[DeTomaso] Fugitive Alternator Belt

Michael Shortt michaelsavga at gmail.com
Fri Feb 8 23:02:20 EST 2008


ah...it was the other belt for the waterpump and it took out the other one
or vice versa.

Either way...far be it from me ( he who blew a 455 Olds in a Motorhome
because an idiot light was ignored ) to llecture you.

but dude, you had warning, so I'd count myself really lucky you still have
head gaskets.

If you had AL heads and such, you might be crying right now.

Towing or roadside repair is way cheaper, even free with Hagerty's roadside
plan or AAA.

Say a prayer tonight, you dodged a bullet.

I carry basic tools and both belts, I'll send you the part numbers later
when i get up off my butt.

Michael in Savannah

On Feb 8, 2008 10:47 PM, J. Sean Keane <spleen at spamcop.net> wrote:

> I thought I had noticed the occasional slight hissing noise coming from
> my engine compartment lately, but it wasn't dramatic enough for me to be
> certain.  Today, as I was driving home, it suddenly got louder.  Then my
> generator light came on, and the ammeter showed a constant discharge.  A
> few moments later, there was a slight thump and the hissing stopped.
> I'm reasonably certain that the thump was my alternator belt exiting the
> engine compartment and having a brief flirtation with the rear tire as
> it made its bid for freedom.
>
> I wasn't too far from home, so I thought, "No big deal, I can make it
> home on the battery."  But then I noticed the temperature starting to
> climb, and soon I was stopped in a parking lot with clouds of steam
> issuing from below the car.  I was only a couple of miles from home at
> this point, so I let the car cool down for two hours and got water to
> re-fill the reservoir.  With that, I was able to limp home without
> reprising my role as a steam engine (although I could hear the water
> boiling as I pulled into my driveway.)
>
> Belts break, so I'm not too upset about the whole incident, but I do
> have two questions.  First, why would the failure of the alternator belt
> result in overheating?  I would have thought that the battery would have
> been sufficient to keep the electric fans running.  Perhaps I've lost
> more than one belt?  And second, what belt to I need to ask for at my
> local auto parts store to replace the one that went on walkabout?  Thanks.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sean Keane
> 1974 L
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-- 
Michael L. Shortt
Savannah, Georgia
www.michaelshortt.com
michael at michaelshortt.com


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