Any tips for getting the alternator stap back on?
 

I have taken out the housing and fan for cleaning + repairs multiple times on both my cars. The most tedious part is for me is always getting that darn strap bolted up. I recently bought an EPS housing, new fan and strap for my 86 Targa. I cannot get that strap to bolt up. I have tried vice grips, c-clamps, almost everything. Usually the needle nose vice grips do the trick but not this time. My next step is to get a longer bolt but like most of us, I just want to get it done.

Any tips aside from a longer bolt?

Thanks!

You want to make sure the housing is seated properly, there is zero margin of error here, PAG did this so the pulley will not accidentally grind onto the housing. You will see many guys including me that did not let it seat properly and as a result grinded the surface lip, Heck even PAG modified it to eliminate the potential contact, but us mortals keep messing it up.

Joy,

Jim

I just went through this myself with a new EPS housing. I had to get a longer bolt, it just wasn't going to happen otherwise. It seemed like the housing was just a little bit bigger around than the stock item was. Anyone else experience the same?

Apply grease to the strap while installing. Use a longer screw to draw the strap together, remove screw install correct screw.

zip ties!!

I had the same problem when I got my housing and strap back from powder coating. I ended up going to OSH (Lowe's?) and getting a slightly longer bolt. Problem solved.

Unless you're dealing with a concours-quality engine bay, at some point it's just not worth the headache of trying to get the original bolt to go.

My $.02. YMMV.

+1 - look at the 6:00 position on case and housing. Pin and slot. The must mate and if this is not the case, life will get easier.

dont fight it.

seat it correctly, run longer hardware, ziptie it togther, remove longer hardware, install correct hardware. toss longer hardware somewhere you can find it "next time".

Got some progress

Finally got a hold of some longer hardware. Tried grease, and the long bolt. I tightened the bolt on the alternator strap down but not too tight. I measured the bolt and found that not even the oem bolt would have enough thread. In my opinion that means something is wrong.

In moving stuff around it looks like the new housing has slightly changed the position of the fins behind the alternator. Those fins are hitting the plastic shroud behind everything and throwing things off a hair.

My next step will be to remove everything again and try to fit and strap down the housing without the alternator or fins. If it lines up and straps then its the fins, if not, I will sand my new housing down a bit more per the results of some searches.

I have read that those EPS which I found out is really Vertex (same address) have been know to be a bit larger.

I will try again this weekend.

Wish me luck!