Alternator Replacement 3.3 and 3.8 Chrysler Town and Country

How to quickly and easily replace an alternator on a Chrysler Town and Country with a 3.3 or 3.8 liter engine. You can save big money doing this job yourself.
The most important thing to know about this job is the order things need to be done. THIS will keep you from wasting a lot of time and hassle.
List of Tools Needed
Needle Nose Pliers
1/2" wrench
3/8" ratchet
1/4" ratchet
3/8" socket extension
1/4" socket extension
8mm socket
10mm socket
13mm socket
15mm socket
1/2" breaker bar, or 1/2" ratchet, or 1/2 belt-pulley tool

[@karlosss1868]

Just a quick note to comment readers - You dont need to fully remove the EGR valve. Just undo the two top 8mm bolts & the top 10mm bolt. Then loosen the bottom 10mm bolt and pivot the EGR valve towards the engine. Saves removing the lower 10mm bolt

[@JohnDisque]

Thanks for the tip. Makes sense and I will try this next time. Peace

[@gerriemcgill3630]

I'll keep watching it over and over until I understand how to replace it and tool sizes required, thank you sir this is a great video.

[@JohnDisque]

Did ya ever get it?

[@Tulipplayz]

Did this job yesterday with the help of mechanic friend on a 3.8 town and country. We took off the air intake box and EGR which gave clear access to the alternator from above. The power steering line was not an issue. We used a heavy duty floor jack to access the tensioner from underneath.

[@JohnDisque]

Hi Sly, Cool - Looks like you nailed it. Peace

[@jodimowery7705]

Best video explaining how to change it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JohnDisque]

Thanks Jodi. I'm glad I could help you out. You got this.

[@allisonland1456]

This was a very good video i am well informed now why it costs so much for the labor 😢 thank you for this video your a very good teacher

[@JohnDisque]

Thanks Allison, It's a little tricky but you got this. I think the key is just taking your time and you can save a good amount of money. Plus - what you're learning will come in handy on other jobs too. Peace

[@allisonland1456]

@@JohnDisque thanks John 😊 I will take my time

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

I'm jealous. You had all the right tools and nice weather. I'm looking at doing this right now. It's snowing, I have no garage, and I don't even have any kind of jack other than the one that came with the van for changing tires.

[@JohnDisque]

I've been there Scooter... Just grin and bare it. Sometimes we have to do what we really, really don't want to do and that's what defines courage. Let me know how it goes. Peace

[@ignatiushazzard]

I'm about to do it in a dollar general parking lot lol

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

@@JohnDisque -- I have a neighbor several doors down who does car repairs in his garage. I paid him to swap it out. This wasn't the right time to learn a new skill.

[@JohnDisque]

@@TheRealScooterGuy Be glad you're not replacing the water-pump on this car. THAT job can be a total nightmare.

[@rivertalksrocks]

Love your voice man. Keep it simple 😊

[@JohnDisque]

Keeping it simple is the key for a ton of things. Humans tend to complicate everything and in looking for complicated solution they tend to miss the simple and obvious solutions. Einstein said, "If you can't explain it to a 6 year old you don't understand it yourself." Peace

[@TravisBone14]

A smallish pipe wrench will work to loosen the pully tensioner, just hook it on the farthest little end.

[@andrajo1]

Thank you for your help , it worked 🎉😂 I’m so happy because I did by myself

[@JohnDisque]

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. That's what it's all about!! Peace

[@lanceleavitt7472]

Excellent detail. Thanks for the upload.

[@JohnDisque]

You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad I could help.

[@firecloud77]

This is more involved than I had anticipated. I just don't have the patience for this anymore. The last time I replaced an alternator was about 30 years ago. Looks like I will be paying to have it done. Nice music at the end of the video. Do you happen to remember the identification of the music?

[@JohnDisque]

The song is titled "Three Wise People" by a group named "E's Jammy Jams." They make music specifically for KZbin videos and can be found right here on KZbin.

[@firecloud77]

@@JohnDisque Awesome, thank you.

[@SlayerPDX]

Chrysler did it on purpose and people like you are exactly why. Don't take it as offense, it's not meant in that way... but they did it so everyday Joe's can fix their shit for cheap and arr forces to pay a ton of money to a mechanic or dealership. Last time I ever buy chrysler/dodge.

[@grandpapa2134]

Just did this job. You can loosen up the dipstick bracket and bend it over enough to get it out and install. The tensioner has a spot where you can put a three-quarter inch wrench on it and pry from underneath

[@JohnDisque]

Thanks for your time and for this information. I'll keep that in mind next time I do this. Peace

[@bjacker7019]

where is this place on tensioner to use a 3/4 wrench

[@ExtremeRecluse]

Remove the alternator and let it dangle. Remove the EGR Valve. Install the EGR valve. Mount the alternator with bolts.

[@robmut1357]

If you remove the cross member above the radiator (easy job), then you can lean the radiator back enough to remove the alternator without removing the EGR valve.

[@JohnDisque]

Sorry - but that's not accurate. And even if it was.... detaching the radiator from the condenser can be a pain in the ass.

[@robmut1357]

@@JohnDisque Oh but it is accurate. I’ve done it three times on a 2006 T&C 3.3L. No condenser separation needed.

[@JohnDisque]

@@robmut1357 why are you watching a how-to video on how to do this? You don't know what you're talking about and the more you comment the more you prove it. You cannot remove the radiator in the this car without unbolting and lifting up the condenser. You can't even remove it from the seat. Watch my video on removing the radiator on this car and learn something.

[@robmut1357]

@@JohnDisque lol. Read my comment again. I said lean it back, not remove it. I offered an easier way to remove the alternator and now your viewers can try it.

[@JohnDisque]

@@robmut1357 You're mis-informing the viewers and you're wasting their time with this rubbish. You cannot lean it back - the radiator is seated and the condenser is attached to the radiator and all the condenser lines go into it. What you're saying is IMPOSSIBLE to do.

[@ExtremeRecluse]

To everybody doing work on older vehicles. If you are installing fasteners like screws and bolts. Please be kind and use anti seize.

[@ExtremeRecluse]

Well. I was intending to replace the EGR valve and the alternator. Have an EGR code. Car runs kind of rough. So, tried to get the EGR off. But, it was frozen to the head. Heat and PB were useless. So, they both will stay. I have a miss in number 4. My valve cover is leaking a lot of oil into the spark plug hole. Will change the valve covers gaskets. Oh well

[@garykabala]

great video

[@Holms]

in my case I've had two squares :D used simple ratchet in unscrew mode :D

[@JohnDisque]

Cool! Whatever works. Sometimes we have a get creative and I know a guy that made his own tools to work on a Mercedes Power Steering Pump. Have a great weekend.

[@antontk2531]

Great video, thanks

[@JohnDisque]

You're welcome. I'm glad I could help. Thanks for your time.

[@leridom]

Are these instructions accurate for a 1999 model t&c? Sorry to be a bother, but I'm new to all this

[@JohnDisque]

Yup.... There could be subtle miner differences but all the basics are the same. Peace

[@lotuspod17axemaster93]

I will be doing this today yehawl piece of 🍰🎂 y'all think this is cockroach 🪳 stuck in your ear 👂 do a PT cruiser then get back to us at the comments lol I never want to do another PT again unless it's 🍒u$$y🙀😃 eating training. To be clear without editing that's training cats how to get eaten without using up 1 of it's 9 lives 😂 doesn't hurt to watch the video no matter how many you have done unless on a specific vehicle you have already done because the difference can be a wide open road like a 🛣️. 🚶💃hay baby are you sure that's what you want because I got what you want in my pocket 🎉thx for the video and this water pump video on this as well cause I'm doing that this weekend as well 🤠 man long weekend

[@JohnDisque]

Well - today was 7 days ago so.... fill us in. How did it go?

[@suziriv419]

Can anyone tell me what the part name is of the bracket that the alternator is mounted to the engine ? Mine cracked so my belt just messes up and I can't order the part cause idk what to even call it ?

[@JohnDisque]

It's usually just called an alternator bracket and your best bet is to get one from a junk yard or - a decent welder would be happy to take care of your old one.

[@mahmoudyounes4260]

On the 3.8 the power steering line was in the way of pulling the alternator out .. and to disconnect that line you need to take the pulley off because it blocks the bolt...is there a work around so that I don't have to go get the special tool to remove the power steering pulley?

[@JohnDisque]

That's interesting. I figured it would be the same but if the engine size is actually bigger (not just the piston bore) then it would make sense. Thanks for the heads up.

[@mahmoudyounes4260]

@@JohnDisque yeah I thought it was the same block and a bigger bore but oh boy was I wrong. The whole engine it bigger and arrangement of everything was done by an ape.....its incredibly poorly designed.....

[@TheMacshep]

There is no room to access the tension pulley on the 3.8 .I think the serpentine tool is going to be my only option. Or a really thin profile 3/8 ratchet bc so far none of my tools have been able to get in there.

[@JohnDisque]

Well - the good news is: they're not expensive and you can usually pick one up in a pawn shop for a couple dollars. Some cars have a nob on the other side of the pulley that you can use a wrench on.... some cars give you the room for any ratchet and some cars don't.

[@karlosss1868]

I used a pipe wrench from underneath & was easy.

[@mahmoudyounes4260]

Actually you can lol, what i did was undo the engine mount, its 2 bolts. And I just jacked the whole engine up a couple cranks and I was able to access the tensioner no problem

[@bjacker7019]

Yah I had to buy harbor freight tool for job

[@TravisBone14]

A smallish pipe wrench will work to loosen the pully tensioner, just hook it on the farthest little end.

[@nicholaskrupa6259]

If you're skinny enough you don't need to jack it up or remove the tire just turn it all the way to the right, I did this to get my serpentine on

[@JohnDisque]

Yeah - but who wants to reach around filthy tires? It's not hard to take a wheel off.

[@nicholaskrupa6259]

@@JohnDisque this is simply just kind of the lazy way for me and is more secure, since I don't have jacks,I need some though

[@danbale8042]

What model year is this T&C? Helps to have that in the description.

[@myviews469]

I have already installed two new alternators already and still dont get power from the alternator after turning the motor on. What the hell could it be ??

[@JohnDisque]

Check the negative cable on the battery and the ground. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6aappWiotCch5o

[@myviews469]

@@JohnDisque i added another cable for the negative and positive but still not getting reading took reading directly from alternator too but no reading now I am thinking if the signal connection is stopping the power to reach the power connection on the alternator itself could this be possible???

[@cindyhoff1186]

Is the alternator itself the same part for a 3.3 or a 3.8 L engine?

[@JohnDisque]

No - I think the 3.8 is a little bigger, so you have to be careful there. The actual size of the 3.8 engine is also bigger so it makes it's a little more crammed and more difficult to remove. I always though they were the same engine and the 3.8 just had a bigger bore... but apparently that's not the case.

[@SmartAlx]

Why don't you guys ever explain how to remove the electrical connections? Turning a 15mm bolt is easy. But that electrical connection with the hidden switch is impossible to remove without some black magic!

[@JohnDisque]

It is explained in detail in this video.

[@davidjameshunt]

Thanks..!

[@JCtheComicGeek]

Man he is talented smoking a cig while changing the alternator andjacking up the van w/o it falling out.

[@JohnDisque]

zzzzzz

[@JohnDisque]

People can smell your tiny weiner. Just so you know.

[@bjacker7019]

i'd like an explanation on the tensioner using 3/4 wrench!

[@JohnDisque]

A 1/2" socket wrench. If I said 3/4" it's a mistake and now I shall live in shame.

[@bjacker7019]

@@JohnDisque u mean haf inch ratchet or breaker bar? I could not get either to fit in tight space

[@JohnDisque]

@@bjacker7019 You're working on a 3.8 Town and Country? It works on other models. You can drop the engine a few inches or you can use the tool that's made for the job.

[@bjacker7019]

@@JohnDisque actually a 06 caravan 3.3. did it last year.

[@JohnDisque]

@@bjacker7019 I think you're full of shit and just looking for something to whine about.

[@gerriemcgill3630]

I need you to put my alternator on my 2007 Chrysler town and country

[@JohnDisque]

No.... I don't even want to do this one. LOL sorry

[@ExtremeRecluse]

Must be nice not living in a rust belt state