Another beercaps misadventure (yay) - Infamous Nissan

Beercaps · 12-06-2020, 11:46 PM

Alternator started squealing like a stuck pig so I headed down to the parts store to just put in a fresh one, they gave me what’s recommended and when I brought it home to install it, I found out the mounting holes on the alternator are spaced at least a quarter inch too far apart. I can either line up the top or bottom mounting hole but getting both is not physically possible. Is there any chance whoever owned the truck before me swapped in something else? I don’t think it’s quest parts because the upper mount isn’t as long as the quest one appears to be. Center of the bottom mounting hole to centerish of the top bracket slot is roughly 6 7/8” and the recommended alternator they gave me has a spacing of just over 7”. Tilting the alternator doesn’t help line it up anywhere along the top mount. As always, any help is appreciated.

SBJ · 12-07-2020, 12:29 AM

They probably just sold you the wrong one. It happens way too often. I went down a similar path when the alternator in our 4runner died last year.

Take it back and get another one, and hold onto the original one until the replacement is in and working. In no particular order, check that:

The pulley is the same
The connectors are the same, both the pigtail and the stud where the alternator lead goes
You can physically plug in the connector

Even after I got one that had the correct pulley and the mounting holes were in the correct places, the pigtail still wouldn't fit through the hole in the backing plate and the plastic wire retainer thingy below the stud didn't line up with the tabs on the end of the truck's alternator lead. I ended up having to swap over both of those parts from the factory alternator to get it to work. That was a little over a year ago and it's still working, but it was definitely more trouble than it should have been.

Beercaps · 12-07-2020, 12:57 AM

All the connections were good, only part I messed up on was giving them the core too soon. I was out running errands and had the thought that I’d just take the core charge and use it at my next stop. Going to pull apart tomorrow or Tuesday to snag some top mounts and see what’s up with them

89'HBV6 · 12-07-2020, 05:34 AM

Run down tomorrow and get your core back. Can't loose that....... it fits.

david29 · 12-09-2020, 04:56 PM

There are two alternators for the these trucks. The bolt holes are in 12 & 6 oclock position and 1 & 6 oclock position.

Beercaps · 12-10-2020, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89'HBV6

Run down tomorrow and get your core back. Can't loose that....... it fits.

Tried that, it was gone the next day :/ that’s apparently the one thing they’re on top of. Should be good to go with David’s suggestion, if for some crazy reason it’s not I’ll get my refund buy a questionable one from the JY and start over

Quote:

Originally Posted by david29

There are two alternators for the these trucks. The bolt holes are in 12 & 6 oclock position and 1 & 6 oclock position.

The one they gave me that doesn’t fit is 12&6, I wasn’t paying attention to the old one but a 1&6 position sounds like it would cause the top end to sit lower and fit. I’ll know tomorrow around 3pm

Beercaps · 12-21-2020, 03:35 AM

Update for the sake of posterity: David29 nailed it.

12-06-2020, 11:46 PM	#1
Beercaps Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Beaumont Posts: 11 Vehicle: 94 D21 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Another beercaps misadventure (yay) Alternator started squealing like a stuck pig so I headed down to the parts store to just put in a fresh one, they gave me what’s recommended and when I brought it home to install it, I found out the mounting holes on the alternator are spaced at least a quarter inch too far apart. I can either line up the top or bottom mounting hole but getting both is not physically possible. Is there any chance whoever owned the truck before me swapped in something else? I don’t think it’s quest parts because the upper mount isn’t as long as the quest one appears to be. Center of the bottom mounting hole to centerish of the top bracket slot is roughly 6 7/8” and the recommended alternator they gave me has a spacing of just over 7”. Tilting the alternator doesn’t help line it up anywhere along the top mount. As always, any help is appreciated.

12-09-2020, 04:56 PM	#5
david29 Administrator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Spring(Houston), Texas Age: 50 Posts: 6,147 Vehicle: 1987 Nissan King Cab Thanks: 28 Thanked 554 Times in 495 Posts	There are two alternators for the these trucks. The bolt holes are in 12 & 6 oclock position and 1 & 6 oclock position. __________________ My stable of Nissan trucks includes: 1987 Nissan King Cab(full frame off Restoration).

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12-07-2020, 12:29 AM	#2
SBJ Total Buzzkill Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: OR Posts: 2,922 Vehicle: '90 D21 4cyl 5spd 2wd Thanks: 325 Thanked 518 Times in 461 Posts	They probably just sold you the wrong one. It happens way too often. I went down a similar path when the alternator in our 4runner died last year. Take it back and get another one, and hold onto the original one until the replacement is in and working. In no particular order, check that: The pulley is the same The connectors are the same, both the pigtail and the stud where the alternator lead goes You can physically plug in the connector Even after I got one that had the correct pulley and the mounting holes were in the correct places, the pigtail still wouldn't fit through the hole in the backing plate and the plastic wire retainer thingy below the stud didn't line up with the tabs on the end of the truck's alternator lead. I ended up having to swap over both of those parts from the factory alternator to get it to work. That was a little over a year ago and it's still working, but it was definitely more trouble than it should have been.

12-07-2020, 12:57 AM	#3
Beercaps Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Beaumont Posts: 11 Vehicle: 94 D21 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	All the connections were good, only part I messed up on was giving them the core too soon. I was out running errands and had the thought that I’d just take the core charge and use it at my next stop. Going to pull apart tomorrow or Tuesday to snag some top mounts and see what’s up with them

12-07-2020, 05:34 AM	#4
89'HBV6 Ol'school Geek Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Washington State Posts: 356 Vehicle: 89' D21 KingCab SE V6 5spd 2WD - 87' D21 KingCab SE V6 5spd 2WD Thanks: 409 Thanked 93 Times in 79 Posts	Run down tomorrow and get your core back. Can't loose that....... it fits.

12-21-2020, 03:35 AM	#7
Beercaps Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Beaumont Posts: 11 Vehicle: 94 D21 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Update for the sake of posterity: David29 nailed it.