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HELP! ~ '88 GL-10turbo Wagon - Alternator Belt insanity!


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So.. I found and purchased my dream machine Subaru GL-10turbo (85,000 original miles)

 

After 2,000 of my own miles she comes with one incredibly annoying issue that no one.. and I mean no master Subaru mechanic can fix or even have an answer for.

 

The alternator accessory belt is simply not made anymore. Seemingly ALL aftermarket belts are just not proper enough to last more than 1,000 miles before they have stretched too far for the alternator/pulley adjustment and just squeal like a dying pig.

 

PLEASE... for the love of god.. as I put on my 3rd belt in 2,000 miles.. does anyone have a solution.

 

Even better... please provide details on the best belt and make of belt. Maybe even a link if where to order one.

 

Or maybe I am completely missing the answer and it's a pulley gone bad??

 

If a Subaru mechanic will not help me figure it out I thought to try here..

 

Thanks Everyone!!!

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What size belt are you using? Some EA82 ran twin pulleys and twin belts. Belts seem to differ depending whether you have air cond and or power steering. Have been told some belts are no longer made and was more their width rather than length. I stepped up to next wider belt but this also translates to different lernth sometimes

 

But, tell us what size and brands you been through maybe?

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Not sure of this help - I had a similar problem with my 90 loyale, non turbo.

 

The alternator belt was a weird size. Normal ones, one was just long enough to not get tight, next size shorter wouldn't get over the sheaves. I found that I could file the alternator bracket adjuster slot a bit longer, so it would allow the shorter belt to be installed. In my case there was no room to go the other direction, as the alternator would have hit the battery.

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Wow! 2 bad belts in 2000 miles you say.

Squealing like a pig you say.

 

I recently had a belt "explode" on my EA82 non-turbo wagon. While failing it bent up both fan housings, resulting in cut up fan blades, pulled wires out of sensors, and made my bitcoin account crash.

 

I replaced them both with Gates belts ($25 each) and have completely made all pig sounds stop. runs great.

Here's what I think.  You have a component that isn't free spinning any longer.

 

The bacon factor happens when the belt is moving and the pulley is not.

Proper tension is important too.

 

Take all your belts off, free hand spin each pulley except the main crank pulley, and figure out which one is dead.

 

If that isn't it, then it's a pulley alignment issue:

To test, take a straight edge yard stick (USA speak) and lay is across all the "V" valleys

I checked rock auto and the water pumps seem to be the same between non and turbo EA82.

There is the single race and dual race pulley on the alternator.

 

Disclaimer: I don't have the turbo engine so I have no idea what it looks like. I'm just making all this up.

 

A keen eye should be able to detect this problem.

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depending on the A/C system, there are 2 different lengths of water pumps.

 

an incorrect one will result in belt deflecting about 5mm (half a belt width) and will ruin belts quickly

 

not sure if that's the issue.

 

If not, I would check all the pulleys....Power steering, AC, Alternator, waterpump.

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Thanks for all the responses everyone, but problem still not solved.
 
More info:
 
Current belt - BANDO (part # - 4PK990)
 
The BANDO belt is not proper.. this belt stretched within 1,000 miles and is no longer good. Also seems to wide for the pulleys, but I am not sure about that.
 
I have contacted one of the best older Subaru shops in the PNW (Smart Subaru) of whom one of their techs I bought the Subaru from and they told me the ONLY belt that they have had any success with is made by Mitsuboshi (yes.. that is with an 'O')
 
So.. the manufacturer = Mitsuboshi
 
Part Number = 73036GA100
 
Here is a link to a description of the belt and what vehicles it can be synced to:
http://www.miparts.com/oem/73036-GA100
 
I am to take it in to have the pulleys and maybe bearings looked over and have the belt put on.. so time will tell.
 
To clarify my Subaru .. it's a 1988 GL-10 Turbo (4WD all the time - NO 4 low shifter)

Day 1   6 5 17

Day 1   6 5 17 (7)


The belt in questions works off the alternator and down to accessories (AC and so on)
 
If you need pics I can get that for you and post here!
 
Any more feedback is greatly appreciated!!
 
cheers.

Edited by Funkybert
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Well, clearly from the picture you can tell it's an automatic.

 

When I limped mine into the parts store I was hoping for just any old belt, at the time I guess I might be willing to part with $4 maybe $5 USD tops.

 

$$ 25 !!

 

$$25 EACH!!

 

...and  that's the story of how I run Gates belts.

 

They make my engine round and round. I don't really care. it works.

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Yes, in that post, I shared the very Best Belts that works fine on my Subie; But mine is a Carbureted EA82; while this EA82T seems to be from the models that came with Serpentine Belts instead.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
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I have faced the same situation, (Pig noise) in other cars, Not in EA82T, and then, the culprit from the horrid Noise, was Not the Belt, but the Main Pulley, as it has a Rubber inbetween the two metal parts, whose purpose is to isolate the engine, from the electrical current that could be created from the Serpentine Belt and the Pulley; as a "Van der Graaf" generator.

 

So, if your EA82T has such kind of Pulley with Rubber isolation, I kindly suggest you to Change it with a New one, because the source of the noise, should be the Rubber isolation which shrinks with time, age and heat; failing to keep the Pulley rotating as a one piece, the Slipping from metal-to-rubber is the noise you hear. With a New pulley, the Noise should fade away.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
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