Pete S4

Hey, I just had the privledge of having my 200 towed some 40 miles back home. My stupid alternator belt decided it didn't want to stay on my car anymore and popped off, this is not the first time it happened ethier. So.....does anyone have a good suggestion for tightening down that nightmare of a alternator braket these cars are blessed with?? I really don't want to spend another $70 on a repeat of this experience!

SteveAngry

You using the right sized/brand belt? I hear some belts just won't work and will fly off...

Continental belts seem to be the way to go...

Anyways, all you need to do is loosen the alternator bolts/bracket and pry it towards the airbox with a prybar until the belt is snug. Then retighten the bolts...

BTW, you probably could have driven most of the way home on battery power alone. BTDT once. I drove 30 miles home on just battery power with no headlights in a freezing icestorm at 2 am in the morning. Fun

Steve
Michigan

cbpldc

My avant has done that 3 times. And my 89 100 has done it twice to me and twice to the person who bought it. We've used all kinds of different belts including Continentals. If anyone ever finds a fix for this, let me know too!

Chris

Hatterasman

Happened to my Wife one night. She drove most of the way home. I met her where it died (actually it was still running she just couldn't see)and brought her and the battery home. 2 hours on the charger and I drove the car the rest of the way home...replaced alternator the next day.

Will Ng

the alternator died on my previous car at work.
It was the middle of a NE winter, dark out already.
Drove 20 miles on route to Autozone, then to a warm 4-level deep underground garage at a mall, on battery power alone.
Broke out the tools and went to town on the car right in the garage. Shoppers and security simply gave me the occasional odd glance.
Beauty of it was Sears was above me if I needed a tool.
:-)
30-40 minutes later, I was good to go and made it home in time for dinner.

Yes, it sucks to not have your own garage(s).

ravidrabbit

Im guna say it is one of 2 things. Either your mounting bracket has been knowcked out of allignment and the belt is jumping off (look at the edges to see if its wearing them. Or your getting the belt TO TIGHT and it is snapping. Yes you can over tighten a belt. You always need to make sure you have a little deflection left when you tighten your belts. alt betl shout have around a quarter to 3\8th in deflection left in it.

HTH

Pete S4

I took a closer look at my alternator mounting brackets. It looks like the cause of my fun is the cogged nut assembly Audi put on there to actually tighten up the alternator belt. My teeth a partially chewed up and I'm nearly positive this is what is causing the bracket to loosen up. The car is working again for now. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on the bracket and look for a replacement bracket in the mean time.