Still strugglin

[noobysurfer]

Hi, I am getting desperate now with this belt change on a third gen! I have searched here,oz site,google and my crappy Max Ellery manual and can't find the details on changing the inside drivebelts. I have undone the two top bolts on the alternator and released the tensioner slide thing but it still wont budge and I do not see any more bolts holding the alt on!!Have I missed a bolt thats out of sight or do I need to take off something else to get slack on the alternator???Ta much

[mud skipper]

have you tried tapping the alternator housing, mine was stuck today but with a sharp tap it soon came free.

[GRASSMAN]

Hi, I am getting desperate now with this belt change on a third gen! I have searched here,oz site,google and my crappy Max Ellery manual and can't find the details on changing the inside drivebelts. I have undone the two top bolts on the alternator and released the tensioner slide thing but it still wont budge and I do not see any more bolts holding the alt on!!Have I missed a bolt thats out of sight or do I need to take off something else to get slack on the alternator???Ta much

Hi nooby,

There is a bolt below the adjuster bolt on my 2.4 and it feels
like a dome nut, you can't really see it but you can feel it.
Think of the adjuster at 12 o' clock the lower bolt is at about
25to30 min past., under the alt. If you know what I mean.
A long pry bar also helps to move the alt.
Hope this helps.

Gma.

[noobysurfer]

Thanks but I think 3rd gen setup is different as I can't see any other bolts even after I removed the bash plate and looked from underneath!I have also tapped and hit it so I'm still baffled!!

[Albannach]

You did slacken the pinch bolt on the adjuster, didn't you?

[noobysurfer]

Yes I undid the whole tensioner including the locking nut!

[Albannach]

So you've slackened the alternator mountings, wound the adjuster back, slackened the pinch bolt and levered the alternator back towards the block, but the belts still won't come off?

If that is the case, and you are 1000% sure you have the correct new belts, cut the old ones off. It may be the wrong ones are fitted just now? That's the only thing I can think of.

[noobysurfer]

I've undone the two bolts on the top slackened the tensioner and it's lock nut. Have I missed something?? The new belts are from roughtrax so I'd presume they'll fit . Thanks

[Albannach]

Sorry to harp on here. You are certain you slackened off the right pivot bolts and the right adjuster? I think there are 2 adjusters, one at the top for the air con and one down the bottom for the Alternator.

[noobysurfer]

Yeah defo mate I'd undone the top one to get the fan belt out of the way and took off the bash plate and undone the lower one and I know I didn't really need to remove bash plate but couldn't see under the alt to check for more bolts!total headmelt!

[Albannach]

Thing is, I don't want you cutting the old belts off in case there's something you've missed and you can't get the new ones on.

If it were me, I'd cut them off. But I'd be 100% sure there was an issue with the old ones. But I can't be certain about what you've done/are doing.

[noobysurfer]

Thanks for your input, it's appreciated.I was tempted to chop them but won't be able to lever the new ones on or might snap them in the bodging process! The thing is it should be a simple routine job so I have most likely missed something like a bolt under the compressor thing above the alt!

[yoshie]

You can still bring it here if you like. I am around most of Sunday.

[JUDWAK]

take yoshie up on his offer
tiz always better to be shown what to do
theres no better way of learning dude

[noobysurfer]

Thanks all for your input and thanks again yoshie for the offer but I sorted it today, lost the plot, took off wheel and plastic guard thingy on wheel arch and smacked it with a mash hammer and hey presto it moved!!! So I didn't have to remove the water pump after all but it helped me get a good wallop at it lol. Next job is discs and pads!