[Vwdiesel] A-2 Alternator Belt Loosening

[Fernando Fiore]

Hi there,

I have an 84 rabbit, but have seen the setup you all are talking about,
which is the same as mine except for the extra tensioner wheel.  I  always
thought they fixed the problem with the extra tensioner but I guess not.  I
had free Gates belts at my disposal, which always got chewed up quickly.
when I went to school, I got a foreign aftermarket belt which seemed to work
much better, along with my experience of not tightening the belt soo much.
The problem is, as already stated, is that the belt falls into the groove
which tears the top portion of the V belt, making it fall further into the
V.  My last belt change (I did all of them, the right way) I put a
Continental belt on it and it has been fine, tightening the belt very
carefully as I have learned.  The belt will flap a little at idle but it is
due more to the vibration of the engine more than anything.  The belt has
never squealed since installation, which was 4 months ago today.  So, maybe
part of my suggestion is to retrofit to the rabbit setup which has no
tensioner pulley, but pivots the alternator.  All you would have to get is
that upper alt. bracket.  Then, you would have more contact surface on the
alt pulley as well, making the belt not have to be so tight.  That is my
experience.



Fernando Fiore, "Nando"

84 VW Rabbit Diesel "GTI"
1/4= 21.249 @ 60.95mph

81 Audi 5000S Diesel
1/4= N/A





>From: "Anton Largiader" <largiader at worldlynx.net>
>To: "Nate Wall" <nwall at opei.org>, <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] A-2 Alternator Belt Loosening
>Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 14:54:10 -0500
>
>It's because your 85TD has an absolute abomination for an alternator drive
>design.  My dad has the same problems, as have many on this list.  Tension
>changes in no time, the belt wears excessively...  heard it all before,
>experienced it all before, and haven't found a fix.  One issue is that
>replacement alternators often have the wrong pulley offset, and another is
>that it's hard to buy the correct belt.
>
>If I thought his car would make it another 5 years or so, I'd find a way to
>retrofit the WONDERFUL serpentine accessory drive from the A3 Jetta to his
>engine.  No belt tension worries, ever.  Might require the use of an A3
>alternator, and maybe other accessories, but that's not exactly a hardship
>if you can find them on a wreck.
>
>Sorry to have no answers, but I have to vent regularly about this.  I'm all
>ears to see if someone actually has a solution to the 85TD alternator belt
>problem.
>
>
>
>==============================================
>Anton Largiader, Chester Springs, PA
>'94 K75RT, '93 R100GSPD,  '94 R1100RSA, '98 Jetta TDI
>'00 XR400R    anton at largiader.com   http://largiader.com
>==============================================
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Nate Wall" <nwall at opei.org>
>
> > Last night after rounding a corner, my trusty Jetta TD ...
>
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>vwdiesel at vwfans.com
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