Alternator removal

After our Zolder trip yesterday, much high speed "Grand Touring" driving, 500 miles in a day, my alterator seems to have seized up 1 mile from home last night.
Wat a noise from the belt. I forced it free it with a screw driver but the bearing sound completely dry and then it seized again.
After an hour of struggling this morning, it seems a bit of a pig to remove. What size is the nut on the main pivot point on the top of the alternator, as my 17mm socket seems quite loose and I don't especially want to round it off?
I have removed the air filter to get better access from underneath, is that enough or do I need to get aceess to it from the top.
Any reasonable suggestions welcome.

PS: Being an ex-Fiat man, I am used to my metric nuts and bolts, is all the Renault stuff the same, 8,10,13,1,17 mm etc? I have alraedy found some odd sizes, 11mm and 12mm.......so far.

main pivot nut and bolt are 16mm. also when you have the tensioner removed it is a good idea to strip it and copper grease the treads as they tend to sieze up. i think a 12 sided 10mm or 11mm spanner will turn the square drive on the end.

Thanks Simonsays74,
I took out the oil catch tank on top and was able to get the 16mm spanner on around the water pipes. Luckily this nut was not rusted and half seized, like the rest. All the rest need a right old clean up and claen.
Definately need a new unit, drry as a bone and bearings out of true, crunchy and keeps locking up.
So, is this a standard or obscure altenator It is marked up as Paris-Rhone 12v 90A A14N 96 and when the black cover is removed also states D85J (perhaps this is the manufacturing code, as it is a 1986 car).
Any reccomendations where to get a replacement or exchange from?

I have also noticed that the idler gear ( a plain wheel on a triangular back plate) seems to have quite a dry bearing, should I lubricate it, with what or should I replace it. There is a rubber seal around the inner edge.

And I will be replacing the belt as it is destroyed in 1 area, but should it have all those crackes in it as they do not look even as if they had been manufactured?

Service exchange items are available from Renault at £99 + VAT, or you can use a motor factors type (R25 V6 2. will fit. Simon, yours is actually a R25 2.8 type on your car, the GTA Turbo comes originally with an A14N76.

Belts' cheap too, £13.50 + vat...

David, What is the difference between the A14N-96 and the -76? Are they are both 90A and do have the same fixings layout?
And what about lubricating the idler wheel?

If I remember rightly, all of the V6 ones were interchangeable. Some of them are 90A, some 110A. Im pretty sure the 2.8 one is the 110A version.

[stephendell]

90 amp unit is for all cars without aircon, 110 amp unit for all cars with aircon.

replace the idler wheel, if you can't get a new one you could have the bearing pressed out and that it to your local bearing supplier who will be able to get you a new one. you cannot lubricate the old bearing.

If you're running amplifiers would it be a good idea to replace the 90 with the 110A?

[Alpineandy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 41353&rd=1

Thanks Andy, Remind me next time I see you to buy you a drink.

Andy, you should have pm'd Simon....theres another Alpine owner bidding on it!

[Alpineandy]

Andy, you should have pm'd Simon....theres another Alpine owner bidding on it!

You'd have found it on there anyway..