Mini help - fanbelt when removing alternator

[mendip magic]

i have removed the alternator on my 1984 mini city E.

It has a 4 1/4 " water pump pulley.

anyone know where i can get a fan belt to go from the crank pulley to this pulley and /or know of a suitable cross reference to anything else.

[Mr2Mike]

The alternator tensions the belt, so if removed you will need to rig up a separate tensioning system.

[mendip magic]

No tensioner is required.

One of the mini parts companies does a belt to fit a smaller diameter wheel.

belt is cheap enough but, pulley wheel is £60 ish

[Cooperman]

Am I alone in not understanding this? How can you remove the alternator and fit a shorter belt with no means of tensioning it. If it's long enough to go over the pulley flanges, it will be too slack and will simply slip and burn out. The least you'll need is a jockey wheel to tension the belt in place of the alternator. Is this a race car which will run on stored battery power alone? Presumably the reason for removing the alternator is to save weight. Maybe you could strip out the alternator internals, just leaving a spindle and some bearings to carry the pulley wheel - just a thought, you understand.

[mendip magic]

Yes its a racing car, and will run on battery power.

Belt is fitted by removing water pump pulley, put belt on and bolt back together.

[Cooperman]

Ah, all becomes clear now.

[eccles]

We ran my mates hillclimb mini in this configuration for a couple of seasons. not sure where the belt came from though as it came with the car. A dodgy red top saw us fitting an alternator we had lying round. The old, short belt is kicking round somewhere, i'll see if i can find it tomorrow when i'm over his, although i may be too late as the car goes tomorrow.


available from minispares for a few quid......

http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=38472

Edited by eccles on Tuesday 5th February 23:00