New Problems : Alternator pulley flew off

[chris89]

ok so i was running the car pretty hard at high rpm and the alternator belt slipped off, So i put it back on and it started squealing really loud and suddenly it just stopped so i got out and checked the belt, it got so hot it, ripped and it pulled the pulley off with it, the pulley bolt came loose i guess, and it seems like there's alot of play in the fan, like it wobbles...

 

[chris89]

Here's what it looks like...

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

ok so i was running the car pretty hard at high rpm and the alternator belt slipped off, So i put it back on and it started squealing really loud and suddenly it just stopped so i got out and checked the belt, it got so hot it, ripped and it pulled the pulley off with it, the pulley bolt came loose i guess, and it seems like there's alot of play in the fan, like it wobbles...

Does the alternator spin freely?Unusal for the pulley to come off by it's self.
The clutch fan is what you are talking about? Attached to the fan and WP. If it wobbles a lot then it's time for a new one. Maybe even a water pump. Check to see if it is the clutch fan or the WP.

 

[cuel]

Was that a rebuilt alt. from a parts house that you bought recently?

 

[chris89]

NO, it's a brand new alternator that i just bought. The fan clutch seems to have no play in it... Why is my power steering really hard now? It feels like there's no power steering.

 

[Kckazdude]

What caused the WP pulley to stop spinning? In your pic I can see burnt belt material that tells me the pulley stopped spinning and burned the belt. The alternator pulley may not have been properly tightened and came off. This is just a theory however. I have no answer on the PS problem unless that belt is damaged.

 

[Kckazdude]

Where did you buy the alt from? Also check to see if it is spinning freely.

 

[chris89]

yeah it spins freely, and i bought it from O'reilly auto parts, it's under warranty so i'll just go pick another one up. I'm gonna check to see if the fan spins freely as well, Should it spin freely? or should it have a little resistance?

 

[Poodles]

locked up waterpump?

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

Does the alternator spin freely?Unusal for the pulley to come off by it's self.
The clutch fan is what you are talking about? Attached to the fan and WP. If it wobbles a lot then it's time for a new one. Maybe even a water pump. Check to see if it is the clutch fan or the WP.

 

[SupaMan]

if the burning belt is on the waterpump then its more than likely the waterpump locked up and burned the belt till it snapped.

who knows about the pully flyin off thats weird.

 

[hellraiser456]

when the car is cold..the fan should spin freely.

I would check the water pump for make sure it is solid and spins freely.

i would almost suspect too much tension in your case. if you wind it up too tight that will put a ton of pressure on everything..especially when the belt starts moving. its the weakest point that gives...always.

that melted belt debris looks pretty caked on there...how tight did you have your belt...i suggest you buy another belt and MAKE SURE you have the right tension.

also make sure your alternator is tight and make sure when you put the pulley on that it is in perfect line with the rest of the belt system. Also make sure you buy good belts as i find the cheap ones don't hold up to the torque very well

 

[cuel]

I'd take the alternator back to O'Rielly's and pitch a fit that they're POS alternator came apart and ripped the belt, and they should replace both. Looks like maybe the nut wasn't torqued properly on the alternator. Also, reach in there(with the car off), and spin the water pump pulley. It should spin easy. Try to wobble it up and down as well. If it wobbles, the w.p. is bad. If it doesn't spin easily, the w.p. is bad.

 

[bigaaron]

There is no way the pulley would have come off if they had tightened it correctly when it was remanufactured, I also vote for going back to the parts place for a replacement alternator and some money back too!

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

There is no way the pulley would have come off if they had tightened it correctly when it was remanufactured, I also vote for going back to the parts place for a replacement alternator and some money back too!

Yeah like I said pretty hard for that to back itself off unless it was very loose. Take it back.

 

[chris89]

I checked the waterpump and it's seized up, it won't move at all, But my fan spins pretty freely with a little resistance. Should it not spin so freely? Should it have quite a bit of resistance? I'm not sure if my fan clutch is good or bad?

 

[Kckazdude]

http://www.mkiiitech.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1056

Very in depth about our fan clutches and how to repair them. Worth the read just for the understanding of their workings.

 

[chris89]

Could i get by with just putting a new water pump and not putting a fan clutch (fluid coupling)?

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

Could i get by with just putting a new water pump and not putting a fan clutch (fluid coupling)?

Yeah you could get by with it, but if the clutch fan is bad the water pump will go out again in short order.

 

[chris89]

ok, so i started trying to pull my water pump, and i can't figure out how to get to the bottom bolts on the water pump... I'de like to remove the fan so i can get to them easier but i don't see how it comes off... i tryed un bolting the fan clutch from the water pump and i can't loosen the bolts, only thing small enough to get in there is a wrench, i think it's 12mm, and every time i try to loosen is just starts stripping the bolt. I'm stuck and i need help. oh yeah and my fan shroud broken, will the car run fine with no shroud?