alternator was found to be dead.

No problem, 2 nuts and it should pop right out. Well PB Blaster and 4 foot breakers aren't budging this nut, my friend even removed the adjuster bracket to rotate the alternator on the pivot bolt hoping that would break it loose, nothing.

Any ideas on the best tool/way to cut this thing out?

 

Which bolt is stuck?

The Adjuster, or the long one that connects to a bracket on the engine?
Cause that bracket was REALLY rusted on my Rex... (have fun dropping the Bracket...)

6pt Socket/Wrench, PB Blaster. DON'T ROUND it.

Also, Try a 6pt wrench, and use a deadshot hammer to crack it loose.
If you can get it high enough, pop on a breaker bar.


Make sure to tap the bolt after the PB...

Otherwise, use physics to do your bidding...Heat the nut, it will expand, let it cool, it will contract, and Maybe be loose...
Or Heat the Area AROUND the Nut (the old Alt) and it will expand, then try to break it loose...


Good luck...

 

Heating is a good idea, though we didn't have access to a torch (or a lot of the tools I would have wanted I guess) the first two days we tackled this.

Tonight we got after it with a grinder and just took the nut completely off, took a while but at least you had visible progress.

The nut was pretty well rounded by me before I even had anyone sensible look at it, I was NOT using a six point socket at first and I think that pretty much sealed the nuts fate right there

After getting the pivot bolt out, and finnagling the alternator out of the bracket, getting it out of the engine bay of my 89 CRX was another adventure altogether. We finally decided the only way it was going was out the bottom, as the brake resevoir had the top route more or less blocked.

But only by removing the oil filter, and then the entire wheel hub, and backing the axle out was I able to gain enough clearence to actually pull the thing out of the engine bay.

And we all know how fun that always is