Here's the deal, a few weeks ago I installed a new alternator because the one before it blew, granted that belt was old and cracked. But today, my brand spanking new belt blew out. Now, would having the belt too tight be the cause for concern, or is there more I should be afraid of?

 

How many "extra" electrical components have you added to the car?

Was the "new" alt insTalled correctly with the spacer on the main bolt?

A belt too tight will also cause the alt's bearing(s) to fail prematurely...

Install a new belt and tighten to specs, see if everything's all better then...

 

Check to be sure that the spacer on the lower alternator mounting bolt is where it belongs. I forget if it goes front or back (at work now, and my car's at home) but mine was in the wrong position when I bought my car. If you stand off to one side of the car, the belt should be appear perfectly straight from the alt pulley to the water pump pulley. If the spacer's out of position, the belt will have a jog in it as it comes off the water pump pulley and goes up to the alt.

 

New alternator *belt*... shoot, I feel like an ***, sorry guys.

As for components, I only had my headlights, stereo, and non-AC air on.

 

check to see if your alternator or waterpump bearings are starting to seize before you keep throwing belts at it like a madman (and alignment too)

 

Umm... the air pump belt fell off, too. Now, I don't think it overheated, but if it did, how can I tell?

 

Get Racing Beat pulleys... It will solve the problem...

 

about that spacer...i cannot get it back on!! i lined everything up, and it is about
1/16th to thick. I don't understand how it was in there in the first place...i think im going to machine it down. anyone with other advice?

 

You have to kind of get it started with the alternator off, and push the alternator down over it and push it into position at the same time. Use the main bolt through the main pivot to help get things lined up. And the spacer goes towards the rear of the car.

-=Russ=-

 

i used a hammer. and a screwdriver.

 

I have an S5 and am burning belts up like crazy.I've had the alternator
inspected off the car and on the car but there seems to be nothing at
fault. Oem belts last longer but others may last a week. What's up with
this? Thanks guys.

 

If you look at the big bolt that holds the alternator to the engine block, there's a spacer on there somewhere. Its just a cylinder of metal with a hole through it, it will be nearly the same gray/rust color of your engine If your spacer is on the front, then your alternator will be sitting out too far, and cause your belts to be out of alignment. if your spacer is on the back, everything should be good. Time to start turning the pullies by hand to see if there's excessive play anywhere.

 

Don't cut the spacer down. Get it started like Syonyk said, and then gently tap it into place like rs1101 said.

 

Stop buying cheap crappy belts!!!!

I went to NAPA and got like 4 belts and blew them all in a couple weeks.....then I went and bought this brand called "Tourque".....now it works great!

 

I agree about the spacer, did that too, I noticed when after the second belt I checked it a clople of days later and it was wearing bad on the front side.