FocusCanada Forums

I decided to crack down and do the big three and drop a yellow top in this weekend and everything else went very good... except the alt to battery +. Which by the way I was very surprised about as I know virtually nothing about car engines beyond the car audio related bits that i have picked up along the way.

Is there any "easy" way to actually get to the post on the back of the alternator in order to mount the wire? I ended removing the power steering fluid tank and some sort of electrical block with a bunch of bundles of wire running to it. As well, the one thing that seemed to be in the way the most was a hose that ran along the firewall and across the opening where i could see the alternator, it was a metal pipe with some sort of disc joining 2 parts of the hose together.

any who, the upshot is i can get down to the bolt but any sort of socket driver i use to try and loosen the bolt will not even budge it and i have heard this is a normal issue. But the only way i can think of fixing it is if i can get in closer and have a better chance to reef on the bolt, or even use a piece of pipe for a little extra leverage.

any and all assistance in how to get down to the alternator is much appreciated as well as any tricks people have used on this same issue.

Thank you in advance.

I opted to do the Big 2 instead. I heard about some problems getting the bolt of the alternator and decided agaisnt it.

i know late post but w.e...

You have to hold the post while trying to kick off that nut or the post will come loose i have heard some cases where the posts have broken off...

Its not fun to get at but it can be done...

mister_bin,Jan 5 2008, 02:18 AM Wrote:i know late post but w.e...

You have to hold the post while trying to kick off that nut or the post will come loose i have heard some cases where the posts have broken off...

Its not fun to get at but it can be done...
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Do a forum search. I know this has been discussed EXTENSIVELY over the years.
PM Burnin21 or MALBY for hints/tips from guys who have actually done it.

I may do it as well when I get my alternator replaced.

why is it no one does the tranny ground. the second ground from the batery goes straight to a bolt on your tranny.

there are accually three factory gronds on the focus

1. battery to the chassy behind the headlight
2. engine hook by alternator to chassy behing power steering fluid.
3. battery neg to the tranny near the intake.


1 positive, alternator to battery pos.


now you have two choises in doing the up graded grounds.


a. you can just add another 8 gauge wire making the two combined basicly one 4 gauge wire.

or

b. you can take off the original wire and add a 4 gauge replacement wire which really I would do ecause it will look better.