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I found a good way to install and remove the lower alternator bolt (had to do mine 4 times during the Gen3 installation).

The first alt installation was a bear, then I realized you have to hook up the wires before you put the alternator in, so I took it out and went through the same problems reinstalling. On the third installation, I remembered I had a four-pronged retrieval tool that I have had for years. The four steel prongs do a great job of grabbing the bolt and you can work the bolt through the hole in steps. My fourth installation took less than one minute to install the bolt.

To install. first grab the bolt down by the threads. Push the bolt in, then grab further back toward the head, grab it and push in further. Take out in reverse.

I found the tool on the MSC Industrial Supply web site. It is the Mayhew - 45046 - Retrieving Tools Type: Pronged Pick-Up Tool Overall Length (Inch): 22-1/2 and cost $22. The link is http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/93813582 .

Believe me, this tool is worth its weight in gold.

Below are some pictures of the tool and how it handled the bolt.

DaveP

Great suggestion. BTW, same part available on Amazon for $14.48. Link: http://amzn.com/B001RIYKZ0

I've got one of those long, grabby thingies in my toolbox. Thanks for the (bolt) heads up.

Looks like the GEN3 manual will need an appropriate update on this.

Isn't that the tool "Ahnold" pulled the bug out of his nose with in the original "Total Recall"? Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAzVzeXGTGM

Weld a tab like this on the head and avoid the need to put a socket on it

Does anyone know the size of the lower alternator bolt? I didn't have the new style alternator on the gen 2 and the bolt didn't come with new alternator nor the gen 3 kit. We will be finishing installing the engine tomorrow and I will be trying to locate the proper bolt. If anyone knows the bolt size let me know, or I will take the alternator with me to find one that works.

Thanks Pat

Pat - I think its a 5/16 bolt. Dave Schacht mentioned that also in here. It has to be longer than 4 3/8 inches and Dave cut his down to that size at home since there is no bolt that exact length. Any longer seems to get it to close to the alternator/water pump belt.
Let me know if that is the case too as I will need that bolt soon. Like you I didnt have the new style alternator on my Gen2.

Pat-It is 5/16" x 5" bolt cut down to fit as Mark stated. I purchased mine at Fastenal but they are not open on the weekend. Not sure where to go locally on the weekend. On more than one occasion I have started mine up with the alternator leads taped up and a battery charger on the battery. It worked fine.

Funny thing Bill I went to Fasenall the first thing Saturday and guess what I found. Hard to believe any retail store not open on Saturday. I did find a grade 8 5/16 at a new ACE hardware and they had a 4.5 inch one that I believe will work. If it is too long I will use a washer rather than cutting it.

Just about ready to fire it up. Had no clearance problems as I welded two metal plates on the upper right motor mount with the two holes at the proper height. I also used the new left shortened mount and the engine is level. One big suggestion to any do it yourself people is to mate the trany to the engine before you install it. We had to make some modifications so the trany would attach to the plate. If you have problems doing it with it out, you will have even bigger problems with it in.

Thanks to everyone who put together the manual. It's a must. One question I have relates to the availability of data from the ecu directly to my PC. Is it available or is it password protected by enterprise. My Aim is too old and won't interact with the ecu.

I am also going to have to use my old A/F. Any suggestions as to where to put the 2nd oxy?

You can pull the data directly from the ECU using the PE3 software which you should already have set up to do the initial TPS setting before you start up the engine. The installation comes with the wiring to dash mount the ECU data connector and a PC cable with a USB connector on one end and an ethernet connection on the other (you'll need a PC that has an ethernet connection). All the sensors may be downloaded over selected periods of time into a CSV format. After that it's "do-it-yourself" if you want to graph it out or check for anomalies.