Alternator Belt Won't Clear

LoveX1/9s

LoveX1/9s

True Classic
As the title states, I can't get my alternator because I can't loop the belt over either pulley. I have the air cooled BOSCH alternator. If I didn't know better, I think it has 2 fans so there's not way to loop it over the alternator. Is the alternator suppose to be like this? If I could get to it, I would take the extra fan off but can't. Other than cutting the belt and figuring it out later, I'm at a loss. Any ideas?
 
Does it have AC?

Is your 86 an AC car or non-AC?

On a non-AC car you should just need to loosen the adjustment bolt and move the alt as far as possible to gain enough slack to get the belt off. The belt set up is different for AC and a little more involved.

Here are the manual pages:

 
Take the alternator loose. Put the belt on. Put it on the water pump pulley as best you can and slowly rotate it till the belt goes around. Then push it to the rear grove while slowly rotating the water pump. Put the alternator back in place so the mounting bolts fit and tighten things. Yes it is a PITA.
 
I had to put my 86 in 4th gear (break off) put the belt on two of the three and hold it against the starting of the 3rd pulley and push the car forward to turn the motor over and run the belt onto the pulley.

(some people use the starter for this but I prefer the more control of watching and moving it slowly)
 
If the belt is such that loosening the bolt on the sliding mount still does not give you enough slack to remove or replace the belt, then you will have to remove the other bolt on which the alt body pivots. This lets you move the alt any way needed to allow the belt to come off.
 
It says in the instructions to "adjust tension to like 90-110lbs." Never heard of that. How do you measure this?
 
With a belt tension gauge

RJH said:
It says in the instructions to "adjust tension to like 90-110lbs." Never heard of that. How do you measure this?
Click to expand...

Not that I have one. Remember these shop manuals were written for Fiat dealership mechanics that go to the drawer labeled "Fiat belt tension gauge" when they need to measure belt tension.

I use the "deflection" test and push on the belt with my thumb to see how much give there is. Oh yeah, that feels about right. :nod:
 
Thanks to All...

I should have noted that it's an 86 with air. Hence the extra alternator fan makes it impossible to clear the belt on the alternator side... So It looks like it needs to come off on the water pump side - towards the engine block as many of you stated... I tried to hook it over the top but it didn't have enough slack. Looks like I'll have to push the car forward... And yes it has been a PITA so far.
 
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LoveX1/9s said:
ILooks like I'll have to push the car forward... And yes it has been a PITA so far.
Click to expand...

Instead of pushing the car forward, you can lift the right rear wheel an inch off the ground with a jack (think dog at a fire hydrant), then turn the wheel with a socket on one of the lug bolts. I find that easier and much more controllable.
 
belt gauge

I think I have one here that you can borrow. basically it sits on the top of the belt and has what looks like a tire gauge and you push down to measure the tension in the belt. freight there and back and it is yours to borrow.
mikemo
 
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