Hi guys! Recently my battery light lit up on the dash and my headlights and interior lights have often been fading while the car is running at idle or under around 1k rpm. The problem does not occur on the freeway, i tested this. The car was making a healthy 14.8 at around 1.4k+ rpm, under that it decreased untill it was making about 12.4 at idle. RACV mechanic confirms that it is indeed a new alternator.

I was thinking of getting just the regulator, which seems to be the problem, but given the age and km's of the car (half a million) i should probably scrap a whole used one at the wrecker.

I know how to tighten/loosen my altornator belt, and removing the thing looks simple but i've never actually done it. It would be great if someone could shed some light on this for me!

Thanks guys!

Just unbolt and unplug everything that holds the alternator in and lift it out. lol

Alternators can be funny things, just sticking in a new regulator may not fix it. Diodes often go too. If you get one from the wreckers ask if you can return it if it is no good. If it is a self serve wreckers try to get one off a low Km car or one with a sticker on it to say it has been reconditioned by a sparky. Most wreckers will accept returns, and mark the alternator in some way, so that you are not a smart bunny and return with your original alternator pretending it is the one you bought off them. lol

Yiss that was my inital plan of action! What about the belt? Should i loosen it before i remove the alternator?

best way to go is take out the RHS thermo fan so you have the room to get it out of there

In short
Remove -ive terminal from battery
Remove RHS thermo fan, 1 plug and 4 10mm bolts
Loosen the lower 14mm nut
Remove the wiring, 12mm nut and plug, remove off top of bracket as well
Remove the 12mm top mount bolt, alt should now swing down allowing you to pop off the belt, let it hang for now
Remove lower bolt, is a little tricky, come out from under the manifold
Remove the 2 14mm bolts holding the top alt mount, again to give some space
Lift alt out

When you re assemble, is reverse of the above only you need to get under to loosen the alt belt adjuster, there is no sense in getting under twice this why I dont losen the tensioner until I am putting it back together. I usually put the alt and everything else in and then do the belt last

If you want a complete alt, I have several here off very low mileage engines as well with 90 day warranty

Madmagna to the rescue with lots of detail! Thanks!

How much is one of your alternators and postage to 5112?

Thanks Madmagna! Excellent detail. I had a good look at it this afternoon and came up with a similar method. But yours is better haha!

Also, llike what our friend MadMax said here. How much for one posted to 3340?