A/C Belt problems...

[Paul93Lotus]

Had some excitement before this past weekend....went for a short drive and when I was about 3 miles from home noted that the Coolant light was on and I was running hot/boiling over.

Get home suspecting that the radiator fan relay had died or something. Turned out that BOTH bolts were missing off of my vacuum pump, and of course the belt was partly shredded, and off of the water pump. Luckily there was no visible damage or sheared off bolts. More proof that you really should go over the entire car despite proof of recent work. I guess the pinhead that did the timing belt change never tightened down these bolts properly after the timing belt change. Later found that the alternantor belt was very loose too!

Anyhow, I went and bought new accessory belts for the a/c, waterpump/vacuum pump, and alternator. Removed the a/c tensuioner completely, and no matter what I did could not get the belt off without what looked to be disconnecting the compressor from its main bracket (which looked to be a nightmare). Finally just cut the old belt off. Now the problem was the new belt I bought was the exact same length and looked impossible to get on! Finally went back to Pep Boys and got the next size belt, which fit, but has maxed out the tensioner. By the way, the a/c belt listed in all x-ref lists is this one that will not fit.

Is there something I missed? Read through the whole manual and there are no drawings or real instructions...just verbage about "Remove a/c belt."

[fjmuurling]

Hello,

I had the same problem with the belt for the A/C. For removing the old belt I had to cut it as well. Fitting the new was a tight fit however if you remove the tensioner for the belt the new one can be fitted (it was an original one).

1 - For removal cut the old belt.

2 - Remove the tensioner.

3 - Fit the new belt, put it on pulleys while turning. Same idea for putting a chain on a bicycle.

4 - Fit tensioner and adjust belt tension.

Hope this helps,

Freek

Edited November 21, 2006 by fjmuurling

[Artie]

Had some excitement before this past weekend....went for a short drive and when I was about 3 miles from home noted that the Coolant light was on and I was running hot/boiling over.

Get home suspecting that the radiator fan relay had died or something. Turned out that BOTH bolts were missing off of my vacuum pump, and of course the belt was partly shredded, and off of the water pump. Luckily there was no visible damage or sheared off bolts. More proof that you really should go over the entire car despite proof of recent work. I guess the pinhead that did the timing belt change never tightened down these bolts properly after the timing belt change. Later found that the alternantor belt was very loose too!

Anyhow, I went and bought new accessory belts for the a/c, waterpump/vacuum pump, and alternator. Removed the a/c tensuioner completely, and no matter what I did could not get the belt off without what looked to be disconnecting the compressor from its main bracket (which looked to be a nightmare). Finally just cut the old belt off. Now the problem was the new belt I bought was the exact same length and looked impossible to get on! Finally went back to Pep Boys and got the next size belt, which fit, but has maxed out the tensioner. By the way, the a/c belt listed in all x-ref lists is this one that will not fit.

Is there something I missed? Read through the whole manual and there are no drawings or real instructions...just verbage about "Remove a/c belt."

Paul,

This is a common problem, I had the exact same issue even to the point of getting the next sized belt to find it wouldn't be tight enough once tensioned. I ended up using a small prybar and some convincing to get the thing on, tightening it adequately was another problem altogether.

Artie

[Paul93Lotus]

I was going to go the prybar method, but I figured with my luck I would damage something. Maybe I will dremel out the adjustment slot a little longer to give me some more range. Probably an extra 1/4 inch would be plenty. It seems tight now, but if the bolt slackens at all the belt will probably slip when the compressor clutch engages.

I thought that I had to be doing something wrong at first, but I should have known because the car is a Lotus. I have never encountered anything like this on any other car where just getting the belt on required significant prying / possible damage to the belt just to get it on.

Is that plastic alternator bracket supposed to be loose where it mounts to the block? I noticed that there was some wear on it from what looked like belt rubbing. Some shoddy engineering for all of the accessory belt drives! A/C, vacuum pump, and alternator are all amateur night.

[fjmuurling]

I just got an idea (although i haven't tried it) which is remove the crankshaft pulley, put the belt on the pulleys and then put the crankshaft pulley back on while the tensioner is off.

Freek

[Guy W Johnson]

Paul did you make it home from the Coffee Show?

Guy

I was going to go the prybar method, but I figured with my luck I would damage something. Maybe I will dremel out the adjustment slot a little longer to give me some more range. Probably an extra 1/4 inch would be plenty. It seems tight now, but if the bolt slackens at all the belt will probably slip when the compressor clutch engages.

I thought that I had to be doing something wrong at first, but I should have known because the car is a Lotus. I have never encountered anything like this on any other car where just getting the belt on required significant prying / possible damage to the belt just to get it on.

Is that plastic alternator bracket supposed to be loose where it mounts to the block? I noticed that there was some wear on it from what looked like belt rubbing. Some shoddy engineering for all of the accessory belt drives! A/C, vacuum pump, and alternator are all amateur night.

[Artie]

I was going to go the prybar method, but I figured with my luck I would damage something. Maybe I will dremel out the adjustment slot a little longer to give me some more range. Probably an extra 1/4 inch would be plenty. It seems tight now, but if the bolt slackens at all the belt will probably slip when the compressor clutch engages.

I thought that I had to be doing something wrong at first, but I should have known because the car is a Lotus. I have never encountered anything like this on any other car where just getting the belt on required significant prying / possible damage to the belt just to get it on.

Is that plastic alternator bracket supposed to be loose where it mounts to the block? I noticed that there was some wear on it from what looked like belt rubbing. Some shoddy engineering for all of the accessory belt drives! A/C, vacuum pump, and alternator are all amateur night.

I don't think it should be loose as it has a bolt attaching it to the block, perhaps an aluminum washer or two would snug it up some. I'm tempted to have an aluminum bracket made when I pull the alt. next time. Perhaps also with a little more slot for adjustment as the Alt belt is a pain to get on also! You're right about this being on par since it's a lotus! I personally like the fact that I have to be a contortionist just to get the bloody oil filter out and in!

Artie

[Paul93Lotus]

Paul did you make it home from the Coffee Show?

Guy

Yeah, made it home. Finally got around to finishing up replacing all the accessory belts last night. My forearms/hands are still sour from the vacuum pump upper bolt, but I got it real snug, and cut down an allen key to give me a tiny bit of access to tighten it.

I don't have particularly small hands, but what I found worked best was installing the round allen bolt first a turn or two by hand, then rotating the pump upward on that axis (using my left hand to tighten the allen bolt, and my right to hold the pump upwards and try to remove any weight from the pump on the allen bolt during tightening. Tightened it the best I could by hand and then mounted the lower adjustment bolt. Added belt and then used a pry bar to set tension and tightened the lower bolt. Then I reached up with the allen key and after about 15 minutes of fiddling got it really tight. I added lock washers so hopefully they will stay put. Now I know what that unplugged vacuum line is that is attached to the frame....the exhaust line of the vacuum pump.

All belts are nice and tight now.

Did you and Gonzalo go for a run afterwards down Mulholland? Sucks I missed that, but with that questionable belt on their I would have been testing my luck.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Paul93Lotus