Hello!

I was hoping someone could help me. I was driving a couple weeks ago and I heard a loud "clunk" around the engine, and then a "ping" noise like a very large pin had dropped. After which, the car started to make tapping noises and the belt was screeching when starting the car as well as at stop lights and signs.

I took my car to a local mechanic and he told me the bottom alternator through bolt had fallen out and hit my catalytic converter on it's way down to the pavement. So, he told me the tap is because something broke loose in my catalytic converter and the squeal is my alternator belt. While the car was on the lift, he showed me where the missing bolt was suppose to be, and how the alternator was pressed against the engine.

I have been to several parts shops and no one sells them , just the alternators themselves and they said they do not come with the bolts. Does anyone know where I can get a new bolt? I am noticing that my car is getting worse. The more electronics I have on, the more the belt squeals. Now the car seems to be trying to decide whether or not to stall out when I am at stop signs/lights and when I give it too much gas. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! <3

 

I had the same thing happen. Took me a long time to figure out what happened, because my alternator did not move very much and still continued to work... just not very well.


The bolt and nut are available from the Honda dealership for around $8. It's a lot to pay for a bolt and a nut but at least it's not a lot of money in comparison to most other automotive repairs.

 

Well i dont know if this will work on your case, but my dad's suburban starter crapped out on him and one of the bolts was no good, so he went to a local shop and bought one the same lenght and same size, (mm) but it worked! I know napa carries alot of bolts, maybe you can loosen another bolt from the alternator since its litteraly falling anyway and take it so you can get a similar one. hope this helps.

 

The OEM bolt has a square head on it which allows the alternator bracket to keep the head from turning while you tighten the nut on the other side.

If you use a regular bolt you will have to use a wrench on the other side while you tighten the nut... this makes it more difficult to tension the alternator belt. There is no tensioner mechanism for the alternator like there is on A/C (idler pulley), and P/S (wing nuts on bracket that raise or lower the pump), and you have to hold the alternator in its proper place while tightening the nut in order to set the tension. It's already kind of hard to do this even with the OEM square head bolt... but with a regular bolt you'd need 3 hands in order to be able to hold the bolt head in place as well.

 

Go to a junk yard they may have one still on a car there, if they didn't just throw it away when they pull the alternator off. The nut is an ordinary metric hex nut you can buy at a parts store, but the bolt does have a special head and it is a lot better to have it instead of a generic one.

 

So you think the dealership would still have a through bolt in stock for my car even though it is a 97?


Thank you all for the help! <3

 

they can always order it

 

Is it number 7 here ....thinking no. That looks more like a screw for the alt itself.




Maybe number 20 or 25 here. Actually, #5 is the alt. bracket and #14 is the alternator bolt. Oh and any of those bolts are like $.50 to $1. Shipping it will cost more.




Just put in your car here https://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/home.htm and look under alternator. They pretty much have everything you need down to misc. tiny stuff you never even think about items.

 

Well the OP said "bottom alternator bolt", which would be number 14 on the 2nd diagram. I don't know if it will be "in stock" but the dealerships usually only take like 2 days to get a part if they order it.

If part 14 is missing then I assume part 17 (the nut) is missing as well.

 

I think it is probably 14 and 17 on the second diagram. I called the dealer today and they said they have the bolt in stock. I didn't ask about the nut though, I didn't know it had one until now. I'll see if they have the nut when I pick up the bolt. (I hope it's the right bolt).

Thank you all again! <3