Steve Peters
New Member
- Joined
- September 8, 2019
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Portland, OR
- City, State
- portland, or
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1999, Explorer, LTD
For #reasons I've replaced the alternator in my 1999 Explorer. Not only is it the first Ford I've had since my 1978 Ford Econoline, but it's my first alternator replacement. Yay for me.
I've done enough work on vehicles that I neglected to look up instructions before I started work and didn't realize that one can get the belt off by just using a wrench to loosen the tension on the idler pulley.
As a result, I removed it. Now that everything is re-assembled it's clear from visible inspection that the belt is too loose, and it's very obvious when I go to drive it with the squealing and not running the power steering at low revs.
At the parts store, I gave the replacement alternator a very careful look-over to make sure it seemed identical to the previous, so while not having used a ruler to check, the pulley on the new alternator I believe is the same size as the original.
The idler pulley (the one that holds the tension) is the very same one I took off, which kept the belt at the proper tension before I took it off. I believe I got it on the engine block in the proper keyed position so the spring should take up the tension in the belt, right? The belt is the same. Everything is same except the replacement alt, which was visually the same.
Did I somehow did I overlook something I should have done with the assembly before I put it back on? While typing this, I question about whether I missed something about how it keys into the engine. Was I a notch off or something?
Any input from them intarwubs?
Thanks for your help, Steve
I've done enough work on vehicles that I neglected to look up instructions before I started work and didn't realize that one can get the belt off by just using a wrench to loosen the tension on the idler pulley.
As a result, I removed it. Now that everything is re-assembled it's clear from visible inspection that the belt is too loose, and it's very obvious when I go to drive it with the squealing and not running the power steering at low revs.
At the parts store, I gave the replacement alternator a very careful look-over to make sure it seemed identical to the previous, so while not having used a ruler to check, the pulley on the new alternator I believe is the same size as the original.
The idler pulley (the one that holds the tension) is the very same one I took off, which kept the belt at the proper tension before I took it off. I believe I got it on the engine block in the proper keyed position so the spring should take up the tension in the belt, right? The belt is the same. Everything is same except the replacement alt, which was visually the same.
Did I somehow did I overlook something I should have done with the assembly before I put it back on? While typing this, I question about whether I missed something about how it keys into the engine. Was I a notch off or something?
Any input from them intarwubs?
Thanks for your help, Steve