In the Midwest, your vehicle needs to be prepared for the brutal winters ahead. Especially if your vehicle is over 10 years old. And crusty. Because the only thing worse than having to broken vehicle in winter is having to fix it on cold, icy ground.
New alternator. New battery. New water pump. New serpentine belt. New belt tensioner. New hoses. New rear brake shoes. And plenty of penetrating oil. While this may not have been as glamorous as new tires or bumpers, or look nearly as good, it does provide peace of mind.
Time to get stuck in. Like all modern vehicles, some removal of surrounding parts is necessary to get to what you need to fix. In this case, it included one of the headlights, the radiator and fan, and part of the front bumper.
Can you spot the new part in this engine bay. Hint: it’s the alternator. Shiny! And unfortunately hidden once everything goes back together.
There comes a part in any mechanical project when you’ve taken so much apart you begin to wonder if it will all go back together. Luckily this time it did. Without any strange squeaks or rattles. Or puddles.