vengeful Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I installed the 125A alternator from a 2001 Quest into my R50...here's my writeup. Unfortunately I have no pictures available for this, as I had left my camera at school when I performed this. I'll try to be as detailed as possible. If you have any questions, you can IM me on AIM at Find4Path. If you run aftermarket stereo equipment or off-road lights, then you should definitely perform this mod. It is actually quite simple to do if you have a power drill and grinder. Air tools help A LOT! Parts Necessary: - 125A Quest Alternator (2000-2003) - 5/8" washers (total thickness about 1/4" Tools Necessary: - 12 mm Socket - 12 mm Box End Wrench - 14 mm Socket - 21 mm (Impact) Socket - Strap wrench or similar device to hold pulley in place while loosening/tightening. - 3/8" Drive Ratchet - 1/2" Drive Ratchet - 3/8" Drive Air-Ratchet - 1/2" Drive Impact Wrench - Power Drill - 17/32" Drill Bit - 4" Power Angle Grinder - Service Manual of some sort Other Recommended Items: - Mechanix Brand or similar Gloves - Duct Tape - Band-Aids - Battery/Alternator Testing Tool ($9 at Advance) - Channel Lock Pliars The first step to successful completion of this modification is to source a working Quest/Villager alternator. I found mine for $35 at a local junkyard. If you go this route, be sure you have it bench tested at 2 different places. Most reputable junkyards will take back a non-working alternator that they sold as working, if you have documentation that it is not performing properly from bench testing. Secondly, before I dive into the steps, you need to be certain that you are capable of performing this operation. It was the single most physically painful job I have ever performed while working on any of my cars, and I've pulled motors and complete drivetrains without the help of a lift. The alternator weighs upwards of 25-30lbs, so you need to be sure you can hold that weight steady for extended periods of time while attempting to line up the bolt holes. Ok, here we go. Steps: 1. Disconnect the battery ground. 2. Loosen the tension on the alternator belt by using the adjustment bolt for the idler pulley located to the right of the alternator. If you have access to air tools, you might want to use them for this step. The rotation on the adjustment bolt is opposite of what you would think. To loosen tension, "tighten" the bolt. This brings the idler/tensioner up and removes the tension in the belt. Once the belt is sufficiently loose, slide it off the pulley, while being careful not to damage it. The adjustment bolt is 12mm. 3. Disconnect all wires from the alternator. Be careful not to damage the plastic clip of the harness or the rubber boot on the output cable. You may need to spray PB on the ground wire screw to get it loose. I had to use Channel Lock Pliars to remove the screw, because my screw drivers stripped it. The nut holding the output wire on is 12mm. 4. Unbolt the bottom (long) bolt from the alternator housing. If you have access to air tools, you may want to use them for this step. The radiator hoses tend to get in the way, but you can push them off to the side while you unbolt it, however, be careful not to rip or puncture it. 5. Support the alternator from the side. 6. Unbolt the top bolt. The alternator will want to fall onto the crossmember and damage the pulley. If the pulley has the slightest knick in it, it can cause damage to your belt. 7. Once you get everything disconnected and unbolted, it is time to remove the alternator from the engine bay. However, I learned the hard way that this is easier said than done. If you rotate the alternator so the bolt tabs are closer to the motor, and pull it out pulley first through the gap by the battery, it'll wiggle out eventually. Don't be afriad to put some force on it, but be careful not to damage anything in the process. 8. Now remove the pulley from the Pathfinder Alternator. You'll have to chuck it somehow so it doesn't rotate when you go to loosen the nut holding it on. Do the same on the Quest alternator. The Pathfinder pulley has 5 ridges, the Quest only has 4, so it will not work with the Pathfinder belt. The nut from the Pathfinder alternator will not work on the Quest, and the Pathfinder pulley is narrower at the base than the Quest. Slide the Pathfinder pulley onto the shaft, and slide the 5/8" washers on as well. You'll need enough washers to completely cover the shaft up to where the threads begin, otherwise the pulley will be loose. Hand tighten the Quest nut, and chuck the pulley. Then torque it down. 9. The prep work is almost complete. However, the holes for the bolts on the Quest alternator are not large enough to accomodate the bolts on the Pathfinder. You will have to drill them out using a 17/32" drill bit. However, be sure you cover the open vents on the alternator with duct tape before grinding or drilling on the alternator to avoid metal shavings/chips from entering and potentially damaging your alternator. 10. Once you get the holes reamed out, you'll have to grind down the tabs slightly so the bolts can sufficiently pass through them and have enough threads to hold the alternator in place. 11. Installation is the same as removal, but the Quest alternator is heavier and slightly larger than the Pathfinder alt. Also, be sure you tighten the hell out of the output wire nut, otherwise you'll run into the problem I ran into. You might want to pad your palm before doing this because you'll need to put some serious torque on it to get it to connect properly. Be sure you do not reconnect your battery until EVERYTHING is complete and properly connected, tightened. Did you remember to screw in the ground wire? The Problems and Tips: I had failed to sufficiently tighten the nut on the output wire, and when I tried to start the truck, it would arc, and cause the failsafe to kill the electrical system. After a few seconds it would reset, and after numerous tries, I was ready to shoot something. Well, I realized that the nut wasn't as tight as it should be when I started tightening it with the battery connected (oh yeah, NEVER DO THAT), and it sparked like hell and shocked the living crap out of my arm. Have you ever had 14VDC shoot through a steel wrench into your arm? Yeah, it hurts. Also, when I had first swapped the pulleys, the Quest alternator rolled off my workbench onto the floor and bent the pulley. Be VERY VERY careful with the pulley as they are $76 from the dealer, and the dealer is the ONLY place that will sell you just the pulley. Be ready to have to use plenty of PB Oil if your truck has seen some life. Nissan likes to put all sorts of little sharp plastic clippies all over the engine bay in the most inopportune spots. I suggest you wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid painful, and often blood spilling injuries. I recieve more little cuts trying to get that damn alternator out than I have recieved in all my working on a car combined...well, except that time I kicked the windshield out of my VW Rabbit....but that's another story. Be extra careful when tightening down the output wire cable nut, as your wrench can easily slip off the nut and smash your hand firmly against the frame extension rail. I've got a nice black and red thumb and nail thanks to that one. Have plenty of light to work with. I suggest picking up a 500/1000W Work Light from Sears. They only run about $30-$40 and are absolutely invaluable for any garage or shadetree mechanic. Well, that's about it. If you have any questions feel free to IM me at Find4Path on AIM. Good luck with your swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoohaa Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 good grief, sounds like you received quite a beating. Have you been taking care of your truck? Sounds like she's upset with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Alternatively, you could contact these guys who can build you a custom-wound alternator with much higher output (180A), and will be a direct bolt-in for your R50 for about $250. (They also sell pulleys by themselves, too, for about $15.) R&R isn't going to be any easier, though. With the extra current being put out, it's advisable to add extra 4AWG cable from the alternator to the battery positive terminal and from the battery ground to the engine block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 good grief, sounds like you received quite a beating. Have you been taking care of your truck? Sounds like she's upset with you. I think part of it was going in blind, as I didn't have my service manual, I was doing it at night, and I'd been drinking all day. Yes, I agree with Dean...4AWG wire is a great way to go. I've done it as well, and it actually made a bit of difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 (edited) 8. Now remove the pulley from the Pathfinder Alternator. You'll have to chuck it somehow so it doesn't rotate when you go to loosen the nut holding it on. I know you were trying to aid the people that, for some reason, need to do this? I have to say that this is no help at all. How did "you" stop it from rotating? Correct me if I am wrong but I think that just might be a key issue to whe whole process. This information would surely be a help to anyone that made it to this part of your exhaustive write up without falling asleep. So how did you stop it from rotating? Did you have it in a vice?? How did you stop the pully from being damaged in this process, if it was in a vice??? Did you use an impact driver to remove the pully retaining nut???? We don't know. You have told only half the story. How does someone without a vice do the job????? What does chuck mean?????? I know it means throw or toss but I am sure you didn't mean that. Edited October 25, 2005 by Vsicks Pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 To "chuck" also means to hold something tightly and/or true radially. Trust me. On that note, shut up V6. You are goading and being insulting. Stop. Posts don't require that crap, nor need to bleed attitude from one to the other. Vengeful, feel free to describe how you 'chucked it' and ignore the rest. Thanks. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 (edited) To "chuck" also means to hold something tightly and/or true radially. Trust me. On that note, shut up V6. You are goading and being insulting. Stop. Posts don't require that crap, nor need to bleed attitude from one to the other. Vengeful, feel free to describe how you 'chucked it' and ignore the rest. Thanks. B edit Yes, and do explain it vengeful. It is after all a key point! Edited October 25, 2005 by Vsicks Pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 I took a strap wrench, and wrapped it around the pulley. That held it in place sufficiently for me to undo the retainer nut. And vsicks, what is wrong with you that you have to always be a bitch in someone's thread? Grow up, kiddo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Fair enough V6. Sometimes when I see peoples pettiness and intent in posting, it irritates me as it is unnecessary, useless, and it derracts from the site. I am human also and can make errors with what I say. I apologise and retract On that note, shut up V6 If I needed to make that statement, it should have been in a PM and gone from there. The rest of it stays and holds true. We can go ahead and have a vote on belittling VS helping issue. I refuse to dicker over it. You cant please all the people all the time. If found lacking, I'll gladly resign. What peeves me is that people use WD-40 as a save all when it is specifically "Water Displacement"-40. Thats all, so the comment "just soak it with WD40" makes me grind my teeth like a fireman would if he heard "just throw liquid on it to quench the fire"... Please remind me when I specifically called you an asshat? It may be inferred, mistaken or justified. I just don't know right now. Odd that you find it insulting when you claim ignorance to the term... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 I know you're trying to help and all B, but can we try to keep this on topic? I don't feel that you're lacking, and it would be a shame to see you resign. There could be use of one more active moderating body though. I take responsibility for the "asshaterizing" of Vsicks, and for that I apoligize. I was having a bad day, and he was starting to irritate the hell out of me. I should have walked away, but I didn't. *smack* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 (edited) Fair enough V6. Sometimes when I see peoples pettiness and intent in posting, it irritates me as it is unnecessary, useless, and it derracts from the site. I am human also and can make errors with what I say. I apologise and retract If I needed to make that statement, it should have been in a PM and gone from there. The rest of it stays and holds true. We can go ahead and have a vote on belittling VS helping issue. I refuse to dicker over it. You cant please all the people all the time. If found lacking, I'll gladly resign. What peeves me is that people use WD-40 as a save all when it is specifically "Water Displacement"-40. Thats all, so the comment "just soak it with WD40" makes me grind my teeth like a fireman would if he heard "just throw liquid on it to quench the fire"... Please remind me when I specifically called you an asshat? It may be inferred, mistaken or justified. I just don't know right now. Odd that you find it insulting when you claim ignorance to the term... B Good to see the point was not lost on you B. I took the liberty of removing the reply to your reply. You are correct. Open forum is not the place for such childishness. As I have said already. I don't mind if someone puts sh!t on me for doing a poor or second rate job. That I could give a rats arse about because it is warrented. If you decide on a poll, remember this... I play the ball, never the man so make it specific please. As for the asshat thing. Not you, you 'I can't help myself mate ^^^^^ made the comment. See how he goes on and on. Ooops, I just played the man. First time for everything. Well, you and I both know that can't be true. I'd like you to see how this actually started B, then make comment. I think you,d find that vengeful made his own bed here. As for what it means.. a donkey in a hat? I do not know. I am sure it was not a complement. Edited October 25, 2005 by Vsicks Pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I know you're trying to help and all B, but can we try to keep this on topic? V, are you trying to make my blood boil, or just a joke ?? DON'T ANSWER !! Thanks for your support gentlemen... Allow me to buy the first round when we (all or 1 meet). Now you two kiss and make out, I mean up. Well just shake, and NO smashing beer bottles !! I've dealt with that enough and won't be kind !! Lets just leave the asshat alone for now; It doesn't seem constructive... I'm pretty sure I know of the thread. Lets look forward... As for a poll, that is your (everyones) choice. I have no problem with it. -argue- Lets just try to remember that this is common ground for Pathy owners, helping each other out. Now, back to the R50 Nissan Quest alternator install... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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