Hi. I need to replace the alternator on my 2004 Accord EX. It has the base 4 cyl 2.4 engine. Any recommendations on which replacement option to go with, or tips/step-by-step instructions on the remove and replace would be appreciated. Thanks

 

First of all, why are you replacing it? Have you had it tested to make sure it is the culprit for whatever problem you are having?

 

I have not tested it. Adnittedly, it is not scientific, but I need a quick fix and am going from these symptoms: car will start with a "jump" from booster cables and run, but if I turn on lights or other electrical it "shudders" and almost stalls; after 10 -15 minutes running, it stalls and battery is so depleted that it won't turn over or start without another jump.
To me, that sounded like the alternator is not getting it done and car stops after battery charge insufficeint to run spark for engine. While there could be a short or point of discharge somewhere, I do not think it illogical to begin with the 4+ year old alternator. (Battery is newer and has been holding a charge.)

 

Some places like AutoZone will check the alternator.

Other possibilities include bad connections (dirt, corrosion) at the alternator or at the battery. Check BOTH ends of all the battery cables.

Honda ECU will monitor the battery voltage and measurement from the ELD, and it can command the alternator to STOP charging. It does this by grounding one of the small wires to the alternator (C-terminal??). If that wire is pinched & shorting to ground, a perfectly good alternator will quit charging.

 

Thanks. I had checked the battery cables (at terminals only) and the wires to and from alternator (I will check the battery cables "at the other ends" too -- good point). I found no pinched wires, signs of corrosion, breaks in the protective claddings or obvious shortings. Belt looks a bit worn, so I will replace that as I go. I will re-check all wiring and connections as bestt I can by eye and, because I was going to AutoZone for the replacement alternator anyway, I'll see if they can check the old one first.
Anyone familiar with the removal process? Will I need to remove the power steering pump or just move it aside?

 

Get them to test the battery as well. Sometimes batteries can go out and simply will not hold a charge anymore, leaving you to think it is the alternator. Definitely don't want to go through the hassle of replacing the alternator to find out that the problem was just the battery.

As far as the alternator replacement process goes, on your car I do not know. The only alternator I have ever replaced was on my old 91 5.0 Mustang and it was super easy.
I would surely hope you don't have to remove the whole ps pump to do it. But I know Honda did not keep "ease of work" in mind when building these cars. Example: on my 95 V6 you had to remove a motor mount to get one of the drive belts off (can't remember which one.)

 

Ha. Yes. No "ease of use." Saw one series of post about replacing alternator on an earlier Honda where the DIYer noted "it probably would have been easier to pull the engine."
We'll see. Thanks.

 

Alternator is easy on 7th-gen 4-cyl.

Remove drive belt:
Tensioner pulley is spring loaded. Put a wrench (with a LONG handle) on the center bolt of that pulley. Pull the wrench towards the front of the car, which is the direction of tightening the bolt. The tensioner arm will move forward & you slip the belt off of the pulley. Pay attention to the path of the belt because it's about a quarter mile long & goes up & down & around about 50 pulleys.

Disconnect the battery cable cause I have this stupid habit of touching a wrench across the alternator power cable.

Alternator unbolts from it's solid mounting, and it looks like there's enough room to pull it out between the engine & radiator.

If you need to remove the PS pump, that's easy too. Just leave the hoses connected.

The alternator in my old 95 Integra was down low, in back, between the engine & firewall. I'm glad I never had to remove it because I think you have to remove one axle in order to get that thing out of there. It was bad enough just adjusting belt tension.

 

^ That sounds a lot like the replacement I did on my old mustang. Those belt tensioners really are the way to go when it comes to ease of changing belts.
With the mustang, all I had to do was pull the tensioner back, pull off the belt, unbolt the old alternator, take it to autozone and swap it for the new one (to avoid the core charge and to get them to remove the pulley from the old alternator and install it on the new one), bolt on the new one, put the belt back on, done.

If you do buy a new alternator definitely bring your old one in and make sure the pulley that comes on the new one (if a pulley even comes on it) is the exact same size. if it is not the same size, get them to swap it (you can't diy the pulley swap easily unless you have an impact wrench). Autozone will swap it for free.

 

Thanks to you both for the advice and counsel. I won't get to it before the weekend, but will report in on the fix. Cheers.