Tightening the Alternator Belt

[algirdas]

Dear All:

Okay, let's start from the premise that I am an idiot. How in the world do you tighten the alternator belt? How do you get to the bolt on the adjustment strap? Help me out here because without your help I will probably spend $500 on a set of half moon and "S" wrenches in the vain hope of reaching that God forsaken bolt.

Sincerely,

Algirdas

[paulwatkins]

Al,
I was talking about this with Pinky on the weekend.

You need to remove the power steering reservoir; this then makes it easier to access the bolt on the adjustment strap.

Paul

[muley]

Paul,

Just for the uninitiated; do we need to disconnect the low pressure pipe or can we just swing the reservoir out of the way.?

Cheers

Jim

[paulwatkins]

Jim,
Its easier if the reservoir is removed. IIRC there is not enough 'slack' in the pipework to move it to one side.

-siphon the fluid out of the reservoir
-remove the reservoir retaining bolt
-remove 2 hoses from the underside of the reservoir.

-be careful of slight spillage of fluid from hoses when you remove the reservoir.
-cover the hoses when removed to prevent any sh*t getting in to the pas system.

[Gordon]

I used one of these
Ratchet spanner
with everything else left in place...

[Monty]

I used one of these
Ratchet spanner
with everything else left in place...

Thats what i used and think i used a bar from below to get a bit more tension

[dapinky]

Well, I had to remove the reservoir cos my 10mm ratchet spenner has gone walkabout

I only did it that way cos I had just read the excellent write-up on the altenator replacement, and it seemed to make sense.

For the sake of 3 easily accessible 10mm bolts holding it on, then undoing 2 jubilee clips to remove the tank thingy (technical phrase), it was an easy job - most time-consuming was removing the fluid first - perhaps syphoning it out with some winscreen washer hose would be the way to do it????

Either way, once you can slacken the adjuster bolt, tensioning the belt is a 1 minute job from eithr top or bottom (depending on lengh of your arms!)

[madbilly]

Okay, I'm trying to avoid removing the PAS fluid pipe (because ATM I have no turkey baster, but I'll put it on my shopping list), and can get a ratchet spanner on the adjuster bolt (though the oil cooler pipe is having a good try at making it difficult), but the pivot bolt is underneath, so is this best accessed from underneath or above? TBH I can't really see how to get at it from above, or is this what moving the PAS fluid reservoir is for?

Cheers,
Will

[muley]

If you want to get the fluid out of the PAS reservoir - just undo the pipe at the other - PAS pump - end and catch the fluid as it comes out. Access the jubilee clip from under the headlight pod. Working in this area - especially the upper end - is a lot easier with the wheel arch liner out.

[HJ2]

I did it last saturday:

1. Undo pivot bolt from below
2. Undo 2 bolts that hold PAS fluid bottle in place
3. Undo 3rd bolt that holds the bracket and remove just this (the bracket)
4. Press the PAS bottle out of the way and just use your classic ring spanner or ring / ratch as per picture above to do your thing
5. Lick your wounds and admire the handy work

[Steve A]

On any other car this is a simple easy to get to 5 minute job,
when you go to adjust it on the Elan you can't believe how awkward it is

[madbilly]

is a lot easier with the wheel arch liner out

This was what I was dreading! (but thanks for the heads up on just how tricky it could get Muley)

You're right Steve, how on earth could they have made it so tricky! I was dreading adjusting the clutch biting point and was pleasantly surprised that it was so straightforward!

Thanks for the walk through HJ, I'll have a go sometime this week perhaps, or weekend. Do you reckon I'll need to remove the wheel arch liner to get at the alternator pivot bolt or should I be alright?

[HJ2]

No wheel arch liner removing involved!

Just solid axle stands or a flexible body

[madbilly]

Okay I managed it.

The easy bit:
1. Jacked car up, put an axle stand under.
2. Remove wheel.
3. Loosened the pivot bolt.

The harder bit:
4. Removed PAS fluid reservoir clamp from inside of RH wing.
5. Fed my 3/8" drive ratchet socket wrench down the side and fitted it onto the adjuster clamp bolt.
6. Spent a long time moving the wrench back and forth to loosen off the adjuster bolt!

Adjustment:
7. Fed a pry-bar down between the block and the alternator and pushed it out.
8. Jammed a spare spanner between the pry bar and the block to hold tension.
9. Tested the tension.
10. Repeated 7-9 until I reached the "goldilocks zone" (not too loose, not too tight...)

The easy bit:
11. Tightened up the pivot bolt.

The harder bit:
12. Tightened up the adjusterbolt.

Testing:
13. Started the engine, revved it a bit, no squeals, no whining, job's a good'ne.

Putting it back together:
14. Refit PAS fluid reservoir clamp.
15. Remove axle stand, wheel back on, lower jack down, tighten wheel up.

The fun bit:
16. Drive it!

I know other write-ups have said to detach the PAS fluid pipes, but for me they weren't the issue, it was the oil cooler pipes stopping me getting to the adjuster bolt. I left out the faffing around with flexible headed ratchet spanners (funny, they went on the adjuster bolt when I first tried, but not this time! They are a good suggestion and a worthwhile purchase) and loosing the bolt from the PAS fluid reservoir clamp (it got stuck between the alternator and the block of all places!).

I hope this helps others.
Cheers,
Will