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Susuki Esteem Alternator HELP


hicarus
06-14-2007, 11:35 AM
My Susuki esteem needs the alternator changed! which simed really easy to hey ! unbolt, remove, replace , bolt again! BUT on the stupid box in the new alternator says that one of the nuts or pulleys must be tighten to specifications or it can damage the water pump, and the camshaft! anybodyknows about this!? if is true!? or what the specs are!? ive never heard of it! i did the alternator on my chevy cavalier with out specs and is 5 years running just fine!

HELP

Torch
06-18-2007, 12:52 AM
Hi,

What year of Esteem and what engine size do you have?

What it means by damage is that if you get the belt on too tight you put too much tension on the the water pump bearings eventually causing the water pump to fail. This can result in shredding your alt. belt, creating a large antifreeze leak, and possible engine block damage as well.

Most pulley belts require approx. half an inch of deflection (find the two pulleys that are the furthest apart, go to the center of the belt between the two pulleys and push on it, it should only move half an inch) if the belt will not move half an inch it is on too tight, if it moves more than half an inch it is on too loose.

Damage to the camshaft, ummm... no, the alternator belt never touches the camshaft pulley (at least on the 1.6 engine), it does go around the crankshaft pulley which it could possibly damage the crankshaft but the water pump is more prone to failure than the crankshaft.

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