This just happened to me and i tried the fix and worked like a charm. Just soaked in oil and worked it loose. No more breaking belts and squealing. And it's charging!! Keep posting!
I was very skeptical at first until I read through the comments. I decided to give it a go…why not. Well…20 minutes later, I’ve got the replacement belt on and turned the car over. It squeaked for about a half a second and then she was purring like new. Thank you for this video. A holiday weekend of frustration, busting knuckles, breaking rusted tension bolts and choice curse words comes to an end after finding this video. THANK YOU. Now please make a simple fix video on how to replace the AC belt tensioner bolt on a 3rd gen 4Runner please lol 😅
I had an alternator that was seized on a sitting 2003 Forester 13 months. Removed and let it soak all night with used oil poured through windings. Next morning gently unseized with ratchet on pulley. Recleaned reinstalled rechecked at 13.6volts operating on car. Many thanks
Started the engine today. The alternator did not overheat. No smoke from residual oil (which I had sprayed in) either. Waiting a week to let the excess oil drip seems to have paid off) . Ran the AMC242 (4 0L) engine for 35+ mins at high idle (to keep the engine at normal running temperature). In my opinion, the ideal way to do it is to take off the alternator and hold it vertical and keep it like that for a week (along the shaft) If done right, the spray should go straight down and drip off the other side, radially, without entering the slip ring location in the middle. For the record,the one week drip period was durin sub zero temperatures, where the oil would drip less freely. In the summer, I am pretty sure that the oil would drip off in about a day or two. Thanks again for uploading this. It works!
Just PERFECT. My truck sat for THREE YEARS and it started right away (hey, it's a 33 year old Diesel Landcruiser after all!) but the squeal from the alternator was so horrible we had to cut it off immediately, realizing the alternator was seized. No amount of turning with a breaker bar was helping, so after using ReleaseAll on the bearing, thinking it was bad, trying again a few times with no success, I finally looked it up and your video came up. Since it made perfect sense that the rotor would get covered in rust and get jammed in the stator over three years, I tried your tip immediately, soaking the alternator through the windings with ReleaseAll, but no cigar. I then banged on the pulley with a BFH until I saw some flakes of rust fall off it and tried again and success! It squeaked itself loose ☺. After soaking it with tranny oil it now turns smoothly again👍
Thank you so much for posting this. My 2010 Tundra belt broke after it sat for 2 weeks while away on vacation. Assumed it was just a bad belt but when the truck wouldn't run with a new belt I checked the pulleys and mine was frozen solid. Your oil trick worked to get it unstuck enough to rotate it by hand a bit, and now the truck runs fine.
Thanks! Magic - my Mercruiser boat alternator seized and burned the belt - it was only 6 months old and those are around $400.. Was going to throw it away, but then watched this video - tried the trick and it's back in the business!!!
I had an air ratchet on my truck alternator and it was barely moving, found your video and I sprayed some 3-36 down through the windings put the air ratchet back on and it instantly freed up. Thank you!
Dude. You saved me significant time and $$$. We left the alternator in place, dripped-in WD40 with an oil chaser, worked it back and forth and shazam! What's your venmo I want to send you a thank you.
This also just happened to me after leaving my old G35 outdoor for almost 2 months without driving it. Actually I opened the hood first before starting the engine, then I noticed it squeaked for 15 seconds then white smoke coming out from under the engine, I turned it off immediately. I heard the sound of serpentine belt just torn apart when I was looking at it. I realized the smoke was coming from the torn belt near the alternator and figured that it was probably a seized alternator. I was doing research and almost prepared to dump at least a thousand buck to have my car towed to the garage, and replace the alternator. I was so lucky to find this video and followed the instructions to fix the seized alternator (except I was using specialized wd-40 penetrating and water resistance lubricant). After fixing is done, it's almost spinning freely and smoothly like new! I bought a new serpentine belt and replace it, after that the car runs normally. Thank you for this video! I'm sure you have helped countless of people who run into the similar situation! 👍
While I will probably buy a rebuilt one because getting one out of a Honda Odyssey is a nightmare, you saved me a giant towing bill and a mechanic that I don’t know because I’m 200 miles from home. Thanks for posting this. I had to do WD40 as that’s what I had in the car.
Thank you so much for this video. We were trying to get our 2000 Jeep Cherokee running so we can sell it, so didn't want to pay for a new alternator. This method worked for us. Saved us money and time.
Thank you so much! This simple thing has made the biggest difference on my 3rd gen 4runner. Long story short my 4runner had a shaky and surging idle. The alternator pulley was also squeaking. One day the squeaking got worse and sounded like it was about to seize up, but at idle it wasn't shaking or surging anymore. Put the two together, checked the voltage, and discovered it wasn't putting out enough voltage. Put mineral oil between the alternator housing and pulley and not only did the squeaking go away, but the car isn't shaking or surging anymore and has rock steady voltage at 14.5v. My spark plugs were also very lean so I'm curious to see if that will change too now since maybe the fuel pump wasn't getting enough power to output the right amount of fuel. Crazy how something this simple can be overlooked and fix a ton of issues. Thank you thank you!!!
I tried your oil trick on a Ford van. I cycled the oil through it three or four times and let it sit overnight. Then I had to reinstall it on the van to get enough leverage to try and turn the pulley. No luck. It's all locked up tight. Now I get to take it off of the van again and go buy a new alternator anyway! This might work for someone but not for me.
Mine locked up solid after washing heavy salt off my all original 99 Jeep Wrangler motor and letting it sit for a two weeks afterwards. I was in a Jam at 430 am. First I tried to use wrenches but it was solid . I had nothing to loose so I first used liquid wrench and with a breaker bar and got it to move. Then I sprayed WD 40 on the inside and kept working it. In the dark I also got everything else slippery so I had to spray brake clean on the pulley and belt dressing on the belt. I kept trying until the thing started to spin. I was an hour late for work but drove 100 miles round trip and is as quiet as could be. I planned on changing the alternator but now that I saw this video all I am going to do is change the belt. Thanks for this info. My 24 year old alternator gets to live on.
OK so mine is seized on my 2007 matrix.. I soaked it with penetrating oil and was able yo break it free with a wrench but I couldn't spin it freely. Even after 2 days. Removed and what do you know it's spinning freely. Now there's 2 bolts that hold the alt on but once I tighten the bottom bolt... it's seized again.... any idea on what to do?????
THANK YOU!! - Ford F150 - was almost the last straw when alternator siezed because we had been waiting so long for a part. Now we only have to replace the belt.
If not for this video, I would've done what I've always done and changed mine today. Car was inherited, but it sat for 2 years. If I wasn't going to invest in a battery, I damn sure didn't want to put the time and money into putting in an alternator. Finally had it start with the charger. Squealed and smoked. Watched this video and just went for it with old oil and PB blaster. Minutes later it started up easier, just a brief amount of noise and smoke then good as new. Thanks for the knowledge.
Thank you so much. I managed to unseize the alternator after soaking it in oil. I had to remove it and position it vertical so that the oil evenly went from one end to the ither. I am expecting the excess to drip off in a day or two and then I will reinstall it. Question: Won't the carbon brushes get fouled because of the oil? Do I have to spray a brake cleaner or something to wipe off the excess oil? (I used OB blaster first and the next day I used 2 in one oil. Thanks
Thanks for this video! I broke the alternator loose so it rotates when I use the socket and rachet. Part of the rotation is smooth and easy but part of the rotation has a lot more resistance. How easy should the pulley spin before I can put a new belt on and start the van? Thanks
My alternator is seized, but the housing is also cracked and a piece of it fell off near the venting area, so don't think that you can repair the housing so ordered a new alternator (not that it couldn't be returned). Thoughts?
Just did this with my 454 tbi, hit the alternator with some on blaster worked it back and forth then worked in some 30 weight and boom back in business
I was surprised by how effective the engine oil was. I got it free, spins, but drags in one spot, is that normal? How do I get the drag out in that one spot?
Before seeing this vid, I had the same issue -suddenly seemed seized - error warning about charging system - finally I just sprayed some silicon lubricant at it and it was hard to get at it - but it worked - thought I would look it up if others tried and sure enough... !
Hey ! Just came home after 3 months stuck because of government medic tyranny... and the dynamo was stuck. This was just the clip i needed and very well presentated and comfertable and encouraging to listen too ! Thx and give more good stuff please ha ha ! :-) Apreciated !
In the video, he said "years". Mine seized a month ago and I didn't use oil, instead I tried pb blaster, and it worked for a week or 2. It's been sitting now for about 3 weeks, I tried starting it again and it's back to squealing. Maybe tranny fluid or fresh oil will work better
Noooooooo fcking way!! Thank you for your suggestions, I’m trying to fix my dads car that has been sitting for years as a favor to him, and was crushed thinking I’d spend another $800 to get him on the road! I can’t believe this worked haha!! It makes sense logically, but I had some serious doubts for some reason! Thanks again!
I had doubts about it years ago, I figured what do I have to lose. Sometimes the alternator is bad but usually if it doesn’t spin you just gotta get it to spin again👍
Brought my truck to Ford Dealer in Canada, its a 2013 F150 ecoboost. The serpantine belt came off, i brought it in and they said the alternator seized up and caused the tensioner to break and made the belt come off (belt was not broken) It took them 20 minutes to diagnose this. I had not had any issues with the alternator before, always charged my battery properly. Is it possible that the alternator could go from perfect working condition to seized completely enough to break the tensioner? I feel they are lying to me especially the fact it took 20 minutes. Is it even possible to test the alternator out without the belt on it (and only 20 minutes time?) They quoted me $1,700 Canadian, feel i am getting hosed here.
It makes sense that WD-40 might not last over even a short extended period of time because it evaporates . Oils, like PB Blaster catalyst (chemically breaks up rust) or their regular Blaster oil can do not evaporate.
My F-150’s alternator was seized after a winter of being outside and not started. Though, the housing was cracked, like at exactly 1:57 into this video, in the frame to the right. Does it matter if the housing is cracked? I ended up replacing the whole unit, for the housing on mine was in bad, bad shape. Cracked all around.
Wow, thanks for this! I am going to try this tomorrow!! My 1977 HJ45 Land Cruiser's alternator toasted the belt two days ago and the pulley only turns about 30 degrees then gets stuck. Fingers crossed this works. Thanks again! Cheers from SA
@@peterhandelson1193 I just used a socket with a breaker bar. It wouldn't un-seize until I drenched it in WD40 of all things. I tried the motor oil, tried penetrating oil, and some other stuff. It wasn't until I drenched it a few times in WD40 that I was able to break it free.
Would Pb Blaster be ok to use instead of oil? mines in a hard to reach place without removing and i dont have a oil can with a hose on it like you used here.
I would have written this off as BS, Had I not just successfully done this on my 2004 Toyota Tundra 4.7L. I was started the truck yesterday, battery light came on as I pulled out of the driveway, 30 seconds up the road the belt smoked itself and I lost power steering. Limped it home and parked it in search of a new alternator. Saw this video..thought...what the heck. Saved me a couple of hundreds for sure! I used AeroKroil spray...
My 2010 F150 just did this but even running for almost a minute in 20f degree weather with no squealing, it did not fry the belt (I smelled burning rubber and saw the battery indicator and turned it off). I broke the alternator loose with a 22mm socket and it was good to go. The belt was fairly new since the AC compressor seized during the summer and fried the belt after only a couple seconds of loud squealing. One problem though: I had this happen to a 97 Jaguar that would re-seize at quicker and quicker intervals to the point that spinning it with a wrench was not enough to allow the belt to spin it. The problem was rust. I even took it off the car to spin with a drill and it seemed to work but a couple of days later, it was seized again and spinning with a wrench and oiling did not help. Just had to replace it. Both the rotor and stator were rusting and the close tolerance could not handle it. The one shown at 1:57 looks like it swelled so much from rust that the case cracked. I'll report back if my F150 alternator has the problem again.
@@livefree6878 thanks. Tonight was the first oil treatment. It turns pretty easy with a ratchet. But it still takes some effort by hand. I will keep at it for a few days. Hopefully I just need a new belt.
@@livefree6878 Yes, that helps. On day 2, I can turn the pully by hand with light resistance. When the belt burned up the other day, I had to use a breaker bar to turn the pulley.....I will install a new belt and see how it's charging.
New belt has been ordered. I should have it installed this weekend or next...your video came up first when I searched for seized alternator......Thanks a bunch!!!
If it's rust, will penetrating oil do a better job? Mine I think is seized after sitting for a year. I rebuilt the engine, was turning over ok, but after putting the belt on, it stuck. Then I realized it could be the alternator.
Have used transmission oil as well as motor oil because they’re cheaper. I would imagine PB blaster or WD-40 would work. Once he gets spin and it smokes and burns off. Hope this answers your question
I did it on my 99 mustang GT yeah, she sat for a year, but it freed right up I've probably taken a couple of miles off the belt from running it seized but i actually spun it over with a ratchet some pb blaster it freed up whined a bit at first, but it suddenly turned silent and charges at 14.3V perfect, also I didn't have to take the belt off by the way
I just bought a brand new alternator and it stoped spinning or i was very hard to spin it, could this may be the problem???? Pls help i dont want to buy a new one!
As I understand it, the distance between the moving parts and an alternator are very take toleranced, Typically if a car has been sitting it doesn’t take much corrosion to stop the alternator from completely seizing up. A little bit of oil will allow you to get the alternator moving again. This is not a technique that anyone taught me. Over the years I’ve had a lot of seized up alternators. Are used to change them out when this happened one time I figured I would try to break it free and it worked, and worked for many years after that. I’ve got some alternators that I’ve done this two that are still working fine. The way I look at it is there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hope this answers your question
@@livefree6878 My situation was, on my daily driver 2008 Kia Sedona van I had just got off work around 5 in the morning. It was a typical cold Montana morning in December and my heater was struggling to keep going along with the van itself to stay running. I managed to get home and looked at it later when it warmed up outside a bit and I noticed that the alternator was saturated with oil. I had just bought a new battery thinking that was the problem, but apparently not. It was the ultimate fight to remove and reinstall the alternator in this thing, but I finally got it in. I sold it a while later and the guy that bought it was a mechanic. It's up for sale again as I type this and had to replace the alternator AGAIN even after I put the one in!!! He also replaced the leaking valve cover gasket too though. He did that BEFORE he put in the new alternator because the new one that I had put in was saturated with oil too.
Your alternator didn't die from the oil itself. What likely happened was the oil acted as a trap for dust and anything else flying up off the road or as it ran down from the leaking gasket it brought rust and sludge that it picked up on its journey to the alternator. Use clean oil and you'll be fine. This is why there are dry lubricants or special wet lubricants used on chain drive systems or anywhere where contaminants can get stuck in the lubricant. Petroleum Oil doesn't conduct electrical current.
To refine this method, start with WD40 all over then turn the alternator, then next soak it in GT85 or similar and turn again then finish with a thicker oil as shown like a mineral oil, but the WD40 will clean the motor best.
brother i have ford fiesta 1.4 tdci battery sign comes up when i start the car but if i accelerate the car to 5000 rpm the battery sign goes off , can u help me with this problem
