k4thomas

Ok so I need some help and I have only a little info on my problem. Yesterday while driving one of my belts broke. Im assuming it slipped and and just ripped. My battery light, exhaust overheat, and oil light came on almost instantly as well as my temperature rose quite fast. I pulled over almost instantly as fast as I could and opened the hood to find only one belt, and the rest in tiny pieces all over. Also my coolant was starting to leak, I guess from getting to hot.

The thing is The guy before me did a number of modification on the car and I am not sure of everything he did to it. I know he sadi the alternator is to small and so is the battery and its home rigged to fit.

Ok so I only see one belt attached and I remember the guy said he only had two belts before. I think the belt still attached is to the a/c but im not sure. But the belt that moves the fan is gone.

So my question is or questions are:
What kind of belt system is this? Im guessing he doesn't run the waterpump and only has the a/c and the alt. belt running.
What belt size do I need the same size as the as the ac belt still connected? Width and length?
Where does it connect if its the alt. belt? The same places as stock?
Would timing need to be adjusted or anything else if it was my alternator belt or can I just put a new belt on and all would be ok?

Sorry for all the beginner posts. Im still new to cars in general and to the rx7. Plus for me its even harder since the guy before me did a lot of modifications on it. Nothing seems to be stock besides a few things.
Thank you very much.

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

First of all, when posting questions like these, it helps to add a pic. You know what they say(whoever "they" are), a picture says a thousand words. Second the alternator being "too small" should have no bearing on the belt. The way the rotary alternators are mounted and adjusted they can compensate for a slightly smaller pulley size. Again I don't know what types of modifications have been done, but simply putting on a smaller alternator shouldn't affect anything with the belt. One question I have is why would anyone put a smaller alternator on a street car? Third, the belt that runs the alternator also goes over the waterpump pulley which is the pulley that the fan is attached to. You have to run the waterpump or else the engine becomes useless rather quickly. The belt SHOULD wrap around the lower e-shaft pulley, the fan/water pump pulley, and the alternator pulley. Throwing a belt will not effect your timing. A stock belt should be fine. Call your local parts store and see if they have them. If they do, buy them all. Can never have too many spare belts. Again, post a picture so we can be sure of the advice we are giving you with a "modified" setup. Chances are the previous owner didn't mess with how the belt system worked in principle, even if he did screw with things.

Good Luck

k4thomas

Ah thank you. Yes yesterday I actually looked in the hood and saw what I need to do. You are correct it goes onto three pulleys. It looks like a 20 minute job and hopefully I can get it done my first time with minimal assistance.

Yea I looked at my manual and the pulley setup is stock, just the airpump has been removed or the pulley and belt anyway.

Thanks for the help.

Also whats the stock length and width of the belt? The store will probably have it and if not Ill most likely measure myself. Just wanting to know for reference.

jinxed4dub

iTrader: (7)

I'll bet your waterpump is toast. It probably seized and broke the belt. depending on witch two belts you were running be it alt and waterpump/airpump. are alt and a/c If you don't have a airpump go with the lawnmower belt mod I saw it on here somwhere. I'd bet you don't have an a/c though and you do have the airpump. Need pics to be sure. But look more at that waterpump does the pully move around?? or does it turn easy. if it jiggles around its broken, if its not turning its broken. if the alt belt was still on and all that was still happening it's just broke.

k4thomas

ok I fixed it and car runs fine still. I have a/c and and the a/c pulley and belt are there. It was the alt belt that snapped I think it was just loose and it probably slipped. I dont have an airpump belt or pulley It has been removed.
I had to cut my a/c belt to put the new alt belt on because I couldnt loosen the compressor enough to slip the belt off.

I am going to change my a/c belt now and was wondering how to loosen the a/c comressor?
I have loosened all the bolts I can see and it still wont budge enough to slip the belt on. Ill have to take some pictures to show which bolts im loosening.
If I have to take it to a shop I will, I just figured I would rather have a running car then a/c for now.