Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Morning, quick question, how tight should the alternator belt be? I had mine replaced , but it’s doing the screech from hell when it starts in the mornings. Now I’ve checked, there is no place to use a wedge to pull the alternator belt tight. Only a single bolt to turn. So just want to know when is it the right tension?

izakjbrt wrote: ↑09 May 2018 10:14 Morning, quick question, how tight should the alternator belt be? I had mine replaced , but it’s doing the screech from hell when it starts in the mornings. Now I’ve checked, there is no place to use a wedge to pull the alternator belt tight. Only a single bolt to turn. So just want to know when is it the right tension?

There are two bolts. The one on the side of the adjustment bolt is the "lock" bolt. Loosen it before adjusting tension, or it's not going to work. And remember to tighten it up again when you're done.

The manual mentions that the maximum deflection should be 12mm for the alternator belt, when 98 N is applied to the centre of the top of the belt.

However, I don't have the tools for measuring this stuff, so I just make sure that the belt can be "rolled" slightly by hand when it is fitted. In short: you don't want the belt too tight, or it is going to eat the alternator bearings.

Information relating to this can be found in the "MA" section of the Patrol manual (the link is here somewhere: http://www.patrol4x4.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=7667)

The screeching is quickly resolved by applying a little door lube to the inside of the belt. You can get it from Midas or Autozone.