how to replace just the alternator belt?

K

kayaker37

True Classic
OK, to get my heat shield off I had to get the alternator off, to do that I ended up cutting the belt off. How in the world do I replace just that belt? This is AC with no air pump, so it is just a little thing that wraps around the water pump. There seems to be 3 bolts that I can feel on the water pump pulley, are these split pulleys? Is it just a matter of removing the bolts, then the front half of the water pump pulley, slide that belt off, then slide off the front half of the alternator pulley to get at the belt? Seems awfully tight in there.

Thanks,
Paul
 
The split pulley is on the crank, not the WP.

1. Safely raise, support, chock vehicle. Remove RR wheel and plastic splash shield in RR wheel well.
2. Loosen and remove the split pulley bolts on the crank pulley, disassemble pulley noting which shims are between the pulley halves.
3. Remove the crank to WP belt.
4. Now you have access to install the WP to ALT belt.
5. Install and adjust tension on the WP to ALT belt.
6. Reposition the crank to WP belt--consider installing a newbelt. If reusing existing belt, put the shims back the way they were at disassembly. If you do install a new belt, expect it to "ride" a little lower in the pulley v-groove so a pulley shim may need to be removed from the outer "storage" portion of the outer pulley half and added between the pulley halves.
7. Tighten split pulley bolts evenly in several stages. Some have written that they use the starter to "bump" the engine around after each tightening stage to help the belt ride out to the outer edge of the pulley. Of course, be sure the car is in neutral and wheels chocked for safety.
8. Replace splash shield and RR wheel.

If you have the electronic parts manual for '79 and up, look at page 24/1 for a pretty good exploded diagram.


Or, you can develop the X1/9 version of this:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA"]YouTube- The Original Fast Volkswagen Belt Change.[/ame]
 
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thanks Dan, I hung the exhaust back on this morning and the humidity must have gotten to me, I just couldn't make sense of the manual. I'll get those two belts and skip the AC belt as it doesn't work anyway. That is for some other time.
 
floor jack recommendations?

Didn't even complete step 1. Put the floor jack under, started to raise, it wouldn't go up any more, oil started to seep out, then puked on the floor. Sears 1 1/2 ton floor jack, 5 to 14 inch range. Did I overload it?

P1010520.jpg



Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
The split pulley is on the crank, not the WP.
1. Safely raise
Click to expand...
 
"Did I overload it?"
:grin::grin::grin: The whole car doesn't weigh 1-1/2 tons!

Nope like Greg said, looks like you got your money's worth outa that one.

No matter what chain auto/tool supply you go to, all of the non-commercial floor jacks seem to be about the same level of price and quality (disposable). Now more than ever, using jack stands is the way to go.

I understand that if you go to Harbor Freight and mention Tony Natoli's name you get a 10% discount :D:D
 
Ya know... I always thought that...

... being part Armenian and growing up in a Jewish neighborhood was to blame for my being so "frugal"...

But I was also born in Milford Connecticut... and now having seen this P.O.S. jack you have there (Craftsman or not...) and the fact that YOU are trying to salvage it... I am now CONVINCED it must've been WHERE I was born that contributed the most.

HA!

Now... THROW IT OUT! Don't even bother to recycle it as at a penny a pound, it ain't worth the TIME much less the GAS...

I had a 2 3/4 ton LONG floor jack I had for over 30 years... and I THOUGHT it was a US made jack... but it was actually a pre-HF, made in China jack my Dad once used for about 15 years before I got it. The EXACT replacement my neighbor GAVE me from HF cost less than $40 bucks!

Even if I could get a seal kit or rebuild kit I bet it would cost as much as the entire jack!

Now go out (or order online) at least TWO new ones, one for the wife and one for your garage, along with a set of four jackstands. Best $100 bucks you'll ever spend!

Life is too short!
 
new Jack and Milfordites!

OK saw the 3000 lb capacity lightweight aluminum racing jack at HF and found we now have two stores in CT! They matched the online price of $59, and I got the Xweb recommended 2 year extended warranty for the $10 I got off.

One of my frugal coworkers is from Milford, and she thinks it a Milford thing. Perhaps it is just a New England thing, but definitely got this from my father, who is said to have squeazed the last snot out of a Buffalo Nickel!

Oh, my wife just called and asked if the old jack can be fixed! Must be from her living in Milford for a number of years!

http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...y-lightweight-aluminum-racing-jack-91039.html

image_2331.jpg
 
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HAHAHAHA...

Wow... really enjoyed this post and the knowledge that I'm not alone... and its NOT ALL my fault!

HAHAHA!

Congrats on the new jacks!
 
Pulley half won't budge, and sexy Jack Pic!

edit: just got it by changing the angle of the wood to tap the pulley from the side and applying pressure outwards!

Removed the 3 nuts, I was expecting outer pulley half to come right off. Tapped with hammer and a block of wood. Then got a bigger block of wood and a bigger hammer. No budge. Just sprayed the studs with PB Blaster and sprayd behind the belt down into the grooves. Am I missing anything?

I dig shiny aluminum!

edit: Wife called in sick so is lying in bed. Just told her I posted a sexy jack pic, and in a sultry voice and smile said "that is a sexy jack". Wow.

Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
2. Loosen and remove the split pulley bolts on the crank pulley, disassemble pulley noting which shims are between the pulley halves.
Click to expand...

P1010523.jpg


P1010524.jpg
 
Napa 25-7270 Water Pump belt seems too loose

It had one shim in between the two halves so I put that back in. Installed the belt and started it for a few seconds, tightened the 3 nuts, and repeated this several times. I have no idea how to adjust belt tension between 60 - 80 lbs, it looked bouncy as it ran, and seemed like to much deflection when I pushed in on the center of the belt when not running (ok I admit, I did this with a stick when running as well). So I put the old belt back in and followed this sequence and it tightened up. Should I go to a smaller belt?

edit: old belt reads Fiat 5924372 A759 5k Fabrique En France
 
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Made me look... and yur wife is right!

It is indeed sexy... would go great with Tom Angle's Blue car!

As for the pulley... do you have a BIG BRASS punch and a hree pound sledge?

I would BANG on it a bit with these two pieces... as the wood is probably absorbing too much of the shock. May take a few days of soaking and banging. Careful though... ya don't wanna break the snout!
 
Why not?

I remember 100 years ago we tried to make a list of the 3 belts or so that were used on these engines...

Came up with about 20 different belts of all sizes.

When I did my GM alternator conversion I went and measured with a string... then got three belts, one each, with one size bigger and one size smaller. When I found the one I wanted, I returned the other two and bought another of the size I selected for a spare... in the CAR TOOL BOX.
 
For most replacement belt brands, the standard v-belt part-numbering schemes are a combination of the width of the belt, the angle of the v of the belt, and the circumfrence of the belt.

If the angle and the width look right but the NAPA belt you got is a little loose, then maybe the next smaller circumfrence size would be just right. It all depends on what the step interval is---2mm, 5mm or what have you.

And it may turn out that the NAPA line' step interval is too great, but another brand (Gates, Dayco, etc) line might have what you need.

The split pulley system has so little range of adjustment (compared to the usual slider style adjustment) that finding the right replacement has a bit of art as well as science to it.
 
I put in a 257265, a 1/2 inch smaller, and put all the shims in, and went through the process of tightening the three nuts, starting it, and repeat about three times. Deflection seemed good. If it stretches, I can now remove shims to tighten.
 
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