Alternator: Access and Replace

The alternator on a Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO and Dodge Stealth is a vital part of the car's electrical system that can cause a number of mysterious problems when it begins to fail. The removal process of the alternator depends significantly on if your engine is DOHC or SOHC. This guide will assist you in accessing and replacing it.

Remove Alternator on a DOHC Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO and Dodge Stealth

Depending on your experience level, the time required to remove and replace the alternator on a DOHC engine in a Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO and Dodge Stealth should not exceed 2 hours.

1. Unplug the negative cable from the battery. When dealing with the electrical system it is always a good idea to disconnect the battery first.
2. Disconnect the A/C line and bend it up without breaking it. This will give you more room to work with when you pull the alternator out. Some people decide to pull the radiator fans in order to wiggle the alternator out but it is not necessary. On the RT/TT or VR-4, it may be easier to remove the driver's side fan in order to remove the alternator, while on the N/A's it is recommended that you just take off the 4 bolts holding the radior brackets on, disconnect the two electric fans from their plugs and just sit the radiator on top of the motor (the radiator hoses should have that much play in them, but make sure not to bend any fins on the radiator).
3. Disconnect the wires connected to the alternator. Remove the cables on the left side of the alternator, which should be a 10mm.
4. Remove all the bolts holding the alternator to the motor.
5. Lower the tensioner. The tensioner will need to be lowered in order to get the belt off of the alternator pulley, but be careful not to drop the tensioner off the car because it will make it harder when you go to install the new alternator. Some owners choose to take off the driver side wheel and the inner fender-well. This allows them to remove the belt from the alternator a bit easier. The tensioner bolt for the belt can be reached from the top with a few extentions much easier than on the bottom with a wrench. The tensioner bolt is 12mm.

Remove Alternator on a SOHC Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO and Dodge Stealth

This following was performed on a 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT Base (SOHC). The alternator on a SOHC 3000GT and Stealth is located near the back of the engine bay near the firewall. Some owners remove it by pulling it up through the top of the engine bay near the intake plenum. Alternatively, you can also remove it out through the bottom of the engine bay:

1. Unplug the negative cable from the battery. When dealing with the electrical system it is always a good idea to disconnect the battery first.
2. Remove your tire.
3. Remove the following:
   • Brake caliper
   • Rotor
   • Castle nut on tie rod end
   • Bolt on swing arm
4. Remove bolts holding strut to spindle assembly.
5. Swing assembly down and remove outer axle.
6. Remove mid axle from tranny. Be prepared, as about 8 ounces of gear oil will seep out.
7. Unbolt alternator and lower it. Lower it by the swing bracket that the bottom bolt went through. It won't come straight down after this. Wiggle alternator down as much as possible, then out past where the axle was and by the break assembly.

The entire removal process took me a few hours to figure out what to remove, but as soon as I had the half axle out, it dropped to the cross bar and I still couldn't get it past that, so I wiggled it outwards from there, past where the break caliper would be if it were still in place.

Hope this helps someone.