Sequence to follow to tighten a/c and alternator belts on MK1 1.6l NA engine
I have tried three (3) times to tighten the belts on my 1.6l NA. Each time, the a/c belt still flaps a lot . I do not have OEM belts installed. First I will state how I have tried to do it, then what I think happens and then need to know what to do to solve the problem.
I now have the proper sized OEM Continental belts available to install.
What I do, remove alternator, put on belts, tighten a/c compressor belt.
Then replace alternator and tighten the belt. Appears that by following my steps, when I tighten the alternator belt, the geometry changes and the a/c compressor is moved and the belt gets loose. I can tell that the PO had used a pry-bar to apply tension to the alternator belt, because he wound up bending the top of the front apron in front of the alternator. After performing the same process three (3) times and getting the same results, decided to ask for assistance.
What am I doing wrong???
Help! Summer has arrived in north Texas, got to have access to cold air.
OEM belts are Conti AVX10x643 and Conti AVX13x960.
Does yours not have the idler pulley for the alternator belt? Guessing you've got a Mk I?
Don't know if the Mk II brackets can be adapted, but they've got a bolt-type tensioner on literally everything. No prying involved!
Will try to overcome current setup first. If too much trouble, will try to get parts to install the setup with the idler wheel, but may or maynot be able to retrofit due to the way the a/c lines are made. Thanks.
ken
Couple of tips to help you out.
#1: Toss the 17mm bolts and nuts that tighten the AC compressor to the curved bracket. Get some short carriage bolts to fit in there with som2 15mm nuts on the outside. That way, you'll be able to tighten the compressor without removing the alt.
#2: You can pry between the compressor and the block/bracket to apply good tension to the AC belt. Cram a prybar in there, and push with your foot while you tighten the carriage bolts.
#3: Alt belt is easy to tighten once the compressor is properly tightened in ther.
#4 Make sure there are no broken bolts on the AC compressor at the swivel point. If so, your compressor will rock all over the place.
#5 Continental V-belts suck dong. They stretch, and stretch and stretch for about a year before they stop stretching. Get some Gates if you don't want to be bothered (green stripe)/
#6 If your pulleys are rusted/pitted, the belts will eat away in a hurry and loosen themselves up. Before you go back in there, get an angle grinder with a wire-wheel attachment and clean the insides of the pulleys.
That should solve your problems.