I've been working on american cars for twenty years and done all kinds of jobs from bottom ends to top ends to exhaust, blah blahblah and I have never been so frustrated with a job as the alternator replacement on this 99 A4.

After putting the thing in the service position and finally getting the old one out I have tried three different times to get the new one back in and all I can seem to do is get the new case back in the general space. I can never get it rotated right so I can line up the mounts. I've even removed the plastic shroud from the rear of the alternator and the pulley as well. No dice.

Someone please help.

 

Patience. It took me about an hour just to get the bolts started. Goodluck.

 

So, there's no specific methodology? Like what orientation to have the alternator in while slipping it into that hole?

I'm getting ready to drain the coolant, tear out the heater control valve, the transmission cooler lines...

 

get a rubber mallet and tap it. i didn't even put the front end in service position when i did mine. i just moved the front end forward as much as i could and the alternator came out and went back in with a little jiggling.