I just bought a belt from autozone and can't get it on... I adjusted the alternator belt to its lowest position and still cant even get the belt on the alternator. i have the right belt but i need mabe a half in more. please help out becausemy car is not driveable until i get this belt on.

 

You may want to get the belt over the alt and main pulley before you get it on the backside of the water pump. Sometimes that is all the slack you need.OR...You may need a slightly longer belt. I say this because in my experiences the belt's "actual" size is different than the "listed" size in the parts book.
if you look on the backside of the belt package it should have the actual belt size typed on it. Some i have gotten have been up to 1 inch long or short. usually long. We seem to have a belt size that falls in between EVERYTHING in the parts books.

if you can get one that is just a tiny bit longer than you need you can get away with grinding the alt bracket down a little to allow more travel upwards to tighten the belt. You will have to slot the bracket as well.

BUT you should be able to find one. You ma have to drop down to a 4 rib belt or maybe even a 3 rib to find the rite size. Most i have found are 4 rib belts.

My belt that i have on my car rite now is a 25-040300.(From NAPA) As i said in the other thread, i have only the STOCK main and alt. pulley, And a Greddy Water pump pulley.NO air pump( unless you count the T70 as a air pump) if you have the Air pump, loosen it as well as the others below have stated.

 

The airpump is adjustable too. Make certain the airpump is fully loosened as well as the alternator. Snake the belt around every pulley and leave the water pump for last. It will go on the water pump pulley about halfway and then by pulling on the belt and rotating the engine it will slip on the rest of the way.

 

Try loosening the air pump, that should give you more then enough slack to get the belts on. Double check and make sure you have the right size and be sure to adjust to the proper belt tension once you get it on.

 

do you know how many bolts i need to remove to move the air pump. so far i took off the bolt that is right under the main bolt which holds the airpump in place. this is the bolt where theres a cutout to allow movement like on the alternator but i cant move my airpump any closer...can anyone describe what other bolt needs to be loosened?

 

You just need to loosen the main bolt on top, and the one on the air pump bottom. That one is connected to the black bracket that allows adjustment.( the one with the slot in it) It may be stuck in place from never having been moved in a long while. You may need to jar it loose. I just push and pull back and forth till it loosens up a bit. The clamping forces on the top bolt tend to crush the nut insert onto the mount casting. Soo some movement breaks it loose..

If that doesn't work,.. start swearing at it in vane and it will move. If THAT doesn't work, Get a 10 # sledgehammer and tell it you will persuade it if it doesn't move. THAT usually scares them loose. ....Just having some stress relief fun man. I know how it can get.

 

that was exactly what i was gonna suggest. i always have to rotate the engine a bit to get the last bit of belt on.

the odd thing is that it does not seem that tight after it goes on... idk