I have a really bad belt squeal that appears after driving after 10-15 mins or so. Belt has been replaced, alternator and pulley have been replaced, belt pulled taught - still squeals. It looks like the alternator is moving under the torque of the belt and I'm now beginning to wonder if I'm missing something to give the mounting "arm" for the top alternator mount more rigidity. When I pull back slightly on the alternator (towards the rear of the car) the squeaking stops. I was looking at a diagram on realoem.com and it seems I'm missing parts #21 and 22 see here.
At the risk of sounding completely incompetent, can anyone here confirm whether this is a necessary part(s) for the alternator to be mounted correctly? The only other e21's I've seen in person have been swapped or it was a part out, otherwise I would have made note. If so, does anyone have any spare parts to sell? Also, if someone has a picture of their own alternator setup, I'd really appreciate it!
Attached are images of the arm I'm referring to and how my current setup looks.
Thanks in advance!
IMG_9024-1.jpgIMG_9025.jpgIMG_9026.jpg
Those parts are designed to lock it in place. I would not be shocked if the bolt was sliding and causing the squeaking.
An issue with alternators on these cars is the soft rubber bushing in the alternator mounting holes. It flexes and torques the belt. Options are polyurethane bushings, slotting the back nut recess to torque it back, or running your alternator not as tightly.
Hope this helps, JB
I tried to remove that alternator bracket from my parts car, so I could better understand how it is mounted and the rubber bushings. What a PAIN IN THE ASS. Still didn't get it off. One bolt holding it is under the oil filter, impossible to see, next to impossible to get a wrench on.
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Have to take the oil filter part off the block first.
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In case you didn't already figure this out, the bushings are in the ears of the alternator itself, not the bracket.
Poly bushings are a permanent solution.
Squeezing the new ones in can be a little hard, they fit pretty tight - clean out the hole really really well with a wire brush or scraper even to remove any remnants of the old rubber bushings. Lube up the new ones and squeeze it all back together with a couple sockets of appropriate size in a vise, you'll need to get it all together tightly enough to get the C-clip back on the metal sleeve.
I wonder if the op could be using a bolt that is too small in diameter, or is missing that metal sleeve that is held in by that circlip in the picture.
His alternator is more crooked than mine, either of my 2, and they are both old, old bushings, etc.
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I found the third bolt that was holding the oil filter part on. I couldn't see it in the dark last night. Besides it was covered in oil, dirt, grime. Once i got that off, removed the oil filter, then removing the alternator bracket was easy. But the 3rd bolt for the alternator bracket is virtually inaccessible without removing the oil filter.
Mine is all original, purchased from the original owner, and did not have the adjustment bar with the adjustment "star." I typically use a pry bar to get the tension I need.
Agree, that hidden 3rd bracket bolt is a pain; IIRC I held the nut with an open end 13mm and used a ratcheting 13mm to loosen the bolt. I removed the oil filter adapter anyway for more clearance and to clean/paint it; not a bad idea to replace a 40 year old weeping gasket, either. The alt is a pretty tight fit (I had to use a rubber mallet to remove/install it) in the bracket. IIRC there are some flared inserts in the bracket that space/squeeze the alternator for a tight fit (but don't quote me, I could be remembering a different vehicle). That crooked alt definitely looks like something assembled wrong.
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