Ok, so my belts started squeeling on startup about 5 days ago.I inspected it and noticed that the bottom bolt on my alternator was completely gone! The story goes back even farther though. Last year sometime I had problems getting the alternator aligned right with the crank pulley.Turned out my alternator bracket lower bolt hole was wore oblong and causing alternator to sit crooked.I replaced the bracket itself, but the bolt itself was wore some also.So I assume I just went to a hardware store and grabbed a 3/8 bolt, washers, and a nut.This lasted me till now.

Problem I have is that the new 3/8 bolt I but in there has a little bit of slop to it.I tried the next size up, 7/16 but it was too big to fit in hole.All this would not be a problem at all If dodge sold oem parts! I guess they forgot about the neon, I bet they got all the caliber parts in stock.Anyways, because this bottom bolt is "not-sevicable", the dealer cannot tell me anything about the bolt.I dont trust the bolt I have in there now.I imagine its gonna rattle, and probably wear the bracket hole oblong like the last bolt did.

Yesterday my belt would not stop squeeling on me, so I got kinda mad and revved engine to about 6k on takeoff.The belt flew right off.So I had no alternator belt, and no lower bolt for the alternator.Luckily the car still ran 15-20 miles without the belt so I could get to a friends house to temporarily fix with this 3/8 bolt that I dont think is the correct one.I also put a lock nut on it this time.I tightened it down, started car, everything seemed fine.I shut it off a cpl min later, and to my shock the lower bolt was loose again! I guess from now on I will try getting parts from a junkyard instead of dealer.Sure would be nice to just get any new parts I need from a dealer though.Did'nt they sell over 2 million neons? Allready they dont carry a lot of parts for it? Makes me a bit upset.

So, can anyone tell me the specs. on that bottom alternator bolt.?

 

If a service manual doesent say, The easyest way to find out is to take the upper bolt, (same bolt) take it in to your closest ace hardware or hardware store of choice. they should have a pitch finder normally a little white board with a bunch of holes and groves in it and match it up. If you have never done it before have someone that works there help. then you will have the absolute right bolt.

 

i had a bolt that needed to be matched up and i took it to ace and they could not find it so i took it to Napa and got it in like a minute but it was an easyer one to find it was the exhaust Bolt but they didnt have any in stock so he just went in the back and grabbed a bolt that matched up

 

I have a couple extra bolts like that laying around, you need the long one in the bottom that connects to the one on the side, I think?

 

You need metric bolts not standard.

 

As far as taking top bolt out and matching it up, the top of alternator is held by a nut.I took that nut and tried it on a lower starter bolt that I recently purchased, and it matched perfect.Then I took the starter bolt and slid it into the lower alternator hole and it fit loose.So the bottom bolt must be bigger.

Im thinking that the bolt must be metric seeing as 7/16 bolt fits loose, and a 3/8 bolt was too big.Last night I tightened the 7/16 bolt I have in there very tight with a locknut on other end.Today I checked it, and I could easily turn bolt with wrench.The vibration from it being slightly sloppy is probably causing the nut to loosen some.

I would not be having ANY of these problems if dodge just sold replacement parts! At this point Im disgusted with dodge dealers, I guess I will take a few trips to local junkyards.

Oh I do have a haynes manual, I'll check that....If I can find it....

 

arnt most of the nuts and bolts on the neon metric? i had the same issue with the exhaust manifold bolts. but i found them at some hardware store. for like 2 bucks i got 4 of them i had to tell the lady they were metric though wasnt to hard to find

 

Well...this one is hard to find.I just went to 2 different hardware stores and neither of them have a metric bolt long enough.This is a pain in the fin ***! Once again If dodge carried replacement parts for the 2 million + neons they sold.I would not be having this problem.[:@]

 

im having the same exact issue and i cant find that exact bolt ANYWHERE!!! how annoying [:@]

 

Yea, I managed to find a bolt in my bolt collection that fit well...not sure if its same as stock or not.I would suggest a junkyard to you.Since the dealer could give a F less about the neon.