Oh Dear God!

I just got home from work. When I parked my car the fan was running and I thought it odd because I only went about 4 miles and wasn't driving hard and it's about 50 degrees out. The engine smelled hot so I pop the deck lid and see the belt lying there! I have no idea how long it's been off. I checked the oil and it's clean on the stick and still at the full level.
I've never put a belt on and I'm worried I hurt my engine. I know these are air cooled and they can run without a belt for a minimal time but what should I do to make sure everything is OK? And how do I put the belt back on?

MICKEY
WHAT A MINOR ISSUE
DEAL WITH IT BUDDY
:)

Since you went a short distance, the ambient air tem was cool and the electric fan kicked on...this is good. If when you pulled the dip stick outand it was't too hot to hold onto, the engine was not overheated... you're probably ok. Question is " resolve why the belt come off".. ~Alan

When a belt flies the Alt. light should light right away. Gotta watch them gauges. The belt probably was a bit loose. Doing the pulley and belt is easy. Do a search here or check one of your shop manuals.
http://speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=9436
~WB

To put the belt on you can use a long flathead screwdriver and put the belt on the big pulley and on the screwdriver on the small pulley, twist the screw driver as you turn the belt over the small pulley and it will pop back in.

Why do they come off? Belt is finished and stretched, belt is wrong size, spacers (washers) too many....

http://www.vw-resource.com/fanbelt.html

you should be fine-(I hope). Good luck!

Mickey, what Bill says about the alternator light coming on if the belt is off is very important. Before installing the belt, remove it from the engine compartment. Turn on your ignition and see what lights are on . You should have a light for low oil pressure and a light for alternator out put. If you have 2 lights on with the engine not running, god. Then start the engine. The light that goes out will be your oil pressure light. The one still on is the alternator light. Make sure this light is working. Then install the fan belt. It is easy to do. Fire up engine and both lights should go out. The engine is probably OK if you just drove a few miles of street driving. Hope for the best!

Double post.

Thanks guys. Here's the problem - the wiring still isn't finished so I'm driving blind so to speak. I only intended to drive it from my buddys garage to home and back to his garage monday so I didn't think it would be a big deal not having all readings. I DO have headlights and tail lights and that's about it.
It figures this is the time the belt goes flying off. I put it back on but it's twisted so no doubt it'll come off again very soon. My other car is still at the restaurant so I'm stuck at home with the speedster. I was going to drive to pep boys and pick up another belt to put on Monday and just leave the car at the restaurant until then. Is it OK to drive it like that?

Mickey---I am sure your engine is ok and that no damage was done in just 4 miles.

I had a much worse problem at Carlisle last year on one of the caravans going to dinner. That was a lot longer than 4 miles too.
Dumb ass me left a cleaning rag somewhere in the engine compartment and at some point in the drive the fan sucked it right in behind the shroud--- I had no cooling for a looong time. When we pulled into the parking lot I smelled that unmistakable, awful odor of a VERY hot engine--that metallic, oily, something is bad wrong odor. My son immediately diagnosed the problem, reached behind the shroud and pulled out the rag. My car ran perfect after that, I drove it 1,200 miles back to Hot Springs,Ar plus I've 2-3,000 miles since then and it's fine in every way.

Your deal was much less than mine. We were both lucky but I was REALLY lucky.

Another lesson in the madness and to think about what we're doing.

A. I should not have left a rag in there and B. I should have seen my skyrocketing engine temp on the gauge. (An flight-quality scan has been used since that incdent.)

--Looking forward to seeing you and your nice ride in Carlisle--you will love it I'm certain!---Jack

Don't EVEN get Leon started on belts and pulleys...

buy two belts and stow one away for future use

All Pep Boys had were 900's so I grabbed 2. My belt is a 905. One of the links said all T1 belts are 900 or 905 so will the 900's work or should I go find 905's?

95x905 is correct for a Type 1

Before you replace that belt, do a quick check to be sure that both upper and lower pulleys are in alignment. Just lay a straight edge across both pulley faces to see if they "line up." If not, that may be what caused a premature belt failure. A small misallignment can be tolerated - probably no more than 2mm (anyone?) - but certainly not any more than that. Lesser is better. Quick check - easy to do.

Achieving alignment is a whole 'nother thread.

Engines with alternators call for a different belt, although the generator size probably could be used.

I too am concerned about how much misalignment is acceptable.

My alternator pulley is about 1/8" aft of the crank pulley. I would really not have to pull the crank pulley to shim behind it. The alternator is shoved all way onto the stand. There is a spacer on the alternator shaft behind the pulley. I am wondering if some could be shaved off of it or if a shorter one would be available.

you can run it without thisspacer, only if the pulley half doesnt hit the alt. bill

I often use the same spacers as those used between the pulley halves to get the pulley alignment correct. I can't remember the exact tolerance for alignment, but I do it the same as Alan: Put a straight edge across the crank and fan pulley faces, see how far out it is and in which direction and then make adjustments until they're the same.

Sometimes the fan pulley is too far towards the front of the car and you have to push it back, but I seldom use any spacers on the alt-side of the pulley unless something is rubbing and that is often corrected with a different pulley. If yours is too far to the rear of the car and you have spacers in there, remove them and try a few pulley spacers (from between the halves) to adjust it to where it's straight with the crank pulley.

I never space out the crank pulley. If that is the culprit I always get a new crank pulley and that usually fixes it (although I've had one or two faced on the back from time to time to pull them in).

Try the pulley spacers. You may need to get a few more to have them as spares on the front of the pulley, but they're wicked cheap (and available by the handful everywhere and at Carlisle).

gn

The spacer that is behind the alternator pulley is more of a short tube on the shaft, about 1/2" long. I would have to knock the key out of the shaft to remove it.

Put a straight edge between your pulleys and figure out how much you need to reduce the spacer by.

Remove the spacer and take it to a machine shop and ask them to turn it down to whatever you need to make things right.

Should take them longer to set it up in the lathe than it will to cut it down.

Should cost ya about $20.

gn