How tight should my alternator belt be?

Pass your alternator belt around the pulleys on the front of the engine block and the alternator itself. Pull the alternator away from the engine until the belt is tight. You want to be able to press down on the belt at a mid point between two pulleys and only be able to move it downward about 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

What happens if alternator belt is too loose?

If your alternator belt gets too loose as you’re driving, it may cause your engine to stall. This means that you’re engine essentially shuts down and you’ll be forced to pull over onto the side of the road. Obviously, you wouldn’t want this happening on a busy street or rush hour traffic on the highway.

What does a loose alternator belt sound like?

A loose drive belt will often be noisy, squeaking a bit, or emitting a high-pitched squeal. The most obvious sign of a loose drive belt, though, is in its appearance and tension. They are the v-belt and serpentine belt. Belts are used to rotate components on the engine assembly, such as a coolant pump (water pump).

Does the alternator have a belt?

Located on the front side of the engine, an alternator has a belt that rotates when the electrical charge is transmitting to the battery. There is one or multiple pulleys connected to the alternator and the belt keeps them wrapped around.

How do you change a belt tensioner on a 2005 Dodge Neon?

How to replace an accessory tensioner in 8 easy steps

Draw a sketch or take a picture of the belt routing.
Unload the belt from the tensioner by rotating the tensioner.
Remove the old tensioner from the engine.
Place the new tensioner on the engine.

Can a loose alternator belt cause low voltage?

When the alternator belt is loose, the alternator will not spin at its optimal speed, and this can cause the charging voltage to drop, and therefore the warning light will pop up.

How do I know if my alternator belt is slipping?

Most Common Loose Alternator Belt Symptoms

1# Squealing Noises. A squealing noise for a few seconds when starting the engine is a surefire way of telling that the alternator belt is slipping.
2# Battery Warning Light.
3# Blinking Lights.
4# Dead Battery.
5# Stalled Vehicle.

What is proper belt tension?

The proper tension is the lowest tension at which the belt won’t slip or squeal under peak load. However, there is still a wide range of tension between these two extremes in which a drive will operate sufficiently.

How do you tighten the belt on an alternator?

Tighten the alternator bolts. With the serpentine or alternator belt safely seated on the alternator pulley, use the same wrench you used to loosen to the bolts to tighten them again. As you tighten the bolts, the alternator will stop tipping forward, which will increase the tension on the belt.

Where does the serpentine belt go on an alternator?

If you do not have a diagram on the vehicle or in your service manual laying out the direction your serpentine belt travels through the pulleys, take a picture of it with your phone to refer to when installing the new belt. A strictly alternator belt will likely only go around an alternator pulley and the crank pulley at the bottom of the engine.

Can a car have more than one alternator belt?

In older model vehicles, engines often came equipped with multiple belts that each powered a different accessory. However, most modern vehicles use only one belt to power the alternator as well as the power steering, air conditioning, and any other accessories.

How do you tighten the serpentine belt on a car?

Slide the new belt in place with the flat-head screwdriver and slowly release the pressure on the tensioner pulley until it tightens the serpentine belt. Remove the pieces of tape, reconnect the battery, and start the vehicle. Run the engine for several minutes to let the automatic belt tensioner adjust the serpentine belt.

How do you replace the alternator belt on a Dodge Neon?

Using the pry bar as a lever, push the tension pulley toward the back of the engine compartment and slide the serpentine belt free. Remove the serpentine belt. Once free of the tension pulley, lower the serpentine belt to free it from the different pulleys. You may have to reach into the compartment to fully release the belt.

What’s the best way to adjust an alternator belt?

Pull the alternator away from the engine until the belt is tight. You want to be able to press down on the belt at a mid point between two pulleys and only be able to move it downward about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. When you have the alternator in the right position, have an assistant tighten the top bolt and nut to lock the alternator in.

Where is the V-belt on a Dodge Neon?

The belts are stacked one on top of the other, with the serpentine belt on the outside. The belt must be removed to take off the alternator belt or the V-belt. You will notice a lip or notch on the top side of the tension pulley that is located top dead center of the passenger side of the engine block.