Serp belt alignment off after alt install

cvtech · Post by **cvtech** » 15 Mar 2020, 11:22

So I've had my 98 V70 AWD apart for the last couple weeks digging into a slew of repairs that I've put off for some time. The most pressing was the alternator, leaking cracked radiator, leaking oil cooler lines, and leaking firewall side heater hoses. I replace all parts and took my old alt to local reman shop for $90 out the door.

I get to the spot yesterday where where I put tension back on the serp belt and ready to fire it up. Well the motor stalls right after start up and I check to see whats going on. Serp belt partially slipped off the alternator probably causing the crank to sieze and stall engine. I can see the idle pulley is a bit angled potentially causing the belt to pull off the alternator. I tried readjusting the power steering pump bracket where the idle pulley attaches a few times but could not get the belt to stick on the alternator. I'm a bit perplexed. Any thoughts? Picture attached shows serp belt back on correctly but pulley off line.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsLCgbXjLxbvgeBecC1fGjghq6bufg

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 15 Mar 2020, 16:38

Looks like a spacer missing on the bottom back side of the Alternator.
Looked at my '98, the lower bolt does not stick out pass the Alternator housing like it does in your picture.

Post by **Chuck W** » 15 Mar 2020, 20:45

RickHaleParker wrote: 15 Mar 2020, 16:38 Looks like a spacer missing on the bottom back side of the Alternator.
Looked at my '98, the lower bolt does not stick out pass the Alternator housing like it does in your picture.

That looks like a alternator case bolt, not a mounting bolt.

The long,lower alternator bolt, that's a big pain in the ass to get to (between the alt and the engine) is supposed to thread into the tensioner pulley bracket. There should not be a nut on the end of it when you put that bolt back in.

I dumbed it when I was replacing the alt in my '97 T5 and installed that bolt with a nut on the end. To be fair, that bolt was MISSING from my engine, thanks to a half-assed repair by a lazy previous owner. I'd forgotten about how it went together from when I swapped alternators in my '96 GLT a couple years prior.

If you installed that bolt with a nut on it, that is keeping the tensioner bracket from sitting properly, thus causing the alignment to be off.