alternator belt

Technical questions and answers concerning all models of VW diesel vehicles.

Moderator: Fatmobile

peggysgirl
Cetane Booster
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Upstate NY

alternator belt

Post by peggysgirl »

I have been through 4 belts in 8 months. It seems to me the rubber ones just aren't tough enough. Is there a belt out there a little tougher, maybe with steel threads in them??
Anne Marcotte
hagar
Hillbilly Tuner
Posts: 2424
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:11 am
Location: Near Lund B.C. Kanada.

VW belts must be 10 mm.

Post by hagar »

peggysgirl Cetane Booster : ZERO answers ? in this forum ? amazing. . Here is where you will get the right answer., read my lips. Belt problems in Amerika and Kanada is nothing new.

Get the proper 10 mm belts and no more problems.

BUT you must give us VW model and type of belts that failed.

Have FUN.

wonder and hagar.
Op-Ivy
Turbo Charger
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:12 am
Location: Kelowna, B.C.

Post by Op-Ivy »

What are the belts doing? Tearing apart? Snapping? Wearing quickly?
1990 TD Jetta - 490,000Km
peggysgirl
Cetane Booster
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Upstate NY

belts

Post by peggysgirl »

they are tearing apart.I have ordered them from several diferent sources,all correct fitment for the vehicle...but I'm thinking a heavy duty one????
Anne Marcotte
82vdub
Turbo Charger
Posts: 4922
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:44 pm
Location: Green Bay, WI
Contact:

Post by 82vdub »

I think that for the most part, belts are all constructed the same. Are your belts properly tensioned or are they "whipping" themselves apart? Also, are all your belt pully's aligned, or is one pully slightly offset from the other?
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.

I have too many to count
Op-Ivy
Turbo Charger
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:12 am
Location: Kelowna, B.C.

Post by Op-Ivy »

82vdub wrote:Also, are all your belt pully's aligned, or is one pully slightly offset from the other?
I would second this if you are seeing the belts being shredded. A picture of the belt wear might be good too. Take a look with the engine running to see if any of the pulleys are wobbling at all. Watch your tie! ;)
1990 TD Jetta - 490,000Km
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7574
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Post by Fatmobile »

Sometimes the pullys can be very rusty
and will grind away at the belt.

What belts/sizes have you been using?
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
hagar
Hillbilly Tuner
Posts: 2424
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:11 am
Location: Near Lund B.C. Kanada.

Belts.

Post by hagar »

peggysgirl said :
Cetane Booster
they are tearing apart.I have ordered them
from several diferent sources,all correct fitment for the vehicle...but I'm
thinking a heavy duty one???? .

Correct fitment ? did I not say 10 mm belts ? Get your belts from
Jack , the sponsor of this forum.

Let us know the sources. , several different ? What size Alternator ?
, and let us know the load , you got microwaves and BOOM speakers and a
HAM station ? How do you expect us out here to help , without
information . Can you help without an exray ?

Make sure Jack sends you 10 mm belts "METRIC" get it ?.

But I am thinkig a heavy duty one ???? , stop thinking and get the right
belts and install them correctley. .

Vincent should this nurse be in Vanagon forum ?

hagar.
Quantum TD
Turbo Charger
Posts: 613
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:27 pm
Location: The Dirty South

Post by Quantum TD »

Fatmobile wrote:Sometimes the pullys can be very rusty
and will grind away at the belt.

What belts/sizes have you been using?
X2

10 to 1 says the pulleys are pitted. Once they do that, they'll eat through belts.
VW cat
Turbo Charger
Posts: 571
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 8:11 pm
Location: Belleville,Ontario

Post by VW cat »

I had a dented pulley that caused a lot of grief. It could not be seen, only felt. Pulleys can get badly worn too, U shaped, hard on new belts.

The problem I recently had is different than yours though.

I went to a much larger alternator pulley on my Mercedes 617 engine after the belt seemed to wear out after 4 months. The new belt is doing much better.

I was going to switch to the green fractional horsepower belt that my UAP dealer has, in desperation. No one is believing me when I tell them that the automotive belts I have been buying don't feel right. It's like rubbing my hand over plastic. The Carquest belt was no better.

I really feel there is a quality issue here. Maybe I'm full of it. Phil
hagar
Hillbilly Tuner
Posts: 2424
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:11 am
Location: Near Lund B.C. Kanada.

Belts

Post by hagar »

Premium quality belts ? are they worth looking for ? IMHO yes. . The following is the best belt for 1.6 L Turbo Rabbit's I can find. CONTI--SF. AVX 10x875 made in Germany. (made in Danmark is even better)(just kidden).

I live right on the side if the Highway "101" SO ? . Want's proof of lousy belt QUALITY not hard to find. come take a look.

On the hagar scale of importance 0 to 10 . ten is very important . Belts are a strong 10. read my lips.

hagar.
diesel freak
Diesel Freak
Posts: 180
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:56 pm
Location: Charlotte, N.C.

Belt failure

Post by diesel freak »

I was told by an older retired mechanic that the belts we buy from auto stores such as Auto Zone and Advance Auto use to label their belts as temporary belts to be used for 3 months or 3000 miles until you could get to the dealership and have an OEM belt put on. My after market belts would fall apart at around 2,000 miles so I guess he new what he was talking about.
surfcam
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1482
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:43 pm
Location: Canada Southern Alberta
Contact:

Post by surfcam »

Stealerships don't manufacture belts they have to buy them from somewhere. To be fair they do try and get a reasonable produce for as cheap as they can then mark it up as high as the market well bare. I think if you go to a go a good brand name like Goodyear or Gates you will probably end up with what the dealerships are selling and a quality product. They may even be better for a cheaper price. I don't think we have those stores in Canada. I've been using NAPA, Parts Plus, and Canadian Tire belts without quality issues.
99 TDI Jetta (Z1 engine code)
94 Grand Caravan
89 Dodge Gold Stream B class
http://www.antiquedollhouseofpatterns.ca/
coke

Post by coke »

I use Contitech.
hagar
Hillbilly Tuner
Posts: 2424
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:11 am
Location: Near Lund B.C. Kanada.

VW belts.

Post by hagar »

diesel freak said : I was told by an older retired mechanic that the belts we buy from auto stores such as Auto Zone and Advance Auto use to label their belts as temporary belts to be used for 3 months or 3000 miles until you could get to the dealership and have an OEM belt put on. My after market belts would fall apart at around 2,000 miles so I guess he new what he was talking about

You need not guess no longer "He knew exactly what he was talking about" read my lips. . Better keep in touch with him , he may have more to offer , for free ? EH ?.

hagar.
Last edited by hagar on Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply