'87 4kq: alternator belt change; WAS: all lit up

[George Selby]

At 05:55 PM 1/22/2006, you wrote:
>I can only say that I have had the car for 9 years, gone through 5-6 Conti
>belts in a year, and had 2 Gator belts on there since.

I'll second that.  My former 89 80 ate belts at a prodigious rate (1 per 
month) until I put a Gatorback on it.  It lasted until the car was totalled.

You might try removing the adjustor bolt (and toothed wheel) all together, 
which frequently allows you to push the alternator a little more in the 
loosening direction.  Once the belt is on, you should be able to put the 
toothed wheel back on in an adjustable position.  Another trick is to 
loosen the bracket the toothed wheel rides on, it's arc doesn't necessarily 
correspond to the arc the alternator moves through, and thus may bind 
before the alternator reaches a point where the belt can be slid on.

George Selby