Alternator bolt question (its kinda loose)

[aalugo2000]

Hey everyone,
i have a photo here of my alternator bolt, the one on the top of the alternator. My car is a 99 3.8. The bolt came out over the winter apparently, i just found it sitting under my car then upon opening the hood realized that the alternator was missing a bolt. I went to put it back in and as i tightened it down it went all the way in but never really got torqued down, it just stays where it is at now and its kinda tight, but it just keeps spinning and spinning if you tighten it more.

The threaded area at the bottom of the bolt barely peeks out at the back (maybe 2mm). Im wondering if there is supposed to be a locking nut that i may have lost, or even if somehow its the wrong bolt and needs to have a longer threaded area on it. The one in there now had about 3/4" to 1" of threaded area at the bottom.

Im concerned that the vibration of the engine will just walk the bold back out over time.

If anyone has a 98-02 3.8 id appreciate if you could let me know what yours looks like, if there is anything wrong here.

thanks.

[Bandit127]

Re: Alternator bolt question (its kinda loose)

3.4 Has something similar, if theres threads that stick out through the end of the alternator just put a nut on it and tighten it down.

[aalugo2000]

Re: Alternator bolt question (its kinda loose)

the threads dont stick out very far at all maybe not even enough to try an get the bolt threaded into the nut.

[bigbrian442]

Re: Alternator bolt question (its kinda loose)

If you look at the mount closely, There is a steel sleeve in the side you have your arrow pointing too. That sleeve should slide through the aluminum bracket and through the "gap". Look closely. If the sleeve isn't closing the gap the bolt isn't tight enough.