alternator belt tension?

[bobbyspider]

ok maybe im just stupid but is there some kind of trick to alternator belt tensioning? my white car was squeeking so i tightened it and that fixed it for a bit but started again so i tightened and it fixed it for a bit bla bla bla. the last time i tightened it i herd the bolt break so i stopped and left it alone so it still sqeekes when its cold outside and i use heat and headlights at the same time and god forbid i listen to my stereo . so i changed the alt on my bp and boom we got squeeking so i tightened it fixed it for a bit started sqeeking again ..... what am i doing wrong or do my festys just despise me and think its funny. thanks

[FestYboy]

could be alignment or contamination issue...

[Old Geezer]

I have had that problem with Dayco belts. Most times a Gates or Goodyear belt solved the problem. I even went through several cans of belt spray which would cure the squeel for a little bit but the only lasting cure was to change to a different belt manufacturer.

[Movin]

Those Dayco rubber bands make good tow straps they have a lot of stretch!!

[TorqueEffect]

I bought a cheap $5 Masterpro belt from O'Reilly's.

Working great for the last 2 months, only squeaked when I first put it on, but that was my fault, it was my first time ever putting a belt on one of these engines and I didn't tension it enough.

[denguy]

It needs about a 1/4" of give in the middle. You can tighten it to where there is no give but your bearings will suffer. Belts are cheaper than bearings.

[Eaglefreek]

I've found that if you let a v belt squeak for a bit of time, the rubber must be effected somehow and it is hard to keep it from squeaking even with retightening.

[bobbyspider]

I think I'm going to loosen it up a bit and see how that does. I was researching and have read that if the belt is to tight it can actually cause the bearing itself to squeal

[FestYboy]

it's the belt itself, we looked at it last night and the belt has worn itself down to the base of the V groove, which is causing the slip and squeal. the belt is recessed into the WP pulley and crank pulley (aluminum underdrive unit).

[bravekozak]

I tried that spray on belt dressing. It is just a mixture of resin and solvent. It also stops the squeal for only a little while.

[bobbyspider]

it's the belt itself, we looked at it last night and the belt has worn itself down to the base of the V groove, which is causing the slip and squeal. the belt is recessed into the WP pulley and crank pulley (aluminum underdrive unit).

yup... fubar