Author Topic: Alternator bracket looks like ??? (Read 1927 times)

stabmaster · « **on:** November 28, 2008, 10:51:29 pm »

I've pulled apart VW gassers at the local junk yard. The brackets are shorter. My alternator is sitting on a longer bracket with no adjustment. Without this adjustment I simply can't get the belt tight enough. I have a whole bunch of extra metal brackets and none look right. Anyone have pics? are these brackets adjustable? If so, I guess I aught to figure out where to get one!

Thanks

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** November 28, 2008, 11:02:44 pm »

A/C and non A/C are different. which one do you have?

Quantum TD · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2008, 01:34:13 am »

It's hard to advise also, without knowing what year your car is.

But, it sounds like you have a MK2 car with AC. It's the only one I can think of that has a long ALT bracket with no adjustment. If that's the case, then the adjustment is in the small idler pulley that sits just beneath the alternator. You loosen (slightly) the 17mm center nut, and the you use the 13mm adjustment bolt to pull the pulley tighter. When you get the correct tension, then lock the 17mm nut back down.

stabmaster · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2008, 01:16:47 pm »

sorry i always forget the little things

i have a '91 jetta- a diesel was swapped in and all of the "details" were kindof hack-jobbed together (not me). im' just trying to fix it all!

it has A/C...

stabmaster · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2008, 01:19:57 pm »

Quote from: "Quantum TD"

It's hard to advise also, without knowing what year your car is.

But, it sounds like you have a MK2 car with AC. It's the only one I can think of that has a long ALT bracket with no adjustment. If that's the case, then the adjustment is in the small idler pulley that sits just beneath the alternator. You loosen (slightly) the 17mm center nut, and the you use the 13mm adjustment bolt to pull the pulley tighter. When you get the correct tension, then lock the 17mm nut back down.

thanks for your reply!

i thought that was the way to do it; however, i ran out of adjustment room... but the bolt wasn't threadded all the way up.... so against my better judgement i went to the hardware store and got a bolt that threads all the way up..

THEN it threadded further, but still didn't tighten the alt all the way down because the a/c belt was limiting the range... so i got a bigger one.

The third time around I basically got the 13mm bolt to thread all the way down and still wasn't able to get the belt tight.

I got a smaller belt and i can't get it around the pulley-- not even close. I'm considering getting a smaller pulley (?!). something is off. I am pretty much out of ideas.

I appreciate the help!

vanbcguy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2008, 12:42:56 pm »

If you're trying belts by size rather than by application, you're PROBABLY getting SAE (north american) type belts. The groove in the pulleys on the VW's isn't the same shaped 'V' as an SAE belt and while the SAE belts "appear" to fit you'll have all kinds of problems with them slipping, breaking, jumping off, etc...

You shouldn't have too much trouble getting the proper type belt (at least here in Canada it was just a parts store thing, nothing special) but just so you're aware...