Small 84 LTD Alternator pulley belt broke

CincyGal · 06-02-2009, 08:42 AM

Hi all,

It's me again. I was driving my car and heard a noise, then the power steering went out, and the engine light came on. I thought it was something with the power steering, and I could still steer, so I just headed home (about 5 miles). The Check Engine light came on also. I made it home, and the alternator fan belt was just shredded, and some coolant fluid was leaking.

I don't know if I had the alternator belt hooked up wrong from my previous problems which I posted about in the Electrical section here or not.

Does anyone know where I can get a diagram of how the belt is supposed to be hooked up?

Also, after the belt snapped, I drove the car about 5 miles. Do you think it hurt the engine by driving? Thanks for reading.

CG

ElectrolysisDoc · 06-02-2009, 09:38 AM

I forgot your engine size Cincy.

Oh, hows the fuse box comin' along.....

CincyGal · 06-02-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectrolysisDoc

I forgot your engine size Cincy.

Oh, hows the fuse box comin' along.....

Hi Doc,
It's a 6 cylinder, I just went out to try to find a size, and didn't see anything. The car started up also. I just started it and turned it off right away.

Fuse box is still there, as far as I know.

I do have a Hayne's manual and all it says is the fuse box is on the left side of instrument panel. I see some Phillips type screws on bottom part of dash near steering wheel, I will undo the screws sometime soon to find it.

Thanks for reading and replying
CG

CincyGal · 06-02-2009, 10:39 AM

Also, I'm looking at the Hayne's manual and I see that there are diagrams for the belts.

I just don't know if the belt was ready to go, or if I had it hooked up wrong somehow after my electrical problem. I did drive the car some after I put the alternator back in.

ElectrolysisDoc · 06-02-2009, 10:58 AM

Belt Diagram for CincyGal

CincyGal · 06-02-2009, 04:29 PM

Thanks so much Doc! I will get a belt and do my best to follow the instructions in the Hayne's manual for replacing it.

CG

CincyGal · 06-04-2009, 01:16 PM

Hi,
There's always a problem, it seems. I got the new belt installed, and worked the tensioner to get it to the right tension, started the car, ran it for about 5 or 10 minutes, shut it off, and saw that the belt already had a groove worn in it from being too wide on the alternator pulley. The belt fit perfectly on the other pulleys.

I'm going back to where I got the alternator and belt (same place). I wonder if the reason my belt broke is because there was a wrong size pulley on the rebuilt alternator that I had gotten. If so, they owe me a belt, I'm thinking!

Thanks for reading,
CG

ElectrolysisDoc · 06-04-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CincyGal

.... ran it for about 5 or 10 minutes, shut it off, and saw that the belt already had a groove worn in it from being too wide on the alternator pulley....
CG

Yes, there are differences between pulleys. It may be the same alternator, but would have a different pulley. The parts person should have seen that, and transferred your old pulley to the new alternator. I wonder where your (old) pulley is now? Yes they do owe you a belt and a pulley and an apology. Stand you ground Cincy, make 'em do what's right. Involve the manager if needs be.