Alternator belt issue

[philstar]

Hi guys I am just reaplcing the alternator belt on my 1989 16v because the old one snapped and flew off.

I cannot seem to fit the new belt, because I cannot fit it between the cambelt pulley and water pump pulley, they are right next to each other so the belt wont fit through.

Has anybody has this issue before?

[philstar]

OK I'm not sure If I'm doing this right.

I have a power steering belt which goes round the camshaft pulley, power steering pump pulley and water pump pulley.

I also have an alternator belt, should this go round camshaft pulley, alternator pulley and water pump pulley? Or only round alternator and water pump pulleys?

[dai-cymru]

The outer belt goes from crank pulley to water pump pulley to power steering pully. The inner belt goes to alternator then crank.

[philstar]

That matches up with this diagram:

http://www.vintagewatercooleds.com/tech/Techtips/Timbotechnotes/belts/pics/NoACwithPS.gif

However surely the alternator belt will be deflected by the water pump pulley? In this diagram the dotted grey line goes right through the water pump pulley, but in reality it cannot do that, am I missing something here?

[philstar]

Here is a top down photo of my pulleys with both belts removed:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gnU239tWNlg/UtJ0o-da-WI/AAAAAAAAErc/f34S0KXuWQ8/w432-h576-no/IMG_20140112_105101.jpg

You can see that the crank pulley (top of the photo) is right next to the water pump pulley (middle of the photo), so close in fact that I cannot squeeze a belt in between the gap. If I took the water pump pulley off, put the belt on, then put the water pump pulley back on, it would deflect the belt.

Are my pulleys correct? By the looks of what I have, it would seem logical that the alternator belt runs around the water pump pulley as well as the crank and alternator pulleys.

[oakgreener]

The first belt layout is correct. Is your alternator fallen too low on the bracket looking like a clash with the water pump pulley? Shove it up higher and try that.
I've got a pic here of mine but I haven't a clue how to down load it!

[philstar]

ETKA suggests using the 9.5x950 belt:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B59jukMYhgqNaUlCN2UwZWpCRE0/edit?usp=sharing

which fits perfectly around the alternator, crank and waterpump pulleys.

Lower down in the list it does suggest using a smaller belt "for power-steering" that is 865mm, but as I said before I cannot fit this belt in between the crank and waterpump pulleys, which are fixed in place.

It is running fine with the 950 belt around all 3 pulleys, if anyone knows how I can get the smaller belt in between the crank and waterpump pulleys AND not have it fouling the waterpump pulley, I'm all ears. I cannot believe you would have to remove the waterpump pulley every time you changed the alternator belt...

[philstar]

...and here is a photo with both belts on:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NsGxoAK8Y3c/UtKOMUiw9nI/AAAAAAAAEsg/uteS-syJuUw/w432-h576-no/IMG_20140112_124359.jpg

If anyone thinks this definitely wrong and dangerous please let me know!

[philstar]

It seems to match up with the "no air con & no power steering" model belts:

http://www.vintagewatercooleds.com/tech/Techtips/Timbotechnotes/belts/pics/NoACnoPS.gif
except I definitely do have power steering.

Odd.

[oakgreener]

You should be running an 865mm between the crank and alternator and a 735 between the crank, water pump and pwr steering