Got a remanufactured alternator today from O'Reilly's. Upon pulling the old unit I found that while the housings are the same the pulley is larger in diameter on the reman and the orientation of the B post is different as well. Is the reman for a series 5 or turbo? Should I just swap the pulleys and give it a go? It also doesn't seem that the B-post can be reorientated either.

Pictures can be found here.

 

it's probably an S5 alternator.

 

should be fine, There is a good amount of flexability on tentioning the belts so personally i would try leaving the pully on there before taking the task of switching (ya never know what could happen lol, Murphy's Law and all)

 

What does the back look like, isnt the S5 different on the back, like, the wiring?

 

yea, the S5 alt and charging system is wired differently, and you wouldnt be able to plug in the S4 plug to the S5 alt. Even if you could, you would need to run a new wire from one of the terminals to the main fuse box. Search for the FD alternator swap for more info.

 

Pop the cover off the B post (round part) and then take out the bolt. Jiggle the post a little and it will come off. Then you can orient like the old one.

 

Wiring in the rear is the same.

Picture here.

 

Just lift straight up?

 

Pull towards you. Then you can rotate it and push it back in. Pull it out the same way you would a plug from the wall.

My reman came this way too. You may have to switch the B posts also because my new one was bigger on top so my ring terminal wouldn't fit. However, they'll both fit on the alternator the same way.

 

Any other comments about the pulley size being larger on the reman? Won't that cause the alternator to spin slower and thus put out less amps?

 

You could always just switch pulleys.

 

Probably will come to that. Just a pita since I've got to travel to gain access to a vise.

 

I just used a breaker bar and stuck a screwdriver into the alternator to keep it from spinning. I have no idea if that's the recommended method... but it worked for me.

 

That sounds doable. And I can always *cough*practice*cough* with the non working one first.