Replacing '84 240 DL Drive Belts

Hi Guys!

This is my first post to an auto group because it's only recently that
I've decided I'm bold enough to start tinkering under the hood and I'm
hoping I can get a little help here since I don't know anyone who can
do anything more than change their oil .

Here's the problem: The battery on my Volvo '84 240 DL went dead while
I was driving from Santa Barbara to San Francisco. So I took it to
sears, they tested the battery said the voltage was wrong (which it
turns out was BS I think) and that the alternator was fine. They sold
me a new battery and I went off on my way. About an hour later the
batery went dead again. This is a problem if you're driving in the dark
as headlights are fairly important if you value your life.

Jumping ahead- I think it's the drive belt. So instead of taking it in
I thought I'd tighten them myself, but as the bolt was SO rusted that I
couldn't budge it (the bolt was just getting chewed up by the wrench or
vice grips. So I undid some more bolts and got the alternator detached.
I took the old belts off and went to 2 Kragen's before I could find 2
of the right V-Belts. Came back, Took off the Power stearing V-Belt so
I could put the new alternator belts on (there's two of them that go
from the crank shaft to the alternator).

MY PROBLEM: How the hell do you get them back on!? The alternator is
attached by two bolts, one at the top that bolts the adjusty part to
the engine and one that slides through the bottom for it to pivot on. I
can't get them both lined up at the same time because the belts are too
tight and I just don't have the strength to push the alternator into
the correct position to get them lined up.

Is there some trick that I don't know about? I've googled for hours and
I heard something about a tool that helps you adjust the tension, and
something about maybe a bolt that loosens the belts? Furthermore I
can't get the power stearing belt back on. I took off the other ring so
that I could get it off and if I try to bolt it back on with the V-Belt
in there it gets stuck in between the discs before I can get it
properly tightened. If I bolt the discs back on I can't get the V-Belt
back on it, it's just too tight ( I didn't even replace this one).

What am I missing? PLEASE help. I'd hate to take this into the shop at
this point because I feel like I'm so close. I even got it started,
with the belts on the alternator (and only one bolt in) which I know
was a bad idea cuz I could see how loose they were but in idle it was
charging up the battery again.

I just can't figure out how to get those goddam belts back on? Do I
need superhuman strength or is there something I'm missing.

Thanks for any comments or help!

-Noah
San Francisco

 

It's a real pain to get belts on sometimes, some are real tight until
they wear in. You might have luck using a screwdriver to pry the belt, I
sometimes start the belt on the alternator and then rotate the crank
pulley with a wrench as I work the belt over it. You need to have both
bolts in the alternator bracket before you put the belt on.

For the PS belt with the split crank pulley, loosen the bolts but not
very far, then start the belt on the edge of a pulley and rotate the
engine around to pop it on, then tighten the bolts around the center of
the pulley. Do make sure you keep track of the number of shims on the
back and front.

 

Thanks. I tried with screwdrivers but I don't have the right socket to
rotate the engine. I think I'll just take it in and have them do it.
Hours on my own could be replaced by 20 minutes and $20 of someone with
the right tools.

 

Gotta have the right tools for any job you do, makes it infinitely easier.

 

Just a follow up:

I didn't actually end up taking it in. What happened was when the tow
truck arrived to tow it to the fix-it place, he asked me what was
wrong, I explained and he took a look at it. A couple things I picked
up:

1. Unbolting the tensioner bolt (the on on the rail thing at the top)
is imparative. He got it off with some WD-40 and a vice grips and a
great application of strength. After that it was loose enough to bolt
the alternator back on completely with the belts already around it. I
had to get a new nut for this, but it was just a quick hop to the
hardware store, a crow bar, and $.08.
2. Once the belts are on and your alternator is loose you must tighten
it, you do this buy using a crow bar of some kind and pushing or
pulling as hard as you can. Then you get a friend to bolt the thing in
place once it's tight. The manual said you should be able to depress
the belt by about 3/8".
3. The power stearing belt. This must be taken off to put new drive
belts on, and therefor must be put BACK on. This one is more tricky,
but the tow truck guy's solution was to get it partly on and then
quickly turn the car off and on (with the starter plug unplugged) just
so the battery turned the engine crank over ever-so-sleightly until the
whole belt made it's way on to the track. Don't turn the car on for
more than a split second or things could go flying.

My battery was dead so it was useful that he had a battery jumping
backpack thing with him for this purpose. But this seams to have sovled
the problem. The battery no longer drains after usinng electricity
(even at high speeds). I think my belts were worn or loose or both and
this was keeping the alternator from charging the battery.

Man what a week though. I payed for that fix in blood (from my
knuckles).

Thanks for everyone's help, and I hope what I just wrote helps some
poor sod who has the same problem at a later date.

Cheers.

 

Ah, didn't realize you hadn't loosened the tensioner. Starting in '85
they got a leadscrew tensioner that you tighten a bolt to tension the
belt, then lock it down with the same nut the car you have uses.