Saved my day! Alternator went out on my wife’s MDX this morning and thanks to your video I was able to get the job done in an hour and a half. You’re a lifesaver!
Thank you for this video! I just got finished replacing the alternator & battery on my 2011 MDX in two and a half hours. After watching the vid the first time, I took a trip to Harbor Freight to get the serpentine belt tools, wrench extensions and deep sockets, as recommended. This video covered every part of the process, as well as some time-saving tips. I truly appreciate your expertise!
I just had a great experience changing my alternator. This video was amazing. The little tricks and tips along the way are priceless! Hint: if you can't get the electric connector off of the old alternator you can wait until you have removed the alternator. At that point you can easily access the connectors. When you reinstall you can reinstall the connectors before you slide the alternator into place. I have really big hands...it helped me a lot.
Excellent video, I just did my 2012 MDX alternator, and you saved me a few hours (and maybe a bit of profanity). Completed the job in just over an hour, playing/pausing my way through. The details were the best. Thanks!
Got mine changeout on 2013 MDX thanks to your great video. Pulling out the plastic plug to the alternator is the PITA. I had to remove the alternator out of its place then rotated it to expose the plug for a good grip, also rolled up the rubber cover to expose the plastic tab. Even so, it didn't come out. Finally, WD40 saved my day. I sprayed a puff of WD40 at the plug, then I could pull it out easily like a piece of cake. 07:35 it's quite tight to reinsert the new alternator in; but I didn't need to use your trick b'cause I was lazy for additional work. Again, a puff of WD40 on bracket bushings on the car and the new alternator saved my day. My best guess is that WD40 lubbed both bushings metal surfaces. Therefore, I could wiggle the alternator into its place effortless.
Great video. Got mine out in one hour start to finish. One thing I did that wasn't part of the instructions was to use zip ties to help keep the hoses out of the way of the opening when pulling the alternator out of the car
As a DIY, it would have taken me days or weeks to figure out how to replace the alternator on my MDX. Now I am down to just a few hours to complete the work. Thank you a 1000x.
Great video - thanks!! The little tip to get the bushing out of the way was awesome!! You made it look too easy. Took me about 5 times as long. Thanks again!!
I just replaced the alternator on a 2011 MDX. This video is great. I highly recommend it. I tried to skip the bushing-moving step and it was a mistake. Once I did that, it fit in its cradle. I don’t ever want to do this job again but this video made it possible.
It took you under an hour to replace the alternator? Are you a Honda tech? In a gen 2 mdx? I’m not sure how this would be possible considering popping the hood, disconnecting the battery, finding the bolts and electrical connections to remove and sorting tools would take about 1 hr. 20 years working on cars, done lots of alternators and work on Honda’s and Toyota’s. 4 hr job for most people who have a good idea of what they are doing.
@@nickr5658 I was a Honda tech at the time, yeah. I knew the tools I would need just about, I was very familiar with the V6 engine bay, especially on the MDX. I have replaced alternators on several engines including diesels. Replacing an alternator on this particular MDX doesn’t take four hours, and from what I remember everything went very smoothly for this one as it’s a Florida car. To each their own, I guess
@@axelbandle3042 still don’t buy it... gives people who read ur comment an idea the job is easier than it is. I wouldn’t recommend this as a diy bc the ac hard line is right near the tensioner bolt. Stupid Honda. Under an hr. No way, not even with ur tools ready
My husband did ours recently and took him JUST OVER 4 hrs from start to finish, i know honda techs must know this job very well because they only get paid 1.3hrs for this job but a DIY will have to take their time because there is cables near it and how someone else mention AC lines.
Brian ... what a GREAT video! You are a wonderful instructor. I changed my wife's alternator on a 2009 MDX. Took my time and followed your instructions. Everything went well. You saved me $$$$. Thank you.
Your video helped me with what to remove to help get better access. 2 hardest parts for me: - Getting that lower mount bushing pushed back in. - Serpentine belt itself. The AC lines were still in the way even with the brackets unbolted. It was hard to push the pulley/tensioner with them in the way. Eventually I got it, but it was sketchy and dangerous for the ac lines. What I did for reinstalling the alto in the lower mount: with the alternator out, push and pry the bushing with the handle of a screw driver, with your arm behind the radiator. Can't really tap the screw driver with a handle, bit if you could that'd be the ticket. Then a very very small amount of grease or dish soap to help the alternator slide in. Once you have it "mostly" in, and if its still tight, put your cell phone camera in there. See if it's aligned enough to put a small screw driver in there. If so, put a screw driver in there and pry it over to pull the alternator into the right spot. Shouldn't take much force. You can slide the screw driver in and out to feel where it is still offset, without even having to see it. Random tips: - Getting the alto out of the bottom bracket can be difficult too. But I just put the serpentine belt on the alto pully and used that to help me get it out pull it out with 1 steady motion. No more wobbling it, b/c that wasn't moving it out of that bracket (used my cell phone video camera to check lol) -I also used a thin rope through a bolt hole to help me keep good tension on the alternator as I pulled it out of the engine bay and around hoses and stuff. This allowed me to rotate it and stuff and keep it from dropping accidentally.
Thank you for posting this video. It is by far the the best video for this model vehicle. I just changed out the alternator on my 2011 MDX and it took a little over two hours. Reconnecting the compressor connector took some time because my hand barely fit in the opening. After I unbolted the alternator and got it loose, I ended up threading a long zip tie through the top bolt hole to make a handle. It gave me a better grip while wrestling the thing out of the engine compartment. The nut, bolt, and socket setup worked flawlessly when adjusting the position of the bushing. All said, I miss the days where cars were easy to work on! Thanks again!
One of the best how to videos I've used. If you can't get the A/C plug off, don't sweat it. The harness will be out of the way enough with it clipped on. Sure wish Acura had bent that darn A/C line a little differently!!! Still not sure what I did to get the alternator out or back in. Thanks for the Video!!!
Great video! Things I’ve learned doing this... 1. A breaker bar or a ratchet with a long extension is key! 2. the bolt holding the tensioner does not come off, all you have to do is turn the bolt and it’ll loosen up the belt off the power steering pump wheel. 3. Taking out the alternator after unbolting it is a PITA! It doesn’t look doable but you really just have to wiggle it out. Wanted to remove the power steering pump so bad. I went with a remanufactured alternator from Denso (OE mfg) hopefully it lasts. $200 from Napa or I’ve seen them on amazon.
Great How to I did the whole R&R in about 3 Hours and The car is back up and running with no issues. Not a lot of room in there to work but your info was a great help
Got to do this for a third time today. First time was when the original alternator was "rebuilt" by a local electric shop. Several months later it started having problems again, so it had to be removed to go back to the shop. They fixed what was wrong but it crapped out again last week, just over a year later. Today I replaced it with a Denso Reman purchased from that place that has "all the parts your car will ever need." They had the absolute best price by close to $50. So, after doing this again today for the third time, I offer the following hints beyond the points covered in the outstanding video here. First, I took the black plastic trim piece off that sits above the grille for more working room. Second, I have found that using zip ties is a great way to keep the A/C hoses out of the opening that the alternator comes out of and goes back into. I used one 1/4" wide zip tie to hold them against the front of the engine. I also used several standard size zip ties to move the power steering lines out of the way once the coolant tank was removed. Since I wasn't replacing the belt I also used two zip ties to hold the belt on the power steering pulley so that I didn't have to reinstall the whole belt. The one thing that I cannot overemphasize is to use the trick shown in the video (starting at 7:20) to reposition the saddle bushing. I didn't need to do this the last two times because I was reinstalling the same alternator that came out of the car and the bushing was positioned correctly for that alternator. I initially skipped that procedure today and got to take the new alternator out of the car after working it into position because with the bushing extended it simply would not fit. Skipping this step probably added an hour to the repair today, which took three hours start to finish. Not bad, but considering that I had the old one out in 30 minutes shows how much time I wasted not following the guidance offered in the video.
Brian, fantastic video. Camera was focused on the right parts, lighting was great and the audio was easy to understand. Your tips were invaluable. I had all of the tools except the tensioner which I borrowed from a car parts store. After buying an OEM spec alternator for my '09 MDX, I still saved well over $500 from what the local Acura dealership wanted. Thank you for making and posting!
Just got done replacing mine using your video. Thank you very much for this. My arms are killing me, but saved a good chunk of money in labor. Hardest part was getting those damn plugs out.
I just wanted to say thank you very much for your time in making this video. I was able to change the alternator in my wife's 2007 MDX by following your awesome video step by step. You have a passion for what you do. Thank you again. Mike
One of the best instructional videos related to car repair. Fantastic video editing, taking out unnecessary material and focusing on most important parts of job. Narrative is excellent and easily to understand.
Just in time! I’m getting ready to replace one on 2012 MDX in about a week. Definitely gonna make the job go smoother (I hope!). However, you make it look easy! Thx!
May 2022. Thanks a bunch. This helped a lot. Local mechanic said this would be $1800 because he had to pull the radiator out and bumper off. I knew he was a liar since I had already watched this video. When I mentioned UA-cam, he tried to make up all these excuses why UA-camrs didn't know what they were talking about. I even did this after a recent shoulder operation (gotta ice it now and have some whiskey lol). Anyway, your tip with expanding the bracket before installing the new alternator was also very helpful. One tip for all, I plugged in that tiny wire below the alternator before installing it. Much appreciated.
Thank you very much for the detailed video, it is one of the best I have seen and it saved me a ton of issues. Was able to replace the alternator and get back on the road in no time. Please keep them coming!
Followed this guide but have a few changes for the 2012 MDX. Took me and my best friend 5 hours. We had to do the little trick with that bolt and socket before putting the alternator in. Also, we are a bunch of fats, and we barely had room to maneuver around. The unit was still a pain in the ass to remove, but we managed to do it. Mechanics make it looks so easy. Thanks for the video though. We were able to do it because of this, but I feel like it should be from a perspective of someone who isn’t mechanically inclined.
How to Automotive we had to plug the alternator and that stupid ac plug in before setting the alternator in. Our hands didn’t fit when the alternator was in place. Can’t forget the multitude of colorful language I dropped when doing it.
Excellent video!! I followed this video exactly! Your trick to loosen that bushing up worked great!! Made the install so much easier!!! The hardest part was getting the old one out.
Brian, Total removal in about 1.5hr with the hints from the video and taking my time/labeling parts. I avoided disconnecting the AC connector and thus pulling the whole wire harness on top of the engine. As long as you disconnect the one from the alternator, it will come out and wiggle through the AC and Power Steering lines.
Took me about 3-4 hours, im not a mechanic but the directions were great, i can only add on i did not disconnect the cable from the alternator until i unbolted it because it was too small a space, and i used two 14mm wrenches for the pully. anyways this guide was amazing ty so much for the help.
Great video... Put in a Duralast alternator 40,000 miles ago and it just went. New Alt. coming tomorrow Christmas Eve and took in the video to speed up the repair. Couldn't remember all the tricks and stuff you need to get out of the way. Great video/audio, really helped me create a list to do the job in short time! Many thanks. I have 2007 MDX with 206K miles.
Thank you for your video! I was able to remove and install an alternator. The toughest was the removal of the wire connector that had rubber boots. It was so painful to the fingers when I pinch it. My car is driving so well now. I hope the Duralast alternator I bought will work for many years. I bought a brand new.
Thank you sir for such a well done How To. You truly wanted us to understand how to do this. It made it so easy for me to install aside from the normal crappyness of getting those connectors out and getting the darn alternator out of that spot. But aside from that normality, it is all your amazing how to that made it very very very easy to do. Thank you for your time on this.
2014 models are similar, but frame and ECM are in the way. Follow his steps but also need to 1) remove ecm 2) remove motor mount and jack up motor approx 4” so that alternator will be able to be removed from car.
Thank god i found this video and thank you for making it. i am helping out a friend and found video aftee video saying i needed to pretty much remove the engine to get it out and was super worried cuz i was gonna be out in the field 😂. Thanks for the video and showing how to actually get this done in such detail.
Ya Long reach tools and some improvisation skills help with this job Like I said before Man it’s tight in there Never expected an alternator replacement to give me a headache like this Video was great help. It’s tight in there
Greatest automotive “how to” video I’ve watched. I followed your steps and made switching out my alternator very easy! I wanted to ask if you thought it was necessary to replace alternator belt? I inspected it and it had no cracks, frays or excessive wear. Keep up the good work 👍🏼
For anyone browsing UA-cam looking for the easiest / most straight forward way to replace your Alternator in your MDX, this man hands-down has the guide. 2 hours to the minute start to finish, including water/rest breaks (It's July in Texas right now) The only issues I had were not because of his video, but because of the differences between my 2008 and his newer model (2010?) The Angle at which the triangle bracket is in the engine bay on my 2008, does not allow a cordless impact wrench to be placed on it. You have to get a micro ratchet and a 10mm to get the top most bolt off. There is no need to remove the upper plastic over the radiator (I started to, then stopped) To put the belt back on over the tensioner, just save yourself the headache and disconnect your power steering hose from the bottom of the reservoir going into the top of the engine block. Just tilt the reservoir to the side to get as much fluid out - unclamp the hose and place a rag/paper towl to catch the small amount that comes out. This allows 100% free motion of the breakover bar to the firewall. I kept pinching the PS hose and it wouldn't let me put the belt back on. Other than that, this guy saved me $$$ and time. Other videos have you taking out radiator fans and plastic covers, costing more hours. And in case anyone wants to know, I purchased the Wilson Reman'd from Pep Boys for $142. The MDX needed to be up and running same-day. If you have time, buy the Denso reman'd as suggested by How To Automotive
This video is awesome! Just had my 2011 MDX alternator replaced at a shop and now my AC isn’t blowing cold anymore. I bet they missed putting the AC connector on! I wish I could see that under hood but can’t. I will show him this video
Thank you so much for this video. Very helpful and detailed. Probably the best how to mechanic video I have ever used. I am glad to have found your channel.
This is an excellent tutorial. Thank you for taking the time to record and explain everything you need. If I don't screw it up, it will save me close to $1000 bucks, including towing and diagnostics charges. Much appreciated and sub'd.
Thank you so much for this video! You definitely explain everything through the entire video. I replaced the alternator on my 2011 MDX and everything went smooth. I sure saved hundreds of bucks. Thanks again man, you’re a great dude!
Great trick to get bushing in to create more room I had to do this or I was dead in the water . I also had to remove one line to power steering reservoir so I could get altinator out.
10 mm for battery terminals thicc flat head for beauty cover remove dipstick 10mm socket for harness 12mm socket for nut under cover pinch tabs like crazy use plyers to take out clips no cap no bottle 14mm socket on a long ratchet 12mm deep socket alternator bolts 10mm on ac line 14mm on bottom left alternator deep socket 10mm power steering res 9:45 for belt diagram
Exelent. watch a few videos of this process and no one else mention that bushing at the bottom of the alternator. Other engines have that also and is an incredible pain, specialy whit big, heavy alternators and limited space ( most cases) thanks.
Just like many others have said: this is an excellent video with great camera angles, Clean and crisp audio, put together with wonderful editing. Also thank you for specifying bolt sizes. Definitely one of the top tier auto channels I've watched.
Good video. Very difficult alternator to replace. The tensioner bolt is easy to destroy with a crows foot. Use a socket. Move the hard ac line just enough to get a socket on the tensioner. Be VERY patient when getting the old alternator out. Had to pause and rewatch many times. This is a hard job. Not really a diy for most people and it’s not really worth your time if you can find a shop that will do it for 1-2 hrs of labor. Give your self a full day if you haven’t replaced an alternator before but have worked on cars. Half day if you have changed an alternator. Tensioner 14mm wrench is hard to find. The AC line prevents using a breaker bar. We ended up cutting a wrench in half and using a jack handle to turn the wrench.
Thanks so much for the video but MAN OH MAN it’s tight in there. I just got my serp belt back on after almost calling it a day twice Fingers crossed should be smooth sailing from here to the end
Thank you for this video. Just did my friends alternator using this. Much appreciated. That bushing on the lug was a pain in the a$$ as I didn’t have any extra hardware laying around to drive it out like you did. Socket and channel locks did the trick though
awesome video man! my 07 mdx is acting crazy right now. I'm assuming its a power issue, so its either the battery, alternator, or starter. thanks for this video. will definitely make it easier for me to diagnose.
Excellent video. Thank you! The job was still difficult, mostly because of space constraints and my fat hands, but this really helped a ton. Took me about 2 hours start to finish.
I liked the video man it was Godsend, I don't wanna take nothing from the insight u provided! With that being said I really wish u wudda showed a trick. Or suggestion to get that belt on was a major B**_*! What I did was loosen the alternator to lift it while getting the belt over the lip of the alternator! I was also given a tip from an autozone employee to slide the belt over a one of the wheels that dont have a lip so it'll just slide on...either way I couldnt of done it w/o thank u so much. I have very lil experience working on cars and 9hrs later I got this done with layman tools!
One note that really made me struggle was how the Engine rested. My car died on an incline which shifted the engine slightly towards the radiator, making it impossible to remove the alternator. I ended up having to release the parking brake and use the transmission to keep the car from moving in Park. Once the torque was on the engine, it rotated toward the firewall just enough that I was able to get the alternator out without issue. Thanks for the video.
@@HowtoAutomotive The other tip I missed the first time around was about the bushing. I had a friend use a piece of wood to drive it in last time.... the Bosch alternator I got from Pep Boys was still throwing the "Check Charging System" warning. It was intermittent and all the voltages seemed fine, but I went ahead and replaced with a Denso Remanufactured and the install went much faster the second time.
If you have bigger hands and want to get that green ac plug, use a 10mm to pop out the coil on plug that's right above it. Then it's easy. I could not get it otherwise as shown in the video.
t's don't need no bolt etc.....for bushing the new alt will be pushed back already and when you wiggle out the old alt. the bracket bushing will be pushed back slightly just pull out the alt and it will go in no problem and no special tool just used a 14mm wrench and doubled up or buy a 3/8 ratchet breaker bar at harbor freight for 15 bucks and use a 14mm socket just remove the bracket in front of tensioner 10mm bolt and take belt off of alt and then pull up the slack on power steering pump and wedge it up there, and no need to remove ac compressor connector ! I have done over 100 of theses in the shop. Takes 30-45 min. run engine after jumping with battery pack or cables then check with multi meter that it's putting out 13.5-14.0 V at battery then run for 15 min. or drive for 5 miles .If battery is 3-4 years old replace it at the same time.
I wish all how-to mechanic videos were this good.
My husband followed your video step by step (not as easy as it looks in the video) but it is running great again, thank you.
Saved my day! Alternator went out on my wife’s MDX this morning and thanks to your video I was able to get the job done in an hour and a half. You’re a lifesaver!
Thank you for this video! I just got finished replacing the alternator & battery on my 2011 MDX in two and a half hours. After watching the vid the first time, I took a trip to Harbor Freight to get the serpentine belt tools, wrench extensions and deep sockets, as recommended. This video covered every part of the process, as well as some time-saving tips. I truly appreciate your expertise!
I just had a great experience changing my alternator. This video was amazing. The little tricks and tips along the way are priceless! Hint: if you can't get the electric connector off of the old alternator you can wait until you have removed the alternator. At that point you can easily access the connectors. When you reinstall you can reinstall the connectors before you slide the alternator into place. I have really big hands...it helped me a lot.
Excellent video, I just did my 2012 MDX alternator, and you saved me a few hours (and maybe a bit of profanity). Completed the job in just over an hour, playing/pausing my way through. The details were the best. Thanks!
Todd H glad the video helped. Thank you for watching!
Just closed my hood.. thanks bro saved me a lot of time
😂
If you did this job in just over 1 hour you must have the race version with quick disconnects and no tensioner.
@@nickr5658 or hands that are the size of a 10 year old's.
Got mine changeout on 2013 MDX thanks to your great video. Pulling out the plastic plug to the alternator is the PITA. I had to remove the alternator out of its place then rotated it to expose the plug for a good grip, also rolled up the rubber cover to expose the plastic tab. Even so, it didn't come out. Finally, WD40 saved my day. I sprayed a puff of WD40 at the plug, then I could pull it out easily like a piece of cake. 07:35 it's quite tight to reinsert the new alternator in; but I didn't need to use your trick b'cause I was lazy for additional work. Again, a puff of WD40 on bracket bushings on the car and the new alternator saved my day. My best guess is that WD40 lubbed both bushings metal surfaces. Therefore, I could wiggle the alternator into its place effortless.
Great video. Got mine out in one hour start to finish. One thing I did that wasn't part of the instructions was to use zip ties to help keep the hoses out of the way of the opening when pulling the alternator out of the car
Glad the video helped. Nice tip with the zip ties. Thank you for watching!
As a DIY, it would have taken me days or weeks to figure out how to replace the alternator on my MDX. Now I am down to just a few hours to complete the work.
Thank you a 1000x.
The best explanation there is hands down. I didn’t even change the alternator yet and I’m more excited than I am scared 😂
I’m doing it now it’s a lot to remove sadly lol😂😂
The other videos on how to do this are trash, especially the one with an acura tech. But this video is the one. Thank you sir.
Glad you like the video. Thank you for watching!
Thank you so much brother. I just did this one on the clock at work. Watch all the way through. Very detailed and helpful.
God bless you my friend .
Same issue I’m experiencing.
I took my time and a day off work .
All is good .
Great video - thanks!! The little tip to get the bushing out of the way was awesome!! You made it look too easy. Took me about 5 times as long. Thanks again!!
Took me five hours. My arms are tired and hurt. Save me money and learn a valuable lesson. Thanks so much for making the video.
I’m glad the video was helpful and you save some money. Thank you for watching!
That’s actually quick for this job. Huge pita
I just replaced the alternator on a 2011 MDX. This video is great. I highly recommend it. I tried to skip the bushing-moving step and it was a mistake. Once I did that, it fit in its cradle. I don’t ever want to do this job again but this video made it possible.
It was the alternator job from hell!
Saved me a ton of time not guessing what needs to get moved out of my way & socket sizes. thanks!
Took under an hour to replace my dad’s 2009 Acura MDX alternator. You’re a blessing my friend, keep doin’ what you’re doin’
It took you under an hour to replace the alternator? Are you a Honda tech? In a gen 2 mdx? I’m not sure how this would be possible considering popping the hood, disconnecting the battery, finding the bolts and electrical connections to remove and sorting tools would take about 1 hr.
20 years working on cars, done lots of alternators and work on Honda’s and Toyota’s.
4 hr job for most people who have a good idea of what they are doing.
@@nickr5658 I was a Honda tech at the time, yeah. I knew the tools I would need just about, I was very familiar with the V6 engine bay, especially on the MDX. I have replaced alternators on several engines including diesels. Replacing an alternator on this particular MDX doesn’t take four hours, and from what I remember everything went very smoothly for this one as it’s a Florida car. To each their own, I guess
@@axelbandle3042 still don’t buy it... gives people who read ur comment an idea the job is easier than it is. I wouldn’t recommend this as a diy bc the ac hard line is right near the tensioner bolt. Stupid Honda.
Under an hr. No way, not even with ur tools ready
My husband did ours recently and took him JUST OVER 4 hrs from start to finish, i know honda techs must know this job very well because they only get paid 1.3hrs for this job but a DIY will have to take their time because there is cables near it and how someone else mention AC lines.
Brian ... what a GREAT video! You are a wonderful instructor. I changed my wife's alternator on a 2009 MDX. Took my time and followed your instructions. Everything went well. You saved me $$$$. Thank you.
Harvey Fedyk Glad the video was helpful. Hope you didn’t work too hard on this Labor Day. Thank you for watching!!
Your video helped me with what to remove to help get better access.
2 hardest parts for me:
- Getting that lower mount bushing pushed back in.
- Serpentine belt itself. The AC lines were still in the way even with the brackets unbolted. It was hard to push the pulley/tensioner with them in the way. Eventually I got it, but it was sketchy and dangerous for the ac lines.
What I did for reinstalling the alto in the lower mount: with the alternator out, push and pry the bushing with the handle of a screw driver, with your arm behind the radiator. Can't really tap the screw driver with a handle, bit if you could that'd be the ticket.
Then a very very small amount of grease or dish soap to help the alternator slide in. Once you have it "mostly" in, and if its still tight, put your cell phone camera in there. See if it's aligned enough to put a small screw driver in there. If so, put a screw driver in there and pry it over to pull the alternator into the right spot. Shouldn't take much force. You can slide the screw driver in and out to feel where it is still offset, without even having to see it.
Random tips:
- Getting the alto out of the bottom bracket can be difficult too. But I just put the serpentine belt on the alto pully and used that to help me get it out pull it out with 1 steady motion. No more wobbling it, b/c that wasn't moving it out of that bracket (used my cell phone video camera to check lol)
-I also used a thin rope through a bolt hole to help me keep good tension on the alternator as I pulled it out of the engine bay and around hoses and stuff. This allowed me to rotate it and stuff and keep it from dropping accidentally.
Thank you for posting this video. It is by far the the best video for this model vehicle. I just changed out the alternator on my 2011 MDX and it took a little over two hours. Reconnecting the compressor connector took some time because my hand barely fit in the opening. After I unbolted the alternator and got it loose, I ended up threading a long zip tie through the top bolt hole to make a handle. It gave me a better grip while wrestling the thing out of the engine compartment. The nut, bolt, and socket setup worked flawlessly when adjusting the position of the bushing. All said, I miss the days where cars were easy to work on! Thanks again!
Love the zip tie trick👍 thank you for watching!
Thanks for the information! By watching this video I realized I don’t want to mess with it and will call a professional to do it 😀👍🏽
One of the best how to videos I've used. If you can't get the A/C plug off, don't sweat it. The harness will be out of the way enough with it clipped on. Sure wish Acura had bent that darn A/C line a little differently!!! Still not sure what I did to get the alternator out or back in. Thanks for the Video!!!
Excellent video! It took me about 3 1/2 hours but was well worth. If I have a car issue, your site will be the first I go to.
Thank you! Hopefully you don’t have too many problems.
Made my alternator experience that much less complicated. Thank you for the video, my friend. ❤️🙏🏼
Great video! Things I’ve learned doing this...
1. A breaker bar or a ratchet with a long extension is key!
2. the bolt holding the tensioner does not come off, all you have to do is turn the bolt and it’ll loosen up the belt off the power steering pump wheel.
3. Taking out the alternator after unbolting it is a PITA! It doesn’t look doable but you really just have to wiggle it out. Wanted to remove the power steering pump so bad.
I went with a remanufactured alternator from Denso (OE mfg) hopefully it lasts. $200 from Napa or I’ve seen them on amazon.
I bought the same reman denso, how is it holding up after 3 years?
@@bethanyteti9844 still going strong
Great How to I did the whole R&R in about 3 Hours and The car is back up and running with no issues. Not a lot of room in there to work but your info was a great help
This is without question the best how-to video I've ever seen on UA-cam. Well done!
Thank you!
Got to do this for a third time today. First time was when the original alternator was "rebuilt" by a local electric shop. Several months later it started having problems again, so it had to be removed to go back to the shop. They fixed what was wrong but it crapped out again last week, just over a year later. Today I replaced it with a Denso Reman purchased from that place that has "all the parts your car will ever need." They had the absolute best price by close to $50.
So, after doing this again today for the third time, I offer the following hints beyond the points covered in the outstanding video here. First, I took the black plastic trim piece off that sits above the grille for more working room. Second, I have found that using zip ties is a great way to keep the A/C hoses out of the opening that the alternator comes out of and goes back into. I used one 1/4" wide zip tie to hold them against the front of the engine. I also used several standard size zip ties to move the power steering lines out of the way once the coolant tank was removed. Since I wasn't replacing the belt I also used two zip ties to hold the belt on the power steering pulley so that I didn't have to reinstall the whole belt.
The one thing that I cannot overemphasize is to use the trick shown in the video (starting at 7:20) to reposition the saddle bushing. I didn't need to do this the last two times because I was reinstalling the same alternator that came out of the car and the bushing was positioned correctly for that alternator. I initially skipped that procedure today and got to take the new alternator out of the car after working it into position because with the bushing extended it simply would not fit. Skipping this step probably added an hour to the repair today, which took three hours start to finish. Not bad, but considering that I had the old one out in 30 minutes shows how much time I wasted not following the guidance offered in the video.
Alternator job from hell! Only buy new alternators and starters. Get to do the job again to thanks to a crappy reman. Woo hoo
How is the reman denso holding up after 3 yrs? My husband did ours this week with a reman denso.
@@bethanyteti9844 it's doing just fine! No hickups at all.
Brian, fantastic video. Camera was focused on the right parts, lighting was great and the audio was easy to understand. Your tips were invaluable. I had all of the tools except the tensioner which I borrowed from a car parts store. After buying an OEM spec alternator for my '09 MDX, I still saved well over $500 from what the local Acura dealership wanted. Thank you for making and posting!
That’s so awesome the video was helpful and you save some big bucks. Thank you for watching!
Just got done replacing mine using your video. Thank you very much for this. My arms are killing me, but saved a good chunk of money in labor. Hardest part was getting those damn plugs out.
Kris Kattiyaman Glad the video help you save some money. Thank you for watching!
I just wanted to say thank you very much for your time in making this video. I was able to change the alternator in my wife's 2007 MDX by following your awesome video step by step. You have a passion for what you do. Thank you again.
Mike
One of the best instructional videos related to car repair. Fantastic video editing, taking out unnecessary material and focusing on most important parts of job. Narrative is excellent and easily to understand.
Thank you glad you like the video. Thank you for watching!
Just in time! I’m getting ready to replace one on 2012 MDX in about a week. Definitely gonna make the job go smoother (I hope!). However, you make it look easy! Thx!
May 2022. Thanks a bunch. This helped a lot. Local mechanic said this would be $1800 because he had to pull the radiator out and bumper off. I knew he was a liar since I had already watched this video. When I mentioned UA-cam, he tried to make up all these excuses why UA-camrs didn't know what they were talking about. I even did this after a recent shoulder operation (gotta ice it now and have some whiskey lol). Anyway, your tip with expanding the bracket before installing the new alternator was also very helpful. One tip for all, I plugged in that tiny wire below the alternator before installing it. Much appreciated.
I’m glad the video was helpful even with a bum shoulder. Glad you saved. Thank you for watching!
Thank you very much for the detailed video, it is one of the best I have seen and it saved me a ton of issues. Was able to replace the alternator and get back on the road in no time. Please keep them coming!
Followed this guide but have a few changes for the 2012 MDX. Took me and my best friend 5 hours. We had to do the little trick with that bolt and socket before putting the alternator in.
Also, we are a bunch of fats, and we barely had room to maneuver around. The unit was still a pain in the ass to remove, but we managed to do it. Mechanics make it looks so easy.
Thanks for the video though. We were able to do it because of this, but I feel like it should be from a perspective of someone who isn’t mechanically inclined.
This was not a easy one. Glad the video helped. Thank you for the tips and for watching!
How to Automotive we had to plug the alternator and that stupid ac plug in before setting the alternator in. Our hands didn’t fit when the alternator was in place.
Can’t forget the multitude of colorful language I dropped when doing it.
Excellent video!! I followed this video exactly! Your trick to loosen that bushing up worked great!! Made the install so much easier!!! The hardest part was getting the old one out.
Eric B Glad the video was helpful. Thank you for watching!
That tip about the bushing is super helpful----I haven't done the job yet but just know from previous experience. Great video, thanks.
Awesome tutorial! Knocking out this for my pops in the morning and this video made me super confident
I have watched countless how to videos and this is a really good one. Lot's of relevant detail, and no wasted time. Cheers
isaac daily thank you!
Brian, Total removal in about 1.5hr with the hints from the video and taking my time/labeling parts. I avoided disconnecting the AC connector and thus pulling the whole wire harness on top of the engine. As long as you disconnect the one from the alternator, it will come out and wiggle through the AC and Power Steering lines.
Jjaipa123 nice thank you for the tip and for watching!
Took me about 3-4 hours, im not a mechanic but the directions were great, i can only add on i did not disconnect the cable from the alternator until i unbolted it because it was too small a space, and i used two 14mm wrenches for the pully. anyways this guide was amazing ty so much for the help.
Followed step by step thank you hardest part for me was that stupid sleeve thank you for showing the bolt and nut method
Great video... Put in a Duralast alternator 40,000 miles ago and it just went. New Alt. coming tomorrow Christmas Eve and took in the video to speed up the repair. Couldn't remember all the tricks and stuff you need to get out of the way. Great video/audio, really helped me create a list to do the job in short time! Many thanks. I have 2007 MDX with 206K miles.
Jjaipa123 Glad the video helped. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for your video! I was able to remove and install an alternator. The toughest was the removal of the wire connector that had rubber boots. It was so painful to the fingers when I pinch it. My car is driving so well now. I hope the Duralast alternator I bought will work for many years. I bought a brand new.
Thank you sir for such a well done How To. You truly wanted us to understand how to do this. It made it so easy for me to install aside from the normal crappyness of getting those connectors out and getting the darn alternator out of that spot. But aside from that normality, it is all your amazing how to that made it very very very easy to do. Thank you for your time on this.
2014 models are similar, but frame and ECM are in the way. Follow his steps but also need to 1) remove ecm 2) remove motor mount and jack up motor approx 4” so that alternator will be able to be removed from car.
Thank god i found this video and thank you for making it. i am helping out a friend and found video aftee video saying i needed to pretty much remove the engine to get it out and was super worried cuz i was gonna be out in the field 😂. Thanks for the video and showing how to actually get this done in such detail.
Glad the video was helpful. Thank you for watching !
Ya
Long reach tools and some improvisation skills help with this job
Like I said before
Man it’s tight in there
Never expected an alternator replacement to give me a headache like this
Video was great help.
It’s tight in there
Excellent instructional video, did it step by step, not sure about the audio tho, my efforts were laced with profanity.
Greatest automotive “how to” video I’ve watched. I followed your steps and made switching out my alternator very easy! I wanted to ask if you thought it was necessary to replace alternator belt? I inspected it and it had no cracks, frays or excessive wear. Keep up the good work 👍🏼
Thanks buddy I just watched your video and changed my wife's freinds alternator because she couldn't afford for someone to do it for her.
Just got done with my wife's 2011 MDX Great video thank you.
From one mechanic to another, excellent video and explanation 👌
For anyone browsing UA-cam looking for the easiest / most straight forward way to replace your Alternator in your MDX, this man hands-down has the guide.
2 hours to the minute start to finish, including water/rest breaks (It's July in Texas right now)
The only issues I had were not because of his video, but because of the differences between my 2008 and his newer model (2010?)
The Angle at which the triangle bracket is in the engine bay on my 2008, does not allow a cordless impact wrench to be placed on it. You have to get a micro ratchet and a 10mm to get the top most bolt off. There is no need to remove the upper plastic over the radiator (I started to, then stopped)
To put the belt back on over the tensioner, just save yourself the headache and disconnect your power steering hose from the bottom of the reservoir going into the top of the engine block. Just tilt the reservoir to the side to get as much fluid out - unclamp the hose and place a rag/paper towl to catch the small amount that comes out. This allows 100% free motion of the breakover bar to the firewall. I kept pinching the PS hose and it wouldn't let me put the belt back on.
Other than that, this guy saved me $$$ and time. Other videos have you taking out radiator fans and plastic covers, costing more hours.
And in case anyone wants to know, I purchased the Wilson Reman'd from Pep Boys for $142. The MDX needed to be up and running same-day. If you have time, buy the Denso reman'd as suggested by How To Automotive
This video is awesome! Just had my 2011 MDX alternator replaced at a shop and now my AC isn’t blowing cold anymore. I bet they missed putting the AC connector on! I wish I could see that under hood but can’t. I will show him this video
Probably do leave it unplugged. Hopefully that’s all it is.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Very helpful!
Greg Moore thank you for watching!
Thank you so much for this video. Very helpful and detailed. Probably the best how to mechanic video I have ever used. I am glad to have found your channel.
Thank you Sir! Super thorough and well done video. Just finished the wife’s 07. You saved us soooo much $. 🖤❤️💛💚
This is an excellent tutorial. Thank you for taking the time to record and explain everything you need. If I don't screw it up, it will save me close to $1000 bucks, including towing and diagnostics charges. Much appreciated and sub'd.
Excellent video! This saved my husband a ton of time and frustration! Thank you so much!
Glad the video was helpful. Thank you both for watching!
Thanks Bro - Good stuff. It gives the courage to tackle the job !
Thank you so much for this video! You definitely explain everything through the entire video. I replaced the alternator on my 2011 MDX and everything went smooth. I sure saved hundreds of bucks. Thanks again man, you’re a great dude!
Miguel Garcia thank you! Glad the video helped. Thank you for watching!
How long does it takes. My alternator went bad last night
Thank you for such a clear and concise video. This really helped and I truly appreciate it. The cranking out of the bushing was a great idea. 🤘
Absolutely perfect video! Thank you so much. Took no time at all for me to switch out my son’s.
Glad the video was helpful. Thank you for watching!
Great trick to get bushing in to create more room I had to do this or I was dead in the water . I also had to remove one line to power steering reservoir so I could get altinator out.
This video helped me with changing the alternator, the tip was so helpful. Thank you so much!!
Awesome step by step guide... made me realize I'd rather just call my mechanic, but still great video
Glad the video helped you make the right decision.Thanks for watching!
10 mm for battery terminals
thicc flat head for beauty cover
remove dipstick
10mm socket for harness
12mm socket for nut under cover
pinch tabs like crazy
use plyers to take out clips
no cap no bottle
14mm socket on a long ratchet
12mm deep socket alternator bolts
10mm on ac line
14mm on bottom left alternator deep socket
10mm power steering res
9:45 for belt diagram
Great video
Your communication is helpful and clear, you are an excellent mechanic.
Thank you for making an easy to follow video. The tips helped as well. Very well made video. 👍
By far this best video ! Good job on explaining things …
Such a good video, couldn't have done the job without this guidance. Thank you so much.
Exelent. watch a few videos of this process and no one else mention that bushing at the bottom of the alternator. Other engines have that also and is an incredible pain, specialy whit big, heavy alternators and limited space ( most cases) thanks.
Glad you like the video and tips. Thank you for watching!
Just like many others have said: this is an excellent video with great camera angles, Clean and crisp audio, put together with wonderful editing. Also thank you for specifying bolt sizes.
Definitely one of the top tier auto channels I've watched.
Thank you! Glad to help. Thank you for watching!!
Great video my man very well put together, I like how you disassembled and reassembled. Thank you so much, saved my ass
Ceasar buritica glad to hear the video was helpful. Did everything go smooth for you? Thank you for watching!
Good video. Very difficult alternator to replace. The tensioner bolt is easy to destroy with a crows foot. Use a socket. Move the hard ac line just enough to get a socket on the tensioner. Be VERY patient when getting the old alternator out.
Had to pause and rewatch many times.
This is a hard job. Not really a diy for most people and it’s not really worth your time if you can find a shop that will do it for 1-2 hrs of labor.
Give your self a full day if you haven’t replaced an alternator before but have worked on cars. Half day if you have changed an alternator.
Tensioner 14mm wrench is hard to find. The AC line prevents using a breaker bar. We ended up cutting a wrench in half and using a jack handle to turn the wrench.
Great video. Great tip on seating the rubber bushing
Thanks so much for the video but MAN OH MAN it’s tight in there.
I just got my serp belt back on after almost calling it a day twice
Fingers crossed should be smooth sailing from here to the end
Thank you for this video. Just did my friends alternator using this. Much appreciated. That bushing on the lug was a pain in the a$$ as I didn’t have any extra hardware laying around to drive it out like you did. Socket and channel locks did the trick though
How long it took you to do the job I have one I have to replace. Thanks for posting your video you made it look real easy
awesome video man! my 07 mdx is acting crazy right now. I'm assuming its a power issue, so its either the battery, alternator, or starter. thanks for this video. will definitely make it easier for me to diagnose.
Disconnect the bluetooth on the center console.
?
Great video Brian, saved me tons of money
Excellent video. Thank you! The job was still difficult, mostly because of space constraints and my fat hands, but this really helped a ton. Took me about 2 hours start to finish.
Glad the video was helpful. Thank you for watching!
How did u do this job in 2 hrs start to finish? 4 hrs in and not done yet... done many alternators. This ones a B
Amazing instructions. When you connect the volt meter, what were your readings?
I liked the video man it was Godsend, I don't wanna take nothing from the insight u provided! With that being said I really wish u wudda showed a trick. Or suggestion to get that belt on was a major B**_*! What I did was loosen the alternator to lift it while getting the belt over the lip of the alternator! I was also given a tip from an autozone employee to slide the belt over a one of the wheels that dont have a lip so it'll just slide on...either way I couldnt of done it w/o thank u so much. I have very lil experience working on cars and 9hrs later I got this done with layman tools!
good video of explaining how to doit well done thank so much im fin to try my 2010 right now 😀
One note that really made me struggle was how the Engine rested. My car died on an incline which shifted the engine slightly towards the radiator, making it impossible to remove the alternator. I ended up having to release the parking brake and use the transmission to keep the car from moving in Park. Once the torque was on the engine, it rotated toward the firewall just enough that I was able to get the alternator out without issue. Thanks for the video.
That’s a pretty cool tip. Thank you for sharing that with us.I can see how that would make it difficult. Thank you for watching!
@@HowtoAutomotive The other tip I missed the first time around was about the bushing. I had a friend use a piece of wood to drive it in last time.... the Bosch alternator I got from Pep Boys was still throwing the "Check Charging System" warning. It was intermittent and all the voltages seemed fine, but I went ahead and replaced with a Denso Remanufactured and the install went much faster the second time.
If you have bigger hands and want to get that green ac plug, use a 10mm to pop out the coil on plug that's right above it. Then it's easy. I could not get it otherwise as shown in the video.
OGPedXing thank you for the tip and for watching 👍
Excellent video!
Good video, but I missed the part where you tension-ed the belt? I look forward to getting my MDX alternator repaired 👍
excellent instructor!
Thank you for the video as it was amazing to replace the alternator! It made it easy to follow along for the 2012 MDX
great video helped me a lot, although when turning the car on to test it out i had white smoke coming from the engine. any ideas?
Not sure what the smoke was about. Possibly some fluid got spilt on the exhaust
t's don't need no bolt etc.....for bushing the new alt will be pushed back already and when you wiggle out the old alt. the bracket bushing will be pushed back slightly just pull out the alt and it will go in no problem and no special tool just used a 14mm wrench and doubled up or buy a 3/8 ratchet breaker bar at harbor freight for 15 bucks and use a 14mm socket just remove the bracket in front of tensioner 10mm bolt and take belt off of alt and then pull up the slack on power steering pump and wedge it up there, and no need to remove ac compressor connector ! I have done over 100 of theses in the shop. Takes 30-45 min. run engine after jumping with battery pack or cables then check with multi meter that it's putting out 13.5-14.0 V at battery then run for 15 min. or drive for 5 miles .If battery is 3-4 years old replace it at the same time.
Hi, do you have a video on how to change the ac compressor on the 2007 Acura mdx?
I got the warning...
Strange my alternator charges.. 13.40 v
the normal readings should be over 13.40v?
Thanks!!!
Great Video!!
Thx so much saved me so much time and effort. 👍🏻👍🏻
Glad to help. Thank you for watching!
Brian Brodsky thanks lot you are the best bro pro 😅✌️
Thank you for watching!