ChevelleSSLS6

I'm new here, and am familiar with the rules and stuff with online communities. I'll probably be around a bit with questions on my girlfriend's 97 Civic LX, 4door automatic. It's a nice little car that gets her where she wants to go and I think it's got character.

Charming sentimentalism aside, the alternator works great, but the pulley is chewed up a bit and is eating the belt really bad. I live 30 miles (one way) from her, and I was going to replace the pulley tomorrow.

I fired off an email to the local dealer asking if they have any, and if they could get one for me, and the guys at the local parts store had no alternators in stock to measure the pulley on.

If anyone knows the width, diameter, and shaft diameter of a stock pulley, it'd be greatly appreciated. Also what size is the nut that holds the pulley on? (I ride a motorcycle and don't have room for a lot of tools! Her dad has a basic socket set and wrenches, but no extentions or larger metric sockets) Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
-Matt

crazyguy

here are some pics for u..for her 97 civic.. not sure about the nut or pulley sizes cause manual didnt say..

NOFX

According to their site, my local Autozone should have one in stock. Check autozone.com to see if there is one local to you. If you call your local store, even if they don't have one, they can check other area stores.

Then just call up that store and ask them if they can measure it.

ChevelleSSLS6

do you have a Autozone PN? All they have is universal 'performance' ones that I could find. AARGH!

Otherwise the friendly parts guy at the local Honda dealer will proceed to rape my wallet after the part comes in by Tuesday. $47.xx I think it was.

But, hopefully her car will be fixed and she won't be scared to drive it (it's the possibility of the belt breaking that has her all nervous) soon.

I thank you guys for the help!

NOFX

If they have one in stock, it will be this one.

Duralast Import Alternator
Limited Lifetime Warranty
"Except Canada Emissions.
75 Amp Premium Reman

Part Number: 13282

Price: $154.99
Core: $ 72.00
Total: $226.99

ChevelleSSLS6

this is a video of it running- the noise we think is the belt/pulley... the ac pump is making an awful noise, but she didnt turn the ac on.

pic is of the pulley thats messed up.

ChevelleSSLS6

well, if it could go wrong, it did...got p.o.ed from it all, and being late and dark I gave up...

first, I realized that there was no way in hell I'd be able to swap the pulley in-car.

second, the top alternator bolt (that adjusts tension) was a pain to get out since there's very little room between the bolt head and subframe, especially when it's almost out.

third, the lower alternator bolt (what it swivels on to adjust belt tension) is frozen stuck in there like a '****' and wouldn't budge after prying and hammering and using 'magic words' (profanity)

fourth, the threads on the lower 'bolt' (more of a stud since the end closest to the engine is a flat square) were damaged from my attempts to remove it, so the nut wouldn't go back on. I don't think my gf needs to worry about anything going wrong with the absence of a nut there, it's fricken rusted frozen there.


Summary:
she's going to have to go to a shop and have it done. She really can't afford it and I feel like a total loser since I've been able to do all of my own work on my cars besides new exhaust (I have it bent up, I don't buy catback systems which cost more) and alignments, then she gets this little Honda and I can't even replace the alternator pulley! AARGH!
-Matt

AWD Terror

LOL. Welcome to Honda. You learned the hard way that the alternator is a huge bitch.