Hey guys,

I know that this forum is somewhat inactive as of recently, but I hope that these DIY articles are adding some much needed activity to the community. I'd love to see more forum member interaction spring up so feel free to supplement this guide or leave a comment!


1) Disconnect both battery cables.

2) Remove the drive belt.

3) Remove the auto tensioner.

4) Disconnect the connector and the black wire from the rear of the alternator.

5) Remove the mounting bolt(s).


*diagram courtesy of acurapartswarehouse; all rights reserved


6) Remove the alternator assembly.

7) Install the new alternator assembly.

8) Install the mounting bolts and tighten them to 16 ft. lbs. (22 Nm)

9) Connect the connector and the black wire to the rear of the alternator.

10) Install the auto tensioner.

11) Install the drive belt.

12) Connect both battery cables.


Start up your RSX, or attempt to start it up. If it fires up then you should give yourself a hearty pat on the back for a job well done!

On the other hand, if it fails to start up then you should retrace the steps in the procedure and ensure that each individual step was properly performed. Let me know if you need troubleshooting help