Date:         Mon, 4 Apr 2005 10:10:27 EDT
Reply-To:     Taobythesea@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James Benthall <Taobythesea@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Stripped Alternator Mounting Bolt (was "Belt too Loose")
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Hi all,
Well the continuing problem with my alternator belt working itself loose  took
another turn yesterday when I stripped the threaded mounting hole on the
alternator
itself ;-(  I was trying to tighten the darn thing, after noticing  that it
had worked itself
loose again, when I stripped it.  This makes me wonder if the "soft  metal"
on the
alternator itself was the culprit all along?  Maybe I would tighten  the
mounting bolt
(the one on top) and then it would slowly work itself loose over time due  to
this "soft
metal"?
I was thinking it was the type of belts I was using, but I tried all of  them
(but the factory
VW belt) and it would always work itself loose after just a few hundred
miles or like two
months at the most.  I had finally come upon the Goodyear Gatorbacks,  with
the
recommendation of my alternator rebuilder guy, and they had seemed to work
fine. The
pullies are all in alignment, so I don't think it is that either.
My questions are these:  Can I retap the alternator mounting hole  using a
next size tap,
and then go from there?  Will it still just be "soft metal" and then
continue to work itself
loose?  Are their any type of inserts or sleeves that are made of  stronger
steel that I can
put in the mounting holes (pre-threaded or tapable)?  Also, can I do  all
this without taking
the alternator off the vehicle since it was a real b**** to stab the bottom
bolt when I did this before?   Thanks for all your help.
Frustrated in Houston,
James Benthall
87 Westy (The Phoenix)