New year Challenge... Alternator belt tensioning!

[Miss Ali]

Well firstly Happy new Year to you All

So.... can anyone give me some tips, point me in the way of a good garage, or able to guide (support me) in having a go at tightening up a TF Alternator belt?

Is the best way from the wheel side (have tried that and its hard), or, from above, or ?????

All tips welcome and happy to travel and get my hands dirty too.

[Captain Slow]

There should be an adjuster screw to aid tightening the belt-it's a bolt mounted on the bottom body of the alternator. It's quite often seized so application of a penetrating fluid is advised...

What's the condition of the belt like too?

[Matt Parker]

Non air con F/TF's the alternator is at the bottom of the engine in the corner of the subframe on the drivers side. The alternator is secured to the engine with 2 bolts, 1 through the top of the alternator through a cast aluminum mount bracket on the engine next to the exhaust manifold(bolt goes through the mount from the exhaust side to the outside of the car with a 15mm (m10) hex nut on the end), the bottom bolt locates inside the alternator and through the adjustment bracket at the base of the engine above the oil filter housing(with a 15mm(m10) hex nut and washer on the adjustment bracket side) with an 8mm head (m6) bolt fitted to the alternator facing the front of the vehicle that locates in the end of the adjustment bracket.

To adjust the alternator belt tension you need to make sure that the 2 15mm mounting nuts(top and bottom) are free which will allow the alternator to move. With the 2 nuts free you then do up(or undo) the 8mm which will tighten(or loosen) the drive belt. This 8mm bolt usually seizes inside the alternator and it will snap if it is seized tight and you try to adjsut it, if this happens then it is not the end of the world as it makes it easier for you to adjust the alternator belt load, it just means that to tighten the belt you will have to push the alternator out by hand or by using a lever bar etc and hold it in the possiton your happy witht he belt tension and then tighten the lower mounting nut on the adjuster bracket.

Access wise the top mounting bracket nut is best gained from the top with the engine inspection panel cover removed but if you have thin bendy hands to may be able to get up with a spanner or socket on rachet through the wheel well area. The lower mounting nut of the adjuster bracket is accessed from the wheel well area once the dirt shield has been removed from the subframe(if it is still fitted). The 8mm adjustment bolt is accessed from under the car reaching up with a spanner or a 1/4 drive rachet and socket.

That should help you out

[Sambomonkee]

Thats a great howto, I have to do mine before I get the belts done, it looks like its about to snap.

Rich, it worth setting up a HOWTO section or better know as the "Matt" section where we can put and find these guide?

[Rich]

I'll just move it to the relevant technical/mods section... and possibly retitle to suit!

[Sambomonkee]

Just followed this excellent guide, and it happened as explained, took me a while on how to get my ratchet on the bottom nut, but once done found the 8mm one hiding round the back and it promptly snapped off.

I found the easiest way to get it tight again, was nip up the bottom nut, and then with a long lever hammer the bottom of the alternator to move a nats at a time. Its not as tight as I would like it but it wasn't moving any more, and its not squealing so must be good.

Now the TF is ready for the road.

[Matt Parker]

Thats good, you may just have to re-check the tension in about a week or 2 after use as it may settle and require more tension

[Miss Ali]

Done it I done it I don it

OK after two attempts, car jacked up and ispection hatch open (for the first time) I actually managed to do the work all by myself.....

A little happy with oneself this morning.

Just a shame I wont be able to give Mazy a good run out to the meet on Thursday though... work have scheduled me in to work at Windsor on that day now.....


Thanks for all the tips folks

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