hi i cant seem to work out how to remove the alternator from my mk3 polo 1.05, the belt tensioner just spins around and then tightens again, and the top bolt seems to hit on the chassis leg, can anyone help as i want to get this running ready for inters on sunday!

many thanks,

Ben

I've got this problem on my GT, the top bolt of the alternator was put in backwards by the looks of it.

The bolts on every other Polo I've owned (including my G40) were removed towards the exhaust manifold, not the chassis leg.

The lower bolt, belt tensioner, should come out easily enough, there should be a toothed bracket with a toothed bolt which screws into a large flat square nut. You have to hold the flat nut against it's mount as this will come away too.

I never did figure out how to remove the top bolt when it was put in this way. I was considering removing the engine mount and hoisting the engine up to give it enough room, I would wait to see if there is another reply though first.

i undid the engine mount, jacked it up about half inch. failing that cut the head off the bolt and poke it through then get another bolt.

Doh! Yeah,i think undoing the vertical engine mount bolt in the chassis leg,then raising the engine a touch with a trolley jack on the sump would be the way forward. Be very careful when working on the car in this state,not to put your body parts under things like the engine mount,as if the jack slips off the sump,the engine will drop and you'll get something squashed. Neither bolts have to come all the way out,only clear the end join.

I think your haynes manual will come in handy here, use it between the jack and the sump to spread the weight evenly across the sump.

On my CL alternator mount the bolt head does face the chassis leg. But the mount is slotted, so you can undo the bolt 'til it's clear of the thread, then the bolt pulls out sideways from the guide in the engine mount.