Replacing the Alternator on a 1997 Toyota RAV4

 

This YouTube explains and shows it well.

Steps:

* Disconnect neg battery terminal
* Check the deflection on the belt to make sure you know how to re-adjust it. Measure with a ruler the deflection. Should be about 1/4 inch
* Loosen 10mm nut on top of Alternator and pull off ring wire connector
* Right side; push-pin connector black rubber, push on pin to allow pulling it off Alternator
* pull off the anchor on the housing for the wire harness. It has a little prong which must be depressed by a small screwdriver to get it to pull out.
* 12mm loosen the bolt (oriented sideways) for some turns (but not off altogether) . Maybe a 1/2 inch?
* 14mm loosen but don't remove the main mounting bolt holding the alternator on the back side on the left (oriented sideways). Maybe 1/2 inch? This will allow the alternator to pivot down by its weight so you can slip off the belt and let it drop down.
* Now go to the top 12mm bolt on front side and loosen it further CCW, enough to pull off the belt and let it drop down so it still grooves onto the other two pulleys below. This bolt is not part of the alternator itself and does not need to be unscrewed all the way.
* Now back out the sideways 12mm bolt beneath the tensioner, on right side, all the way
* Now pull out the mountaing bolt 14mm all the way
* Put in new alternator,
* put in 14mm mounting bolt, but don't tighten it all the way
* put in the right sideways 12mm bolt, but not all the way ,
* leave room for belt to get back over and onto the alternator pulley
* pull belt straight up so it stays good with the two pulleys below, keeping grooves proper. Might have to CCW loosen the top 12mm tensioner to get the belt on right.
* and hold the belt proper while you CW tighten the top 12mm tensioner to get proper tension on belt. About 1/4 inch of play
* Tighten up the 14mm mounting bolt.
* Tighten up the sideways mounting bolt the rest of the way.
* make sure snug
* reconnect electrical
* reconnect battery, and you should be good.

Testing the Diode pack
* Disconnect the neg lead from you battery
* Disconnect the positive lead to the B+ post on your alternator (with the little hard plastic cap on it)
* Use the diode setting on your multi-meter.
* Put the red lead on your alternator case, and the black lead on the B+ post which goes to your battery and you should read 500-800 mVDC says this video.
* Now reverse the leads; so the black is on the alternator case and the red on the post. You should be 0 VDC if your diode is good.