jamesg Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 NOW I HAVE A CURRENT SO61 RIGHT FRONT SENSOR FAILURE. WHAT DID THEY DO WRONG? DO I NEED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT OR DID THEY LEAVE SOMETHING UNPLUGGED ON THE SUSPENSION RIGHT SIDE. THE BATTERY NO CHARGE MSG WENT AWAY AFTER RECHARGING THE BATTERY. I went to the local caddy dealer parts department on Tue to purchase the alternator for $257.00 and was informed by the sales guy and one of the mechanics that to put the alternator on requires placing the vehicle on the lift. A job to much for me or any mechanic I know to do at home. So I went over to the service department and asked what is the difference if I purchased the part from the parts dept and brought it over to the service dept to install. 3 Service Advisors from the Caddy Red, Blue and what ever team came over to answer the question. Well if you purchse the part over there and the service dept installs, you get a 1 year warranty and if you purchase the part from the service dept and let us install, you will get a life time warranty all for $695.00 without a diagnotic check. That is fuuny because I thought all employees at a dealership were TEAM PLAYERS. So I got into my car and drove to a local mechanic shop I have used from time to time. So they called around and got a new alternator for $201 and installed it for $135.00. I know that they were not prepared for the job. They started at 0800 and ended at 1445, 15 mins before I was sked to be at work. I was 15 mins late getting to work. Boy were they hot, however I have been doing business with them for over 10 years. They quoted me $135.00 for labor and that is what they held their word to. It took 3 mechanics to finish the job, not knowing where the alternator was located. Having to take the wheel off and remove parts and support the engine to get to the alternator almost hidden in the craddle. So if the starter go bad, we discussed what has to done there to get to the part. It was very hot and muggy today in VA, so when I drive in tomorrow morning complaining about my Service Ride Control Msg Current Code SO61, I am sure they will run for cover. Any adivse on the Code SO61? The code will not clear. v/r 93 STS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIMDTS Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 Since they were working in that area I would check for a connector not connected or broken , pulled wire etc. Good Luck Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 Maybe the right front sensor was accidently unplugged when the alternator was replaced. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 I don't recall hearing that the alternator was SO hard to R&R, is this true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesg Posted July 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 No it isn't true Scooty I sat here and made it all up: Sure it is true I was at the shop from 0800 to 1445. To start out this morning the a bolt was stripped they had a time getting to tensioner. The main problem is mechanics not working on a NorthStar before. There are a lot parts cramed in there. Plus I was there all day pacing in and out of the forbidden shop area to withness the entire incident. This isn't the first time they ran for cover. They are good people, I give them other business on my other vehicles plus I recommend customers to go there. They start out as a family mom and pop mechanic shop. v/r 1993 STS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcd1184 Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 I don't know how close a 93 and 94 are, but I have had to do the routine twice now.(on my back) It's not fun but I had a factory manual. Their price was OK but they certainly wasted alot of everyone's time. Should'nt be any framework involved. Kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 No it isn't true Scooty I sat here and made it all up: Sure it is true I was at the shop from 0800 to 1445. To start out this morning the a bolt was stripped they had a time getting to tensioner. Made it all up? I DO NOT THINK I IMPLIED you MADE IT UP! PLEASE keep your arrogance to yourself. Sir I have been around this board for over five years and HAVE NOT heard this type of problem before changing the alternator. I am SURE its a direct result of them not having the service manual. However, it seems you had other problems with stripped bolts and not being able to get to the tensioner (for some reason) that you previously did not mention. Taking the wheel off and taking the splash shields off is necessary to get at the alternator. Having just done the AC compressor, idler wheel, tensioner myself and oil filter adaptor seals myself, I was looking at the alternator and it did not appear to be a 7 hour job, but you were not clear about the other problems you had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschunke Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 That's just about how long it took me to replace the alt. Miserable job, if I do recall. Was left with two extra mounting bolts that were impossible to get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesg Posted July 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 Well maybe they didn't have a service manual and they were stalling me. They still are good people and I will use them again. My concern is for my other vehicles I have to take there to get repaired. They do a great job on them, the problem is always with the NORTHSTAR. I am had the same problem when they installed a compressor for half the price of the dealership. Some mechanics just don't know how to work on them and will not because of proud admit it. I am happy my mechanic at the Caddy shop, the parts sale guys and the service dept guys talked me out of trying to install it myself. They saved me a lot of fursration and sweating from the heat. Besides with my work sked I simply don't have the patience, time and mechanicl skills to complete the task. Just trying to share info to keep readers from taking wrong directions to repair the STS that I some time take. I am sorry I implied you suggested I made it all up, maybe I read your reply wrong when you used the words of IS THIS TRUE. So I became offensive to the statement, implying I made it up. All I know is I was there all day and was late for work. Great Hubby and Wife started the business and turned over to younger son with even more of a personailty to deal with customers and keep them coming back. So if I have to take the caddy back, they will take care of me with no argument. v/r James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 Well maybe they didn't have a service manual and they were stalling me. They still are good people and I will use them again. My concern is for my other vehicles I have to take there to get repaired. They do a great job on them, the problem is always with the NORTHSTAR. I am had the same problem when they installed a compressor for half the price of the dealership. Some mechanics just don't know how to work on them and will not because of proud admit it. I am happy my mechanic at the Caddy shop, the parts sale guys and the service dept guys talked me out of trying to install it myself. They saved me a lot of fursration and sweating from the heat. Besides with my work sked I simply don't have the patience, time and mechanicl skills to complete the task. Just trying to share info to keep readers from taking wrong directions to repair the STS that I some time take. I am sorry I implied you suggested I made it all up, maybe I read your reply wrong when you used the words of IS THIS TRUE. So I became offensive to the statement, implying I made it up. All I know is I was there all day and was late for work. Great Hubby and Wife started the business and turned over to younger son with even more of a personailty to deal with customers and keep them coming back. So if I have to take the caddy back, they will take care of me with no argument.v/r James Yes I re-read what I wrote, "is this true", and I see how you took it, BUT, I was throwing it out to the board for their opinion so we could get some feedback about the alternator job sorry for the confusion. This type of communication can be difficult at times. If you don't have a manual, the next time you do a job like this I am sure that someone here won't mind scanning the pages for you. That will help you and your mechanics see the scope of the job and give them some direction. I would think that removing the radiator would help greatly to get at the alternator in a worst case scenario. I will admit that the NS is not easy to work on, but I have come to understand that and bear down for the worst.. The AC job was a challenge I will add, but I was very surprised how easy the compressor came out. Glad you got your charging problem resolved.. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franey Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 I have changed the alternator out on my 96 SLS, and i have a service manual and over 40 years of working on my own cars and trucks. First if you are use to working on a top alternator , this is a whole new animal, it is a royal pain in the *smurf* to change. Now i am not certain about this , but by 96 they had cut a notch out in back of the bottom radiator support to aid in the removal of the alternator it seems to me that someone else here indicated that on the earlier sevilles , this notch was not their. Now if this is true , it would really be a pain to remove , because it comes out through the bottom. I believe other people have resorted to letting the motor down to get it out. The back bolt on the alternator also will not come out because when you still have about 2 threads left , it is hitting the exhaust manifold. Now if you are working by yourself you have to figure a way to push the alternator foreward and at the same time turn the bolt the last two threads. by the way getting to the bolt is a feat in of itself. Not to mention if you have normal or large hands getting this bolt started back without cross threading it into the back of the alternator is another miracle. In my case i had to call in someone with small hands to get it started while i attempted to try and hold it . Bear in mind their is barely room for one person hands up in their much less two. TOTAL time about two and half hours. IF you had broken bolts or rounded off heads , i would not even venture how long it would take. But the bottom line is this I think that anyone here who has changed one out would have to rate the job as a real SOB, and would not look froreward to having to do it any time soon again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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