Hey guys, I've googled around, called a couple of auto shops and no one seems to have a straight answer on this. My alternator is pretty much done for on my 2005 cobalt. 2.2 liter engine. Now, every guide I've checked doesn't deal with 2005, it seems to all be 2008 and up, and the lay out of the engine bay is different. Every guide and how to fluctuates on whether or not you need to remove the passenger wheel to get to the alternator. I do not have the equipment to actually lift the car safely while I'm working on it, and I'm wondering if anyone else has any experience with a 2005 cobalt and could give me a straight answer.
Backstory: car died on my way to work, I work overnights so I won't work on it until the morning. I just want a solid idea of what to expect before I go digging around. If I do have to take the wheel off, I may just take it to a garage with the part and let them do it.
>>912032
For the price of taking it to a mechanic, you can buy a cheap jack and a pair of jackstands.
If you have the means to remove the alternator, you should have a set of jackstands.
>>912046
Also, pull your air filter cover off and LOOK.
How are we supposed to see beyond that big bunch of plastic?
>>912046
Gotcha. I was hoping to keep the price under 150 bucks, I don't get paid until Friday and that's all I've got to spare. I found a diy garage but they are 20 miles away and even with a charged battery, my car isn't making it that far.
>>912048
Currently at work, I'll update in the morning with a picture.
>>912048
Also, I have, but the problem is I was literally in a corner store parking lot working with a gerber and a cell phone flashlight. It looked doable, but everything I've found is seriously conflicted on taking the wheel off and I can't find anything specific to the 2005 model. I've googled and looked up videos, but nothing older than 2008 shows up with specifics. And no, the car manual doesn't mention shit.
From what I am seeing, the 2.2l and 2.4l ecotech is pretty common. Was in a cavalier, a few saturns, a malibu, the Cobalt, maybe a few others.
My guess is they are not going to drastically relocate an alternator with a minor revision of the engine year by year.
Installation will be very similar if not identical to this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vBFjrs0ras
There were a few cobalt specific ones, but they were much harder to see anything.
Its a tight fit
The serpentine belt removal and reinstallation are going to be the hard part.
It can be done without removing the tire, but its going to be a lot tougher.
Pull the covers and see if it is in there just.
>>912059
Thanks man, that was a good video. And yeah, that's my fear, I don't want to fuck up the belts and I'm not sure if I can do it blind.
>>912059
So any tips for the belt? I'm not particularly knowledgeable with cars, most I've done is change my oil and battery. It doesn't seem very difficult, though.
>>912076
find the belt tensioner, a socket matching the size of the nut holding the pulley (preferably 1/2 drive, unless you have a loooooooong 3/8 johnny bar), and a long enough ratchet or bar so you can put enough torque on the tensioner to loosen off the belt and remove it.
if its a tight fit which it sounds like it might be (ford tech, i don't fuck around GM too much), you may need a belt tensioner wrench, which they might loan you at your local parts store.
>>912079
Thanks man, my current plan is to jump it and limp to the auto zone thats half a mile from where I left it and try to fix it there. So as simple as just making sure theres no play in it, right?
