Replaced My Belt, But now things are worse, help!!

branman_crx_guy · #1 03-21-2003, 03:48 PM

I replaced my alternator belt today and everything seemed to be fine until i drove it tonight. The headlights and gauge cluster get a lot brighter now whenever the car is above like 2k rpm's, but when its just idlling they get dim again. Plus, when i got home and turned it off they're was a nasty smell, and i opened the hood and im almost positive its coming from the alternator. Is it possible i put the belt on too tight (i dont think i did, seemed good), or would that not even cause that? Plz help asap cuz this smell cant be good.

Cjz89civic · #2 03-21-2003, 04:27 PM

ok If the belt is tight and there is still a dimming problem below 2000rpm. Then your alt. is toast Chang It.

johnb16a2 · #3 03-21-2003, 05:38 PM

Sorry to hear it wasn't the belt. I'm with Cjz89civic, it's probably the alternator. If you want to be sure you can bring it into almost any big autoparts store and they can check it for you. Good luck. http://www2.autozone.com/servlet/UiB...ee_testing.jsp

walt0023 · #4 03-21-2003, 05:42 PM

you could of fried your alternator from having the belt way too tight but more than likley its just your alt

branman_crx_guy · #5 03-21-2003, 05:53 PM

Actually, I just installed a new alternator about 2 weeks ago, because mine was dead. So i really dont think its the alternator. And i actually checked the belt compared to my friends del sol, and its not too tight, its seems perfect. So is there anything else it could be?

branman_crx_guy · #6 03-22-2003, 01:56 PM

I retightened my alternator belt but it was still getting that smell and dimming below 2k rpm's. I was wondering if its possible its on their too tight, and thats causing the problems. Plz lemme know if this sounds possible. Thanx

johnb16a2 · #7 03-22-2003, 07:17 PM

I'm telling ya, bring it to an autozone and have them check it (for free, and you don't have to take it out!!). The voltage regulator (on the alternator) might be out of wack and causing your problems. Your alternator was rebuilt by the hand of man and may be defective.

branman_crx_guy · #8 03-23-2003, 02:39 PM

I took it to western auto and had them check it, everything was good. They said try to tighten the belt more, and i did that, but its still screwy. I only get the smell if i drive it for a while and my idle is quite eratic. If i let the car just sit there the idle goes to like 1300 rpm's, but as soon as i rev it it'll drop down the 500 rpms (the dimming on occurs below like 700, which may be due to the car putting energy in not stalling), but after like 1 min it'll creep back up to 1300 rpms, so maybe the idle is causing is causin the dimming, but whats the burning smell? Plz lemme know if you have any ideas, thanx.

Jmunk · #9 03-23-2003, 02:45 PM

Maybe you got the wrong belt. I don't remeber how many ribs are on that pulley, but maybe the belt that you got isn't the right one or isn't lined up right ?

crxlvr · #10 03-23-2003, 02:46 PM

yes it is possible to over tighten a belt, thats why there are numbers for you to tighten it down to. but i still have to agree with everyone else and say ur alt is prolling going bad, and soon enough your battery too, cuz if the alt and charging it right then it'll just drian and die.

the smell is prolly coming from the belt being scraped through the pulleys at such a high speed causing them to burn.

Crxce · #11 03-23-2003, 03:00 PM

If the lights are dimming it could be your ground check the ground to the engine block and the valve cover follow the ground wire off the battery and make sure its got a tight clean connection.

branman_crx_guy · #12 03-29-2003, 05:31 AM

Alright, I'm still having probs, I decided to just take it somewhere Tuesday and get a pro to look at it. I just wanted to know if the regulator is on the alternator for our cars. Cuz one guy said the regulator could be the prob, but if its on the alternator, then it would've shown up on the alt test, right?

4G4D Store · #13 04-01-2003, 11:09 AM

I don't think it's your alternator at all - I'd probably say bad battery. It sounds like your car is running exclusively on your alternator. If your battery was find, your lights won't dim when the car goes to idle because the battery should have enough power, but if your battery is dead, the power is coming off the alternator only, and things will get brighter the faster is spins. I'd have your alternator and battery checked.

branman_crx_guy · #14 04-01-2003, 11:41 AM

Well ive had the alt tested 3 times now, and it always comes out good. The battery if fairly new except i put it in when i had a bad alt, so the battery wasnt gettin charged and eventually died the next day, coudl that be causing the probs?

sastanley · #15 04-01-2003, 02:37 PM

Your battery should survive a few recharges if it is fairly new...low batteries in extreme weather for a long period don't do so well...

I had an alternator that died, and the new one turned out to be no good either..I was suspect too, but it turned out my rebuilt was bad, like someone else /\ /\ /\ /\ said. I did not have to change the battery, and I drained it pretty good...it was relatively new when this happened..old batteries that are already weak tend to not recover from alternator issues but one that is a year old or less should be OK..

is the smell electrical or rubber smelling?? can u get them to test it when you smell that shit burning

maybe drive it around the parking lot at Autozone and then bring it to them when that shit starts burning ..

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