It's been a while- Alternator Woes

[funkmiester]

I've barely been exercising our D4 and I had a project Isuzu vehicross last summer so when my D2 S8 had it's MOT last year I sorn'd it for all the obvious reasons. The Vehicross was lots of fun but it has gone and the sun has come out so I thought I'd take a look at Fred the S8. A few weeks back I tried starting it, started first turn as always but pretty quickly it started smoking. Now dumb ass here didn't figure it out thinking "How can it be overheating?" as I looked under the bonnet, not even the rubber smell and the thick black smoke made me twig so by the time I was making a dash to turn it off the serpentine belt snapped. The alternator had seized solid while it's been standing making the serpentine belt burn itself off when I started up. So fast forward to today..... How do you get the alternator off? I've been in from underneath and taken the cables off and 1 screw out of the shroud. I've taken the airbox off and can see the rear of the bolt which doesn't seem to be a 19mm nor a hex/spline. The front of the bolt is hex but how the hell do you get to it? I suspect it's the factory alternator as I've never changed it so any advice on changing it and any advice on which one to get if you've bought one recently. many Thanks.

[MikkiJayne]

Its an 8mm socket-head M10 at the top of the alternator, and 13mm hex M8 at the bottom.

I'm surprised the car started with a locked up alternator. We had that on Mike's Murple and the starter wouldn't even turn the engine. Its not fun changing the alternator with everything together but it is possible.

When buying a replacement watch out for people selling the V6 alternator as the V8 one (even down to V6 alternators with V8 rear covers on so the part number appears correct). It appears to be the same in every regard apart from the angle of the cooling duct which points sideways on the V8 and down on the V6. Mounting holes for the duct are part of the rectifier pack so it can't be rotated.

[funkmiester]

Many thanks,
I can barely get my meathooks anywhere near but least I know what size I should be hammering in!
It's defiantly toast as even with a set of stilsons it only moved reluctantly under a lot of pressure. None of this "A quick jolt and it will free off"
It started no problem, other than the smoke (lol)
Will have another go later in the week if the evenings are kind.
Many thanks for the prompt reply, much appreciated as always.