FletchMan
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2006
- Location
- Black Hills
- TDI
- 2006 Jetta, 99.5 Jetta...previously owned 2000 Beetle and 1990 Jetta 1.6
I've done a lot of research trying to figure out just how to deal with an odd alternator belt problem. I couldn't find much out there anywhere so I thought I'd post this.
For whatever reason, the belt that says should fit the alternator (from the a/c compressor) is too big. Yes, it was the exact belt that came off it but once I try to reinstall the same size, it just won't tighten down enough. It could be that I tightened the compressor belt a little more so that made this belt a shorter run. Eventually, I just decided to buy the 7270 belt instead of the 7280 the book called for. It's an inch shorter and once I installed it, everything worked perfectly. I had plenty of room to tension it and my alternator seems happy.
The belt system on this is notoriously crappy so if this saves one person the headache I had, it's worth it.
For whatever reason, the belt that says should fit the alternator (from the a/c compressor) is too big. Yes, it was the exact belt that came off it but once I try to reinstall the same size, it just won't tighten down enough. It could be that I tightened the compressor belt a little more so that made this belt a shorter run. Eventually, I just decided to buy the 7270 belt instead of the 7280 the book called for. It's an inch shorter and once I installed it, everything worked perfectly. I had plenty of room to tension it and my alternator seems happy.
The belt system on this is notoriously crappy so if this saves one person the headache I had, it's worth it.