Home for the Holidays

My daughter and her P5 are home for the holidays. Amazingly, she drove from southern PA to southern NY (200+ miles) without getting any salt or dirt on her car. This time of year, that's pretty amazing.

The only maintenance item on tap is to tighten the alternator belt. It squeaks a bit when you first start it up if it's damp outside.

She's getting some rubber floor mats for Christmas. I'm sure she'll be thrilled!

Where in the southern tier?

Near Binghamton

When I Adjust my Alternator belt, I don't bother with loosening the bottom bolt. I only loosen the top bolt then tighten the adjuster bolt.

The bottom bolt is far enough away from the adjuster that the alternator pivots easily. That way you don't have to get under your car.

One guy wrote in that when he tried to loosen the bottom bolt he stripped the hell out of everything and opened up a huge can of worms.

If the adjuster bolt seems too hard to turn then maybe consider loosening the bottom bolt.

EDIT: One other thing ,.. when I was tightening the adjuster bolt with my wrench, it just happened to line up with the positive terminal of the alternator and blew the main fuse which is a PITA to replace.

I think the alternator terminal is supposed to have a little rubber "boot" on it ,... mine didn't have one.

Be careful of over tightening the belt or you'll wreck out your Alt. bearing.

I put new belts on last Aug. I tightened up the PS belt in Sept during a visit but didn't have my floor jack with me to get around to the Alternator belt. It doesn't need much.