2001 Audi A6 Alternator Replacement Instructions

2001 Audi A6 Quattro 2.8 ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE

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© 2009 William Havens - Seattle, WA

NOTE: For preparation of the vehicle, you may either place the car on ramps or you may place it on jack-stands and remove the front wheels.

NOTE: Be sure that you order the correct alternator with the correct amperage. You may want to wait to order your new alternator until you see what the old one looks like. Mine was 120A.

NOTE: Be sure to have your faulty alternator tested to be sure that this is the part that is failing.

NOTE: You may want to be sure that when you order a new alternator that you get one with the pulley already installed. I tried to buy an AutoLite from the auto parts store and the pulley from the old alternator would not work on the AutoLite. I think this is the same for some Bosch as well. I think the pulley configuration varies.

NOTE: You may want to also replace the V belt since you’ll have it off for this repair anyway.

NOTE: You may also want to replace your power steering fluid after you’re done with the repair since you should be doing this periodically anyway.

NOTE: Remember to perform no unnecessary disassembly.

THE DISCLAIMER: The following procedures worked for me. They might not for you. I may have forgotten to include a step, so just use these procedures as guidance. I assume no liability should your vehicle be damaged or some party be injured or killed following these directions. Remember, you know nothing of my level of expertise in auto repair, so take my free advice as just that.


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STEP 1: REMOVAL OF UNNECESSARY HARDWARE

‐ Remove plastic skid plate at bottom of engine compartment. ‐ Remove all plastic covers from within the engine compartment. ‐ This includes the removable resilient stripping that seals the hood and engine

compartment. ‐ Remove the cover that is toward the firewall that houses the battery. ‐ Remove the cover from the power steering fluid reservoir.

STEP 2: DISCONNECT BATTERY

‐ Be sure to use caution.

STEP 3: REMOVE FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY

‐ Remove the interior wheel wells. They are held on by about 14 various bolts. ‐ Remove the black housings that cover the area where the fog lights are. They are

simply clipped in and require some pulling to remove. ‐ Disconnect the fog light electrical connections for each fog light from under the car. ‐ Remove 2 bolts (1 on each side) under the car where two metal pieces join for

support. ‐ Disconnect the front bumper wiper-spray electrical connection for each wiper motor. ‐ Disconnect the spray line on the driver side. There is a plastic clip that must be

gently removed, then the line simply pulls apart. Use a baggie and zip-tie to secure the end of the line from the reservoir to control loss of wiper fluid.


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‐ From below the car (or on the passenger side do it from the wheel well), remove 6

nuts (3 nuts on each side) that hold the bumper of the car to the front quarter panels. This is a less obvious step that took me awhile to figure out because the nuts appear captive to the quarter panel, but are not.


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‐ Using a metric allen wrench (NOT a torx bit), remove the 2 long bolts (1 bolt on each

side of the car) that secures the bumper to the front of the car. The bolts are tucked away up in the area where you removed the black housing in the fog light area. The bolts are about 6” to 8” long and can be used later to assist with bringing the radiator/intercooler assembly forward. It will take a bit of time to get them removed. Pull on them periodically until removed to ensure that you aren’t just spinning.

‐ Now wrestle the bumper off and set it aside. When you are wrestling the bumper off

of the car you need to be sure to be careful with the 6 threaded fasteners (3 on each side) that secure the bumper to the front quarter panels. There is a black insert on each fastener that can cause the bumper to stick to the quarter panel.


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STEP 4: SWING THE RADIATOR/INTERCOOLER ASSEMBLY FORWARD

‐ This is where it tends to get a little messy. Have some shop towels handy. And some more baggies and zip-ties.

‐ There are 2 perpendicularly oriented plastic shields that go between the radiator/intercooler assembly and the front bumper. They are each held to the vehicle using a phillips head screw. Remove the screw from each piece of shielding and remove the shielding from the car.

‐ Remove the headlights entirely. This step is possibly unnecessary, but I think that it was necessary since it allowed better access to other pieces later. You may have difficulty getting these back into their original position.

‐ Disconnect the hood latch release line from the hood latch release mechanism. You will have to partially remove a rubber cover in order to access the parts to do this. Set the line back toward the firewall being careful not to lose your clips that secure the line to the black plastic cover that runs along the top of the radiator assembly (henceforth referred to as the ACHTUNG cover due to the prominent warning sticker that is affixed to it).


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‐ Disconnect the 4 electrical connectors adjacent to the power steering fluid reservoir.

Remember to zip-tie these back into place later when re-connecting.


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‐ Drain the antifreeze coolant from the radiator by unscrewing the orange plug at the

bottom of the radiator. ‐ Remove 4 bolts (2 on each side) from the ACHTUNG cover to allow free movement

of the assembly later.


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‐ Remove the two oddly shaped plastic plugs that attach the ACHTUNG cover to the

radiator.


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‐ Insert the 2 very long bolts (1 on each side) into the empty hole adjacent to the posts

that held the bumper to the car.


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‐ Remove the posts that held the bumper to the car. In addition to removing the 3 high

torque bolts per post, you’ll also need to remove the little nut that barely holds the posts to the assembly to which it is attached.

‐ Slide the radiator/intercooler assembly forward on the two long bolts. This will allow access to other components that will require disassembly.


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‐ Disconnect the top radiator hose. First remove the metal clip from the hose, then pull

the hose apart from the radiator. This will require some amount of work. Bag and zip-tie the hose to reduce loss of antifreeze coolant.


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‐ At the bottom of the intercooler, disconnect the two narrow hoses. One if for the

power steering fluid (the top one I think), and the other is for something else. Make sure that you remember which one belongs on top. Baggie and zip-tie these.


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‐ At this point everything should be disconnected to allow you to swing the

radiator/intercooler assembly forward away from the driver’s side of the car. To keep from putting unnecessary pressure on the remaining hoses be sure to rest the assembly on something like large Rubbermaid containers or something.


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STEP 5: REMOVAL OF THE ALTERNATOR

‐ Using a deep-well socket and a breaker bar, ease the tensioner pulley to allow for removal of the V-belt. Remove V-belt.

‐ Inspect your tensioner pulley. It is normally replaced when you replace the timing belt. But you want to make sure that it’s not bad or on its way out. It should turn freely. If it doesn’t you may want to assess whether it needs to be replaced.

‐ You’re going to need wiggle room to get the alternator out of the cavity that the entire engine was designed around. Remove the bolt that secures the refrigerant lines. This will provide some wiggle room.

‐ Remove the two bolts that secure the alternator in place. ‐ Keep in mind that when the alternator is tightened into place, the threaded insert on

the alternator actually tightens to ensure that the alternator is firmly in place. Therefore, you may have to exert a great deal of force to get the top of the alternator free from where it is set in. I used a large allen wrench and a hammer to break it free.

‐ Wiggle the alternator into a position that allows for access from beneath the car to the electrical connector. Disconnect the alternator now.

STEP 6: INSTALL NEW ALTERNATOR AND PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER

‐ Once you have the new alternator in the cavity, make all necessary connections. ‐ Install the new alternator being sure to tighten that top bolt adequately to allow the

insert to properly seat for a firm installation. ‐ Everything else essentially goes on in the reverse order that it came off. Clean and

inspect as you go. ‐ Be sure to double check your fluid levels including coolant and power steering fluid

before starting the car. Also check your power steering fluid while the car is running. Mine was low and was seriously frothy and vitiated.

‐ Be sure that your battery is fully charged before starting the car.

2001 Audi A6 Alternator Replacement Instructions

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