How do I change the alternator on an 04 S200? Pics would be very helpful.

 

its pretty easy....

1. disconnect battery
2. disconnect intake from throttle body (gives room to removed bolts)
2a. remov drive belt
2b. disconnect cables behind alternator (2 of them)
3. remove 2 bolts that hold the alternator
3a. remove alternator
4. reinstall alternator to car
5. tighten bolts
6. connected cables that go to the alternator (back)
7. reinstall drive belt
7a. reinstall intake
8. connect battery
9. done..

 

It's easy as can be, except some patience prying/wiggling the alternator in and out of place can take time and....lack patience (brute force)

 

It's easy (minus the brute force). Be careful - I wound up with some cuts from when the bolts holding my alternator on broke free...

 

Wear gloves, I was wiggling out the Timing Chain Auto Tensioner and left hand slipped and I hit my knuckle against some thing. Almost down to the bone.

WEAR GLOVES.

 

They don't call it 'busted knuckles' for nothing .

Seriously, nitrile gloves for cleanliness and work gloves are a must......

Oh, funny thing about step " disconnect the battery",

At most dealerships, they do battery replacements WITH THE CAR RUNNING, because they don't want an unprepared customer to be annoyed because they don't have their radio code, or lose their station pre-sets.

So basically they ignore step 1 of every job short of an oil change, which is to disconnect the battery

 

I wouldn't do that while trying to change the alternator...

Might make for an interesting story though...hmmm...

 

yea but i have my radio codes and if you dont have radio codes

 

I'm just saying what they do at the actual Honda/Acura shops to avoid annoyed customers who either:

1. don't have their code or
2. would be annoyed enough at losing their radio presets to complain.

Being a tech is about avoiding 'comebacks' for any reason, no matter how petty.

I just find it ironic that in all manuals, step 1 is 'unhook the battery', and we all know they don't do that for most things, but in the case of replacing the battery they actually keep the car running to avoid 'unhooking the battery' so to speak.

 

busted knuckles guys? just be smart and use lube and pry bar/rubber mallet to get it into place.

decent description, but he most likely will not know how to remove the drive belt. Use a box wrench, or breaker bar w/ socke,t on the auto tensioner (which feels like it's spring loaded) to pivot the pulley counter clockwise. This will relieve tension on the belt and allow you to slip it off of the ALT.