Looking for engine access in a 2003 Discovery

[StevieG]

I have a 2003 Discovery with a 330 Cat and my bedroom has a slide. I want to test and perhaps pull the alternator and can't access it from underneath. I guess I could if I wanted to remove the batteries and air filter, but have to assume there is an easier way from the top. I opened the bed base (which flips up) and couldn't find an easy way to pull the floor up to get to the engine. I read in another thread somebody went through the closet floor on their Excursion. Not sure what the is access my rig and any help with getting to the alternator is appreciated.

[navigator336]

I have a 2006 Expedition and the engine access may be very similar to yours. For mine, you raise the bed then remove the left side of the bed frame by pulling two "C" clips on the hinge-like attachments. Then you raise the carpeted floor under the removed bed frame and adjacent to the closet (my closet is in the rear). This is the tricky part because the floor ramps up slightly to the closest floor rail making it seem impossible to bet the floor section you are trying to remove out from underneath the left side night stand. It is not impossible. You have to flex the floor on the closet side while pulling like a gorilla. The floor will come out (at first you may not think it will, but it will). Then you'll see some very large screw heads (I have four of them). Unscrew those and look to see if there might be a standard screw around the perimeter of the floor plate. If so, remove it. Then this section of floor will easily lift out giving you good access to the engine.

[mchero]

On my 07 Discovery I have to also remove part of the bed frame to get to the hatch. Rather that "fight" with the clips, I just remove one side of the hinge.

[StevieG]

Rather than messing with the bed, we climbed over the house batteries and removed the air cleaner to get to the alternator. Alternator changed and charging at 14.2v. Now I'm a happy camper again!

[lacdubonnet]

not a pleasant job especially if you are not a mechanic get somebody to do it.my rv guy had a pit where he worked from underneath,good idea to change serpentine [fan belt] and keep old one as a spare for the road

[Jim2]

yours should be similar to my 05 D. you remove the left corner of the bed frame, then remove a rectangular section of the floor, which provides an opening right over the engine.
The removable floor section in the rear closet provides access to the rear radiator & charge air cooler, & fan.

[lacdubonnet]

yes it is the same if you are doing it disconnect batteries first you are working in tight space because you don't want cables sparking when disconnecting it

good luck doing it and maybe you might have better acess from the outside but you would have to remove air filter first.
I
these truck repairs shops have giant floor jacks also where lift the rear end up in the air and work from bottom.my alternator was a bad resistor at a $100 fix and the rv mechanic charged me a $100.00 to take it off and put it back on.so you will decide whether you want to do it your self,apparently the tighter on the alternator belt is a b----- to adjust.
let me know how you made out

chip [Winnipeg]

[StevieG]

Originally Posted by lacdubonnet

good luck doing it and maybe you might have better acess from the outside but you would have to remove air filter. let me know how you made out

chip [Winnipeg]

Hey Chip, as posted above, we climbed over the batteries and removed the air filter. We opted to do it this way because it was actually more appealing to approach it this way than to deal with the bed and floor. Also as stated above, she's charging at 14.2 to 14.4v. Thanks.