1972-1976 Ford and Mercury - Alternator Bolt

Alternator Bolt - head sheared off

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Model Specific Forum
Forum Name: 1972-1976 Ford and Mercury
Forum Description: Technical discussion for 1972-1976 Ford and Mercury
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=1465
Printed Date: 26-March-2026 at 7:26AM
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Topic: Alternator Bolt - head sheared off

Posted By: GranTorinoSport
Subject: Alternator Bolt - head sheared off
Date Posted: 17-April-2008 at 7:23AM

I was removing the alternator from my 71 F-250 yesterday.

There is a great deal of underhood surface rust on everything because the previous owner had it parked outside and the seals were all bad - water gets in there pretty easy.

Both bolts that hold the alternator on had sheared off (right at the head) when I went to loosen them. The one that threads into the alternator I could care less about since I am replacing the alternator.

The one that goes into the head is another issue.

Since it sheared at the head, and it is an FE block with the bolt on the bottom, the alternator is still attached (it flops back and forth) and the spacer is still there.

How do I remove this 3"+ bolt from the head???

I was going to cut the alternator out with the sawzall, but I wanted to check before I did anything.

Is there a "safe" way to get the bolt out of the block?

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Scott Eklund

Webmaster

Replies:

Posted By: baough
Date Posted: 17-April-2008 at 7:35AM

Heat and paraffin wax has always worked for me.

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Former U.S. Navy submariner onboard USS Sturgeon SSN 637
73 Gran Torino,351C,auto
76 F250 4x4, 390
88 comanche
91 explorer
92 bronco
08 Harley 883C, two kids, 4 horses,2 dogs,2 cats,1 lizzard.

Posted By: JimW
Date Posted: 17-April-2008 at 4:39PM

time and PB blaster or aerokroil seems to work, haven't tried the heat and paraffin wax yet, but I've heard about it lots of times..

Jim

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1976 S&H Gran Torino

460/C6/4.33 13.05@105.6

545/C6/3.56 11.52@117.8

460/T56/4.00 cruiser

www.torinocobra.com
www.starskytorino.com
https://www.hotrod.com/features/0702phr-1971-ford-gran-torino/

Posted By: GranTorinoSport
Date Posted: 21-April-2008 at 6:46AM

Here's the aftermath on this one:

The alternator was still being held in by the large bolt into the block theough the spacer.

I proceeded to try and pound the alternator off from the bolt shank. Would not come off. Seemed strange since the head of the bolt sheared clean off... I even used an 8 pound mall after the hammer did not work.

I then took a sawzall and cut through the alternator. Once I cut through the alternator and bolt, it fell off. The remaining part of the bolt, the spacer and what was left of the alternator bolt tube easily screwed out by hand.

The bolt problem was actually corrosion inside the alternator inside the bolt tube whereas the bolt was rusted to the alternator - not the thread of the bolt rusted into the block like I had thought.

Very wierd. But problem solved.

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Scott Eklund

Webmaster