Pinto Car Club of America

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: miked1989 on December 02, 2008, 12:25:03 PM

Title: alternator
Post by: miked1989 on December 02, 2008, 12:25:03 PM
on the 77 2.3l i don't have the tensioner for it. what do i do about finding a new one?
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: douglasskemp on December 02, 2008, 02:19:51 PM
tensioner? you mean the bolt?  If you mean a tensioner like for a serpentine belt setup, they don't have one.  You have to tighten it by hand using a cresent wrench on the rectangular bolt boss that sticks out of one end, and then tighten down the two bolts, one short bolt thru the boss that you have the crescent wrench on, and one long one thru the pivot point.  If you were meaning something else entirely that I am not thinking of, I apolgize. :D
Good luck!
--Doug
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: miked1989 on December 13, 2008, 07:41:02 PM
 here is the alt bracket that i have am i missing sum sort of bracket for tention?(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/240z_2006/PC120003.jpg)
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: dave1987 on December 13, 2008, 11:06:28 PM
Yes, you are. There should be one more bracket which bolts to the block next to the distributor hold down, towards the front of the block. Upon closer in spection, it appears that you have a power steering bracket on the bottom where the other alternator bracket should be.

Does your car have power steering? If not, I can send you an alternator bracket set for your car. I have two types of brackets. One for a 77 Bobcat 2.3 with power steering, and one for a Ranger with dual belts. Both would require finding a longer belt than a pinto without power steering, since the alt sits higher in these vehicles. I haven't had any luck finding belts that fit, as I was originally going to use the brackets for a dual belt setup, which apparently is only an option with power steering cars/trucks.

The lower bracket, for your setup, should be arched with a slot cut out of it. The "lower" (upper on a stock 2.3 Pinto) alternator "tension" bolt goes through the slot in the bracket, into the alternator. The alternator is then pivoted outwards to tensions the belt. Then it's just a matter of putting enough outward pressure against the alternator while tightening the bolt to keep a nice tight belt during driving.
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: miked1989 on December 13, 2008, 11:12:37 PM
yes it dose have power steering there is a bracket on it,(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/240z_2006/PC120007.jpg)
dose anyone know were i can get the missing bracket?
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: dave1987 on December 13, 2008, 11:14:20 PM
Off a 2.3l Pinto with power steering...Otherwise I have a set off a 77 2.3 which should work for you, if you are interested (PM me if so).
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: dave1987 on December 14, 2008, 08:46:40 PM
CORRECTION!

I pulled the alternator/power steering brackets I had in storage out tonight so I could snap some pictures. I was looking at how they would be mounted to the block, and realized that the alternator doesn't act as the tensioner at all, it is stationary the entire time!

It is the power steering pump that is your "tensioner", at least I think...I can't remember for sure but I think the power steering pump has a bolt that goes through the slot on the bracket. You would apply outward pressure against the power steering pump to tighten the belts.

The belts for car's with power steering go around the crank pulley, fan/water pump pulley, alternator and the power steering pump, with the P/S pump used for tensioning.
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: phils toys on December 15, 2008, 10:40:46 AM
dave is 100% correct  would you like a pic?
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: miked1989 on December 15, 2008, 11:13:08 AM
yes a pic would be great thanks
Title: Re: alternator
Post by: dave1987 on December 15, 2008, 04:55:32 PM
Here is a shot of what your brackets should look like (the same pic I tried showing you via PM).