Belt tensioner for the AC belt? Also, how tough to turn the alternator by hand?
01-29-2007, 04:48 PM
#1
Belt tensioner for the AC belt? Also, how tough to turn the alternator by hand? Hey guys,
The car is a 98 SS M6 FYI.
This is gonna sound really stupid but I'm trying to track down a belt problem. Recently, my relatively new main accessory belt 'jumped' off a notch (literally just moved over one notch towards the nose of the car). Only on the power steering pump. Very weird. So I loosened it and put it back. A little while later, I start getting a little belt squeal. Pop the hood, the belt is all shiny (and so are all of the pulleys). Ok, so I figure my belt is stretched or I have a bad tensioner.
Check out the tensioner, it 'seems' fine. I go to replace both belts today and I notice 2 things:
1) Alternator pulley (with no belt) is pretty hard to turn. How hard should it be? It's hard to gauge 'how hard' it is to turn, but with a single bare hand I have to use ~75% of my strength to turn it with my wrist. I'm a pretty good sized guy (6'4" 275lbs). Doesn't make any noise, or feel 'crunchy', just a lot of resistance. Is this normal?
2) I was replacing the AC belt for kicks, and I noticed the tensioner for the AC belt has no springiness to it. Should it? If I put a wrench on it and turn it, it just turns and then stays where I put it. To put tension back on the belt I turn the tensioner the other way. There doesn't seem to be any way that it holds tension other than the resistance of the tensioner (again, no springiness, just the resistance against turning back the other way to relieve tension).
I could have sworn my AC belt tensioner was spring loaded like the one for the main belt, and I could have sworn alternators turned easier than this, but I'd rather get some second (and third) opinions before I start throwing money at the car.
If I have a bad AC tensioner, do they make an aftermarket one? Or is that just for the main belt?
Thanks muchly.
Dope
The car is a 98 SS M6 FYI.
This is gonna sound really stupid but I'm trying to track down a belt problem. Recently, my relatively new main accessory belt 'jumped' off a notch (literally just moved over one notch towards the nose of the car). Only on the power steering pump. Very weird. So I loosened it and put it back. A little while later, I start getting a little belt squeal. Pop the hood, the belt is all shiny (and so are all of the pulleys). Ok, so I figure my belt is stretched or I have a bad tensioner.
Check out the tensioner, it 'seems' fine. I go to replace both belts today and I notice 2 things:
1) Alternator pulley (with no belt) is pretty hard to turn. How hard should it be? It's hard to gauge 'how hard' it is to turn, but with a single bare hand I have to use ~75% of my strength to turn it with my wrist. I'm a pretty good sized guy (6'4" 275lbs). Doesn't make any noise, or feel 'crunchy', just a lot of resistance. Is this normal?
2) I was replacing the AC belt for kicks, and I noticed the tensioner for the AC belt has no springiness to it. Should it? If I put a wrench on it and turn it, it just turns and then stays where I put it. To put tension back on the belt I turn the tensioner the other way. There doesn't seem to be any way that it holds tension other than the resistance of the tensioner (again, no springiness, just the resistance against turning back the other way to relieve tension).
I could have sworn my AC belt tensioner was spring loaded like the one for the main belt, and I could have sworn alternators turned easier than this, but I'd rather get some second (and third) opinions before I start throwing money at the car.
If I have a bad AC tensioner, do they make an aftermarket one? Or is that just for the main belt?
Thanks muchly.
Dope
01-30-2007, 09:23 PM
#3
The alternator should spin freely by hand. It should keep spinning for a minute after you let go too IIRC. The A/C belt tensioner SHOULD have a spring in it just like the main belt tensioner. Check to see if the spring in the back didn't pop out or something. I've never seen an aftermarket one BTW.
01-31-2007, 07:14 AM
#7
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The Alternator should spin very freely by hand, should spin several revolutions before it comes to a stop. If it doesnt the bearing are bad in it.
The AC tensioner should be spring loaded. AS soon as remove the belt it should go all the way forward. If it is not acting like it is under spring tension then it is bad as well.
Both of these would explain how and why your belt jumped and why the belt is very shinny now. Sounds like the AC bearing is getting locked up once it gets warm and hence glazed the new belt.
The AC tensioner should be spring loaded. AS soon as remove the belt it should go all the way forward. If it is not acting like it is under spring tension then it is bad as well.
Both of these would explain how and why your belt jumped and why the belt is very shinny now. Sounds like the AC bearing is getting locked up once it gets warm and hence glazed the new belt.
