Servicing a Junk Car Alternator Belt - North Texas Auto Buyers Advice
Check the condition of drive belts at least once a year. A quick check can be made by pressing down with your thumb midway along the belt's longest span. The belt should have no more than 1/2 inch of play. Obtain a more accurate reading of the belt's tension with a tension gauge. If the belt is crack, brittle, soft or otherwise damaged, replace it or sell us your junk car if you don't want to deal with the hassle. Operators are standing by to help assist you with the haul away process!
The alternator is mounted with two bolts - the adjustment bolt near the top, and the pivot bolt on its base. Loosen the nut on the adjustment bolt with a socket wrench, pulling hard on the ratchet and giving it a bump with the heel of your hand, if necessary. Try to push the alternator against the belt with your hand, or pry it with a tool handle. If the junk car's alternator moves and the belt tenses, tighten the adjustment bolt. If the alternator will not budge, try loosening the pivot bolt as well.
Grip the pivot bolt with a socket wrench and extension. You may need to use a lot of force, or a sharp blow against the ratchet handle with the heel of your hand, to loosen it. Turn the pivot bolt only one-half turn, or until the alternator moves with hand pressure. Press against the alternator with one hand until the belt is taut, then tighten the adjustment bolt slightly. Repeat the thumb test. if the belt is too loose, press the alternator harder; if too tight, apply less pressure before tightening the adjustment bolt. When the tension is correct, tighten both the adjustment and pivot bolts securely. If your car is giving you common problems like this, it may be time to discard it and move onto something better!
Also, to widen the gap between the electrodes, use a gaping tool on the wire gauge. Widen the gap by gently bending the side electrode away from the center electrode. Narrow the gap by holding the plug and pressing the top electrode gently against a hard surface. Check the gap again with the wire gauges.
Removing the radiator cap: At the first sign of overheating, when the dashboard oil light or coolant temperature light comes on, pull the car off the road to a safe spot. If the cooling system has boiled over, steam will be coming from the radiator; wait at least 15 minutes before lifting the hood. Check for leaking hoses, broken or missing drive belts or apparent leaks in the radiator itself. If all such components and sound, the coolant level may be low. Caution: Do not remove the radiator cap to check the level if the engine is hot; pressurized coolant can instantly boil up, expelling a sudden burst of steam. Wait at least 90 minutes before releasing the cap. Wrap a thick rag around the cap and turn it counterclockwise to the first stop; some steam will now escape. Check the coolant level if needed and top it up off.
The alternator is mounted with two bolts - the adjustment bolt near the top, and the pivot bolt on its base. Loosen the nut on the adjustment bolt with a socket wrench, pulling hard on the ratchet and giving it a bump with the heel of your hand, if necessary. Try to push the alternator against the belt with your hand, or pry it with a tool handle. If the junk car's alternator moves and the belt tenses, tighten the adjustment bolt. If the alternator will not budge, try loosening the pivot bolt as well.
Grip the pivot bolt with a socket wrench and extension. You may need to use a lot of force, or a sharp blow against the ratchet handle with the heel of your hand, to loosen it. Turn the pivot bolt only one-half turn, or until the alternator moves with hand pressure. Press against the alternator with one hand until the belt is taut, then tighten the adjustment bolt slightly. Repeat the thumb test. if the belt is too loose, press the alternator harder; if too tight, apply less pressure before tightening the adjustment bolt. When the tension is correct, tighten both the adjustment and pivot bolts securely. If your car is giving you common problems like this, it may be time to discard it and move onto something better!
Also, to widen the gap between the electrodes, use a gaping tool on the wire gauge. Widen the gap by gently bending the side electrode away from the center electrode. Narrow the gap by holding the plug and pressing the top electrode gently against a hard surface. Check the gap again with the wire gauges.
Removing the radiator cap: At the first sign of overheating, when the dashboard oil light or coolant temperature light comes on, pull the car off the road to a safe spot. If the cooling system has boiled over, steam will be coming from the radiator; wait at least 15 minutes before lifting the hood. Check for leaking hoses, broken or missing drive belts or apparent leaks in the radiator itself. If all such components and sound, the coolant level may be low. Caution: Do not remove the radiator cap to check the level if the engine is hot; pressurized coolant can instantly boil up, expelling a sudden burst of steam. Wait at least 90 minutes before releasing the cap. Wrap a thick rag around the cap and turn it counterclockwise to the first stop; some steam will now escape. Check the coolant level if needed and top it up off.
