Sc400 Alternator Removal

[lexus082]

Following the service manuals I unbolted the alternator successfully, although I can not remove it from the engine bay. The sway bar from underneath is in the way and trying to pull it out from the top seems impossible unless I remove something else? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[lexus082]

Following the service manuals I unbolted the alternator successfully, although I can not remove it from the engine bay. The sway bar from underneath is in the way and trying to pull it out from the top seems impossible unless I remove something else? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Decided to remove the radiator and fan assembly. A lot more work but guess it had to come out.

[jzz30]

yea its almost standard proceedure with these cars to take out the radiator when doing any work up front

[AppleJack]

I changed my alternator - 92sc400 - did not touch the rad. I only loosend a few items on the fan so it could shift a tiny bit - just enough to orient the alternator the right way to pull it out.

Mind you, hanging over the front of the car like a monkey - holding on to the 15 pound weight isn't easy after a while of fiddling!

[lexus082]

Has anyone else had success removing the alternator through the top without removing the radiator and so forth? My car just left me stranded on the highway at midnight. My car almost died earlier today everything got real dim and radio turned off, but I made it home and took my battery to a shop and had it charged. They charged it, but it turns out that it did the same thing again. I think its the alternator that I just had rebuilt a little while ago. They did not check the voltage regulator I guess and did a half-!Removed! job. I noticed a decrease in alternator output such as HID headlights not firing up correctly upon turning the lights on, dome and map lights dim, instrument panel lights dimming when blinker was applied and so forth. Being stranded on the side of the highway at midnight sucks! Lexus engineers and their damn backwards engineering of the p.s. pump being above the alternator. A little too confident that the PS pump wouldn't leak on every single sc400 (if the rack solenoid wasn't cleaned out when needed). Still a minor problem and I still love my Lexus although I think she is still hurt from the words that came out of my mouth. I'm just glad when my car was towed to my house I had a somewhat cold six pack waiting for me. Back to the original question can the alternator be removed without removing the radiator and related components?

[jzz30]

i just did a whole t-belt and water pump job with the radiator still on. its possible you still need to drain coolant so you can remove atleast the upper radiator hose.

[lexus082]

Well I just removed the alternator and I only had to remove the upper radiator hose and coolant reserve tank. Thanks for your assistance.

[LLS]

I've had to do it 3 times total between my 2 sc's and I was able to slide it out with my tongue aimed north, one foot planted across the trac control box, and one arm pointing towards Jupiter Florida.

It's pretty much a crap shoot hitting the perfect twisting angle.