I currently own a 1982 WS6 Trans Am with about 120,000 miles on the original 305 4-barrel, 3-speed. Last spring, I switched out the factory alternator with a Powermaster 120 AMP and installed a DAYCO 15445 V-belt. Since that time, this alternator has gone through 4 v-belts in less than 16 months. Powermaster told me that the belt wasn't tight enough and that these high amperage alternators required a super-tight belt. Although I made the belt as tight as I humanly could, I am now due for another one.

Any idea how tight you can make these belts before you risk snapping them? Is there anything stronger than a standard polyester v-belt that would work for these 3rd-gens with a high-amp alternator?

Any tips from the pros on here are greatly appreciated. I would rather spend my money wisely and buy a good belt and install it perfectly then continue to install a new belt every 3 months. By the way, there has been no burning rubber smell or squealing from the belt as it is not loose.

Thanks everyone.

Nathan

 

Iunno, a hugely tight belt seems like a good way snap them, plus wear out the alt and wp bearings quickly.

120A is not a huge alt - just do the belt up 'normally tight' - so you can flex it about a cm in the middle of it's longest segment.

 

I would think a " tight" belt is more likely to load up and break.
At worst ,a loose belt will slip on the pulleys.

How does the belt " break" ?
Any signs of wear on the sides indicating the pulleys may not be in perfect alignment ?

 

You really don't need to reef on the adjustment. Like others have mentioned, it only puts strain on the bearings of the other accessories that are driven by the same belt.

Is the belt actually failing and if so, how?

Or does it just not look "right"?

A photo or two would help.

 

Did you use your original pulley from your old alternator? Or the one that came on your new one. Could have a mismatch there with width and depth. Are you in alignment? Are you tearing the sides of the belt up? Too tight and you could break it. Too loose and it will squeal meaning it is slipping. Should just use normal tension. Are you having to tighten it too much because it is slipping because your other pulleys are too slick. They "polish up" over time and get slick. I did not see a that number belt listed as fitting your car on the index I looked at. But it had the same width and depth, just a different length. So are the brackets in factory locations, or did something slip or get bent?

 

Included are some pictures of the alternator taken 06/25/2013. All the belts visible in the pictures were installed at the same time, however, only the alternator belt is in need of replacement. The alternator was installed complete with the Powermaster pulley wheel. The brackets are factory - only the alternator itself is aftermarket. The belt is still very tight and snug with very little play or deflection despite the condition it is in. I am not sure if the belt is simply running warmer than the others or is rubbing the pulleys the wrong way. Have a look and share your advice. Thank you - Nathan.






The photo below was taken immediately after the alternator was initially installed in March of 2012.

 

 

Looks to me like a couple of issues going on.

In photos 3 and 6, the alternator pulley and the water pump pulley appear mis-aligned.

The belts running in the water pump pulley all look alike, as if the belts are too wide for the pulley groove (note the dished appearance of the belt). I would discount this for now because if this was an issue, I would think all the belts would be showing some distress.

Because the issue is with the alternator belt, I think there's something up with the alternator pulley and/or its alignment.

If you have a stock alternator, I'd install that and a new belt (Dayco) and check your belt life.

I'd also loosen the belts and re-adjust them. Little or no deflection is way too tight, IMO. I adjust belts with about a 1/2" deflection up and down (1" total) deflection with modest pressure at the longest run between pulleys.

I recall an online Gates belt failure troubleshooting guide. You might want to try a Google search and see if your problem is addressed there.

Edit: Are you tightening ALL the alternator adjusting bolts? Leaving the bolt that the alternator "swings" on loose can cause the mis-alignment seen in your photos. Also, over-tightening the belt can force the alternator to "tweak" causing mis-alignment as well (in my experience).

 

The pulleys are not lined up. The alternator is too far ahead. Check the air pump also, it does not look straight (but it's close). The a/c side does look pretty good. And what is that groove in pulley on the alternator? (The engine side) Mine have always been smooth. That might be where you are tearing up the belt.