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My most disliked maintenance...

Discussion in '308/328' started by mike996, Apr 14, 2018.

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  1. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

    Jun 14, 2008
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    Mike 996
    #1 mike996, Apr 14, 2018
    Today I put the 328 up on jack stands and drained the engine and trans oil. BUT, I also had to address the item I think I hate most to deal with...alternator belt.

    On our trip I got a bit of belt squeal a couple times for a couple of seconds after startup. So today I checked the belt and it's definitely loose. I have never found this to be other than a 3-handed job. Sadly, I have only two. :(

    Oh well, it's a job for tomorrow; today I installed new oil (Mobil 1 0W40) and filter (Baldwin). I also loosened the Trans fill plugs and then drained the Motul. I'm replacing it with Redline MTL tomorrow...IF I have any time left in the day after messing with that danged alternator! :)
     
  2. SeattleM5

    SeattleM5 Formula 3
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    #2 SeattleM5, Apr 14, 2018
    Mike, I found an easier way to do this. It's still a pain but at least it turns a 3 handed job into a 2 handed one. See this thread from 6 years ago: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/tightening-alternator-belt-made-easier.365828/
     
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  3. moysiuan

    moysiuan F1 Rookie
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    #3 moysiuan, Apr 14, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2018
    Yes, the special bolt noted solves this problem brilliantly.

    Curious, was the Motul fluid not giving the same feel as the redline?
     
  4. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

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    #4 mike996, Apr 15, 2018
    Interesting thread, Seattle, I think I'll cobble up something like that though it won't look that nice! thanks! Certainly if the AC compressor wasn't there, it would be a lot easier! But I like my AC so that compressor isn't going anywhere!

    Sometimes I get the impression that Ferrari made the 3x8 and then somebody in marketing said, (in Italian, of course), "Holy S&*T, we forgot to leave a space for an air conditioner compressor! Have the assembly guys figure out a way to stick it in there!" When the assembly guy responded, "Well, if we do that, it will be very difficult to adjust the alternator belt!" "Don't worry about that, it won't need any work until long after the warranty expires" It was probably the brother of the designer who determined that the electrical system wasn't capable of handling the higher wattage bulbs needed to actually SEE the instruments at night or window motors that could fully open the windows sometime today! :) OK, I'm being harsh re the windows, they're OK, just slow by "normal" standards. The dash lights? Well, they really DO suck.

    The Motul is the only oil that has been in the gearbox in the 8 years I have owned the car - that's what the shop that did the PPI installed back in '08. I just thought that this time I'd try the MTL because, well because that's what RifleDriver uses! :) I never thought the car shifted great - seems a bit balky sometimes though it is correctly adjusted. I always assumed that was just a 3x8 thing. SO I figured I'd try the MTL just to see.
     
  5. jmaienza

    jmaienza Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2009
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    #5 jmaienza, Apr 15, 2018
    Adjusting the alternator belt is right up there with frustrating tasks along with installing the AC compressor with the hoses intact after the engine is installed.

    I had my engine out then installed it, I put the belt covers on, tightened up the belts (my 78 308 GTS has the two belt system) put the AC compressor back in position then installed one of the final studs in the belt cover and it stripped. So...everything now comes off again and a helicoil is put in the belt cover and everything gets adjusted again.

    Having just gone through adjusting the alternator belt and needing 3 hands to do the job I resorted to the old saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention" or in this case; Extreme frustration necessitates a better solution. So I thought of how I could hold the alternator belt in a tightened position position thereby leaving my two hands to tighten the bolts.

    I'm almost embarrassed to post this picture of my "holder" because it took all of 5 minutes to make with whatever junk wood I had on hand. I got two blocks of wood and drilled a hole in each. I then got a threaded rod with a washer and two nuts on one end and a washer with one nut on the other and essentially made a jig that when installed between the harmonic balancer and alternator pulley allowed me to turn the nut and spread the wood blocks to tighten the belt. Looks cheap and it is, but it worked very well. A nice jig could be made of hardwood with the ends curved to fit the radii of the harmonic balancer and alternator pulley if you really want a nice looking piece.

    I did find that the alternator belt needs to be tightened much tighter than you can get by feel. It almost seemed too tight but I checked the tension with a Gates Krickit gauge and it was within spec.

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  6. energy88

    energy88 Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 energy88, Apr 15, 2018
    Mike: Do you feel the cooling system mystery is finally solved for good?
     
  7. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

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    #7 mike996, Apr 15, 2018
    Too funny, J! I ended up doing something similar this morning - I wedged some wooden shims (the kind you get at home depot to shim door jams) between the alternator and that bracket above it but I like your hi-tech tool much better! :) Really didn't end up taking all that long but still annoying as H#ll.

    88 - Yes, I drove the car extensively to heat up the engine and transaxle oil and it was totally OK - never even got to 195 indicated regardless of whether on the interstate or in town traffic or sitting in the driveway idling.
     
  8. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
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    #8 thorn, Apr 15, 2018
    A rolling prybar is your friend, tensioning the alternator.
     
  9. SeattleM5

    SeattleM5 Formula 3
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    #9 SeattleM5, Apr 15, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2018
    Joe I like your tool with the wood blocks, very clever! I use a breaker bar with a hunk of coolant hose shoved on the end to lever between the cam belt cover and the upper case of the alternator. The coolant hose prevents marring and provides the friction needed to keep the bar from slipping off the alternator. One hand on the breaker bar and one on the wrench that tightens the upper alternator bolt on the bracket. The 'Stage 8' bolt/tab that I referenced in the link from post #2 above allows this all to be done with two hands. The only problem is that it often ends up requiring a couple of trials to get the tension right unless I have a helper for that third hand to check the tension with the Krikit gauge as the tension is being applied. It seems Joe's method allows you to check the tension and have everything set up correctly on the first attempt with one person.

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  10. jmaienza

    jmaienza Formula Junior

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    #10 jmaienza, Apr 15, 2018
    I have used a similar method, but it still requires a third hand. I have my original bolts in the original position so tightening the bolts requires two hands. You gotta love these features of our 308s. Its all part of the charm!
     

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