Chirping belt / endless screw situation on alternator.

[SWRT]

I'm guessing that time I had to put that new belt on at 5am on the side
of the road in the pitch black didn't help the situation. The belt is still on
there, but the alternator seems to have suffered for it as I believe I
overtightened the bolt. Now it wont get 100% tight and just keeps rotating
like an endless screw.

So far it's holding. Yesterday it chirped in first gear almost every time I started
off on the way to work and so I tightened it when I got home and noticed that
the bolt just keeps going. I drove it in today to test it and it only chirped once,
but I'm thinking the alternator is slowly moving back towards the engine and
causing the belt to slip slightly.

Has anyone ever drilled out their alternator hole and used a bolt with a lock washer
and nut on the back side with any success? That's pretty much my thought on the
matter rather than getting a new alternator. I don't feel like spending a bunch of
money on stuff right now if I can help it and this fix seems cheap, but I'm wondering
before I ruin the remaining threads on the alternator if I should do that or try and
tap it out with a bigger thread and use a larger diameter bolt instead. Anyone have
any ideas?

[red90festyonair]

If you are spinning the bolt and its not getting tight , there are two possibilities. 1: you stripped the threads in the alternator housing, or 2: you stripped the threads on the bolt itself. If its the first possibility I would do as you suggest and drill out the alternator then add an appropriate bolt with a lock nut. If its possibility 2 I would replace the bolt and see if it gets tight before drilling it out.
The only way to know is to pull it apart and take a look. I cant think of anything wrong with doing the bolt/lock nut if the alternator threads are stipped. If it just sipns right now there is no good thead engagement anyway so you will need to do something. Good luck.

[SWRT]

Thinking it's gotta be the alternator. Aluminum vs steel bolt. Well, sounds good. I guess I found out what I'll be doing after work on Saturday. Thanks a lot, man

[Festy46]

You don't need to drill it out. Just get a longer bolt with long enough threads to reach all the way through the alternator and put a nut on it.

[WmWatt]

I'd add a lock washer to any nut to help keep it from coming loose. Another method it use two nuts and lock them together but that means an extra wrench to unlock them when loosening and it's awkward enough working down there from above

[Dragonhealer]

lock washer over a flat washer on the bracket side will be best, put the nut on the alternator side.
next time you have it out for service, heli-coil the hole (8mm x 1.25mm)

[SWRT]

Dang, don't know why I didn't think of a helicoil. I just had to put one on the Insight about a month ago since the P/O stripped one of the coil pack mounting threads. I guess the lock washer, washer and nut will work for now. Didn't know the hole went all the way through. I'll helicoil it later. Thanks a lot, guys!

[wrx603]

are you sure its the alternator squeeking? the timing belt tensioners develop a bad sqeek...ask me how I know....

[SWRT]

Not sure at all haha I suppose if it shuts down on me while driving I'll know.

I plan to do a lot on the car soon anyway. Maybe even starting tomorrow.
I need to pull the engine, do the front main seal, rear main seal, cam seal, clutch, throwout
bearing, a new pilot bearing, spark plugs and wires, clean the throttle body up, new passenger
CV axle, new sway bar bushings, timing belt, tensioner w/ spring, fuel filter, air filter, PCV valve...
I believe there's more in that box, but I cant remember at the moment. Either way it's time for an
overhaul.

[Movin]

That is ambitious for a saturday !

[SWRT]

It'll actually have to be done over a couple weekends probably. I work Monday through
Friday and now I work on Saturday between 9:45-4pm so I'll be getting a late start.
Unfortunately my tools and garage space are at my friends house and he's working
10-12 hour days lately so this project will have to wait. I did throw some tint on it
this weekend I screwed up the back windshield, but the other ones look pretty
good. I ripped the back off, but not bad for my first time doing tint. I actually would
have gotten the back ok too, but as I was going to put the rear window tint on an
untimely breeze folded the adhesive end before I could spray it with any solution and
it just wrinkled like crazy by the time I got it back apart. Also, my heat gone has gone
missing so there's that.

[SWRT]

Got the alternator tapped and helicoiled today. We'll see how it holds up and if I got
the belt tension correct, but I took it for a quick drive today and so far so good

[WmWatt]

Belt tension should be 3/8" deflection. Lay a straight edge across the pulleys and press down midway between with a ruler.

[SWRT]

Hmmmm...wouldn't you check the deflection on the longest run? (ie: the bottom span?)
If that's the case I can barely get my hands down in there. Do you just check the top run?