My 92 TSI Alternator Swap

[Madrox]

Just wanted to document this for any other newbie that has never done it, I had some differences from posts that I've read on this DSM site and others.

First off I knew it was bad when I had the car on and only got a little over 12v at the battery. I went to 3 local auto parts places and they all told me the "while its running take off the neg battery terminal to really test it", which I didn't due to many posts why not to.

After many hours of research and dread this is my process:

- Removed negative from battery
- Took off AC fan, this gave me the extra working room I needed.
- Jacked up car and put on stands
- Removed bottom skid plate (driver side) so I could get to all the wires and see what I was doing better. Had to use air tool on this, was too tight to hand ratchet it off.
- Removed all wiring to the alternator
- Removed upper mounting bolt, this tensions the belt (from top)
- Removed lower pivot bolt (from top)
- Removed driver side front wheel
- Removed driver side splash guard
- Alternator came up from the top with no hassle. Had to pop it down a smidge and it came out around everything else.
- Took alternator to parts store, had tested..got new one for about $100 with core exchange.
- Put new one in, reverse from above.
- Car started and now read above 14v at the battery.

I'd say in all it took me about 4 hours having never done it before.

The longest part of it for me was that the bolts holding the alternator i had to use a wrench, couldn't fit my air tools anywhere near it. I will get the ratcheting wrenches if i have to do this again.

Otherwise piece of cake and saved myself $200-300 at a garage

 

[12secondtalon]

Awesome job, I remember when I first stared to take alternators out of these cars and cursing Mitsubishi/Chrysler engineers for how tightly they crammed everything in the front.

After many times you'll be able to do it in your sleep, haha.

 

[Darksun280]

I just swapped my Alt today. Thanks for this list it helped me out alot.

 

[leepen]

huh I went from the top:
1. remove PS pump (3 bolts)
2. remove PS pump bracket (2 bolts)
3. unplug alt
4. remove alt bolts, pull alt

 

[Madrox]

huh I went from the top:
1. remove PS pump (3 bolts)
2. remove PS pump bracket (2 bolts)
3. unplug alt
4. remove alt bolts, pull alt

I didn't want to go the route of taking out\apart the Power Steering stuff. Thought about it..but I've had bad luck with PS stuff in the past and wanted to avoid it.

Definitely would be much easier.

 

[Ghost_92TSi]

huh I went from the top:
1. remove PS pump (3 bolts)
2. remove PS pump bracket (2 bolts)
3. unplug alt
4. remove alt bolts, pull alt

I do this too, takes me less than 30 mins.

 

[Bud92gsx]

Ya'll are aware the auto and 5 seed alternators are different amps correct?

 

[Phantom DSM]

65 or 75 amp or90 amp for candian models. Believe it or not guys , but i never have to remove my power steering pump. I just take off he drivers side fan and i somehow have enough wiggle room to take alternator out from top like that.

 

[Bud92gsx]

Canadian models had a 90 amp..Really? And its just a basic alt swap for one of those too?

 

[leepen]

I didn't want to go the route of taking out\apart the Power Steering stuff. Thought about it..but I've had bad luck with PS stuff in the past and wanted to avoid it.

Definitely would be much easier.

your right I forgot these two step:
unbolt the PS fluid reservoir (2 bolts)
unbolt hose from MM (1 bolt) and move it aside, you dont even open the PS system up

 

[mitsubishikid]

I'm working on a 130 amp conversion, only issue I ran into was finding a way to mount it on there, it has the same basic Mitsubishi wire connector so just got to add a higher amp fuse.

I got it at a wrecking yard If I get it to work, I'll make sure and do a write up on here for the rest of the dsm world to examine.

oh and thank you for posting this op might save the next poor soul who has to do this chore.