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so yesterday my alt decided to quit working, hopefully i'll be able to get it fixed, but thats not the big problem.... I need to drive to the airport to get home for winter break, so i needed an alt to substitute for a while. No big, went to junkyard to find used alt, got one for 20 bucks + $10 for not having old core. When i went to start tearing out the old alt the bottom bolt is tight at hell. I tried to get it out, but wind up stripping it (ford in all of its wisdom made two bolts, top and bottom, both are the same diameter, but one is a 13 mm head, the other a 10) and guess which one i stripped? So i limp back home on just the batt and i realize just how much of a bish this really is, I had to take out both headlights, front bumper and front clip in a frickin parking lot. To top it off, the school kicks us out 48 hours after our last final, or its 200 a week to stay there .

ah, got that rant done with....now does anyone know a good way to clamp off a hose so that i dont have an exxon valdiz in the parking lot? (power steering hose is right in my way)

Vise grips are your friends. Clamp that slut tight. YOu will have to bleed it off when done by steering to the extremes.

If you got one of them stripped bolt extractors nows the time to use it.

$10 for a core out of a yard? Thats nuts...

dont have one, but i know there are no threads on the alt itself, so if i cut off the head, i cant get the old alt off and then have a nice big stud to get a good grip on. I thought about using vice grips, i just bought a pair, but the hose connects the reservoir to something below it, so i dont want the tank emptying, in the morning i'll take some pics.

Clamp that bitch then unhook the line.

You could do that but if something happens and you CANT get it out then your in real trouble...

loudwagon15s wrote:so yesterday my alt decided to quit working, hopefully i'll be able to get it fixed, but thats not the big problem.... I need to drive to the airport to get home for winter break, so i needed an alt to substitute for a while. No big, went to junkyard to find used alt, got one for 20 bucks + $10 for not having old core. When i went to start tearing out the old alt the bottom bolt is tight at hell. I tried to get it out, but wind up stripping it (ford in all of its wisdom made two bolts, top and bottom, both are the same diameter, but one is a 13 mm head, the other a 10) and guess which one i stripped? So i limp back home on just the batt and i realize just how much of a bish this really is, I had to take out both headlights, front bumper and front clip in a frickin parking lot. To top it off, the school kicks us out 48 hours after our last final, or its 200 a week to stay there .
ah, got that rant done with....now does anyone know a good way to clamp off a hose so that i dont have an exxon valdiz in the parking lot? (power steering hose is right in my way)

For the bolt: Use a size smaller 12 point socket/wrench and tap it on with a hammer, should come right off.. (so if its a 10mm use a 3/8's or 9mm.)

As for the hose, stick an old bolt (or similar item) into the hose and clamp it down with the hose clamp...

What kind of car is it???

97 ford escort, clamping the hose isnt the issue, its plugging the reservoir. I'll prolly ride my bike to an autoparts to get some pb blaster while i'm at it, and try the above unless someone knows of anything better that is a penetrating oil

Kroil Aerosol. Thats the hands down best thing ever for breaking bolts loose. PB Blaster if is rustier than hell, but Kroil will penetrate deep.

If the bolt head isnt rounded/stripped to dramatically try a 6 pointer.

Ryan from Ohio wrote:Kroil Aerosol. Thats the hands down best thing ever for breaking bolts loose. PB Blaster if is rustier than hell, but Kroil will penetrate deep.
If the bolt head isnt rounded/stripped to dramatically try a 6 pointer.

A six pointer is less likely to strip it from the get-go (usually), but once its strip a 12 point hammered on is usually the best bet.. Obviously try the 6 point first though...

I've never used the Kroil stuff, does napa, wal-mart, ect carry it?

i only had 12 point wrenches at the time, and a socket wouldnt fit, but now i have much more room with the bumper, headlights, and front clip off. X2 from above, where can i buy this stuff.

loudwagon15s wrote:i only had 12 point wrenches at the time, and a socket wouldnt fit, but now i have much more room with the bumper, headlights, and front clip off. X2 from above, where can i buy this stuff.

wal-mart, any home improvement store, any parts store, ect...

If the head isnt rounded real bad a 6 point socket will probably take it off, if a 6 point wont do it, get a smaller size (one size down) socket and beat it onto the bolt, it'll probably do the trick!