75 1.8 Alternator Belt, Can't keep belt on pulley, runs sideways, can't get at alt Options

[Donaldo88]

Newbie. This looked like the correct named forum, but I see stuff about events, Subarus, and Impalas???
I got a long-stored low-mileage, 914 1.8, still FI, last year. Haven't driven much because of recurring problem with alternator belt. Immediately after taking off hauler, within 40 miles, it scorched the belt. Mechanic put on new one, I wanted him to check some things that I couldn't do anyway. Then it slipped, in another 100 miles or so. I tightened without seeing it. Next it flew off entirely in maybe another 50 miles. The v-belt appeared to have run sideways because it was deformed with one edge stretched. I can't see much, but it looks like I have to drop the engine to even get a good look at alternator alignment, pulley condition, etc. The engine pulley feels rough, but the rest of the car isn't rusted much. I can't tell by the photo I have, how the pulley fastens to the fan wheel. I'm really disappointed. We had one of these new, when first married, and this was an anniversary gift to my wife. She drove the new 2.0, ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) I was not that crazy about it at the time.)
Any advice out there?
Thanks,
Don

[Mueller]

1st off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

2nd, no need to drop the engine...the Haynes manual will even tell you that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Good chance that the alt. is not lined up properly due to the PO not tightening it correctly or using the wrong hardware. The belt can be accessed from above, the alternator from below.

[Donaldo88]

Thanks, I'll go under it again for another try.
Ya, I was exaggerating about the 'drop engine' but not really. I've only seen the alternator from the top through the adjustment ports and with a mirror.
Looks like the pulley will come off the fan too, from the top. Gotta go out and get on with it.

[LowGT]

All the engines I've had always have a spacer behind the fan. Maybe yours is missing and throwing off the belt alignment?

[draperjojo]

You may want to doublecheck the belt your mechanic installed too. Also if you were to take a string and stretch it across the face of the fan pulley and the face of the alternator pulley, theoretically the string should touch each pulley in two places. on the rim. If the string only touches each pulley once, you probably have a misalignment problem. General rule of thumb for belt tension is 1/64" of deflection for each inch of center distance between the pulleys. In other words, if it was 64" between pulley centers, you should have an inch of deflection.....now, what did I do with my drink..........

[Donaldo88]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/type.gif) Thanks for the encouragement, all of you. This took a while, obviously I'm a little discouraged and didn't get back to it right away. So I got under again and took off the shroud under the alt, since the upper stuff seems to only come off with dropping the engine. I could see that it was out of line, and had to add about 3/16 of washers to line it up. (re: prior msg, If there are shims under the drive pulley, it was going to be tough to find out and remove them, to affect alignment that way) But I don't know how it will perform over time, as I only made about 6 miles before a whole new problem. Started off OK then stuttered and stalled, I turned around and headed home, but it died completely, and finally wouldn't restart. Next morning same thing, but was able to limp the last mile home... Week later, it hits a few licks but won't run. Co-worker who manages a fleet of cars and trucks up to 10 yrs old has been warning of effects of ethanol in older injected cars. REcommends a dose of Chevron Techron, because it, unlike other so-called cleaners, has Stoddard sovent and "proprietary" stuff, to clean fuel systems, then to change the fuel filter, and get it over with, before the ethanol dislodges it, and contaminates the injectors, etc. This is an old tankful, as I hardly have been able to drive the 'teener, so don't know if it has any ethanol in it. Are they pushing Ethanol in your area??