The Nissan Path

Alternator died, trying to get the old one out and the electrical section of the FSM isn't one I downloaded from the old site. From YouTube videos...how many bolts hold the alternator in, just two, or is there a third? I've removed the two (long and short), but some people reference a third, and it's not clear from the parts diagram online that there isn't a third on some kind of alignment arm.

Tried tapping on it with a hammer with both bolts out...doesn't move...

Whoops...went back and looked and my hammer taps did drop it out of the bracket I just didn't notice

Ok new question...should I be able to wiggle this thing out through the wheel well without removing the fan shroud, etc? Seems like everyone on the Frontier forums can do it that way. I can't find a way to squeeze it out though.

I shifted the shroud out of the way without disconnecting the fan (because obviously...the belt is already out) and got the old one out. New one is about to go in next. Sure would have been nice if the other forums said "OBTW the shroud is in the way," I just dont believe they removed the alternator with it in place via the wheel well.

And of course...it whines. I'll order a Nissan alternator and do this all over again soon

Whines a little less today with the battery topping off, but it's still there. Will try a new belt and see if I get lucky. If not, I'll drive this for a while then replace with a Nissan/Hitachi OEM alternator.

I feel kinda bad. No one has posted in your thread ..

I didnt have any alternator answers so I didn't click on it, probably same reasons others didnt

Oh, it is what it is, I don't think these fail very often going by the forums. The guys who complain about them are the wheeling crowd who hate that it's down low where it might get waterlogged

I will say the probable cause of mine finally dying was the thick, sludgy coat of oil it had from the valve covers. I really let that go too long, and a lot more oil can come out those than you'd think!

The one thing all the forum guides just didn't show in their images is where the fan shroud was while they removed the alternator. They say things like "move whatever hoses and interferences you need to" so I now assume they all did something like what I did to displace the shroud an inch or two towards the driver side. I just wish they'd specifically mentioned it up front so I could pull the fan and whatnot off while the belt was on, or at least leave myself enough room in the garage to comfortably get the skid plate off. I was able to move the shroud without any of that, but reinstalling it into its tabs at the bottom, by reaching down from the top of the engine compartment and inside the right fender, is a challenge.

Also...wish I'd waited a day to see if I could get an OEM new alternator from Nissan, as I didn't get to reinstall until later anyways. But this remanufactured unit was the only one I could find in town on a Sunday and I needed to be able to move my truck relatively soon. Still need to try the fan belt but I don't think the one I have on there is too old.

Aaaaand the remanufactured unit has lasted about three months. It never really stopped whining, and now sometimes it stops charging (battery light goes on, voltage gauge droops). I have a new one coming from Nissan, just need this one to mostly work for a few more days.

The alternator from Nissan will be # 2310M-EA20ARW and will be listed as remanufactured. Nissan has always sold replacement starters and alternators as "remanufactured" although they usually look (or are) brand new.

Yeah, by "remanufactured" I meant "the only alternator I could find in town at O'Reilly." I'm betting whatever Nissan sends me will be better. This one was whistling like a bird right away.

Mine died far from home in East Tennessee in late June, after spending a few hours slowly creeping around and idling thru a National Park on a very hot day, with the AC working hard, and very little airflow thru the engine bay due to the low speed. Saw lots of black bears up close though.

This 2011 LE has been thru some side-step deep mud ruts, some massive puddles and a few shallow creek crossings several times over the years, but the heat soak seems to be what finally killed it.

I kind of wish I took pictures of my original alternator. It lasted a good long time, but the sludgy coat of oil from the valve covers that I left unfixed for too long was pretty fantastic.

I love Nissan parts.
Tis why I don't hesitate in buying something (looking up the part) through Car-Part.com

If your Pathfinder is 2008+ then it's most likely compatible with 2019 Frontier (or newer).

You could grab a Genuine Nissan alternator, with less than 10k on it, for around $100. With warranty.

I found the swap on mine to be very easy with the wheel off and the inner fender. Easy.

I'm the OP, this will be the second time I've changed the alternator in three months

I don't know what the rest of you are doing that makes it easy, but it was a little bit of a PITA to figure out how to maneuver it in and out of the frame through the wheel well. Everything else was pretty easy.

Just back from travel and the Nissan alternator is sitting in my garage. On my list of things to do this week...I want to take a mountain bike vacation to Mammoth Mountain in a couple weeks, and can't have the alternator cut out on me in the middle of nowhere.