If you remove the overflow bottle it’ll create more room, check out this thread a lot of work and detail went into it to help us newbie wrenchers-
https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/...r-ILLUSTRATED!
JDM
If you remove the overflow bottle it’ll create more room, check out this thread a lot of work and detail went into it to help us newbie wrenchers-
https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/...r-ILLUSTRATED!
JDM
SUZU,
Stop looking at pictures on the internet and go out and look at your van for some perspective. This really isn't a difficult thing. You are mind f^#king this to death...
The pulley you are assuming the bolt is behind is a small one, theres plenty of room there to get a socket or wrench in.
Thanks for that link, JDM. In the fourth photo from the top, it appears that the thing-that-must-be-loosened-first is in fact NOT too close behind something else to get a socket wrench in there. That's such a relief!!Originally Posted by JDM VANMAN
It's about 15 degrees out there right now. I'll look at it when I won't freeze my fingers off. Meanwhile, the pics are extremely helpful. The only thing I'm left wondering about is finding the alternator belt to check it for looseness. Psychotron wrote "reach your hand down into the engine bay and grab onto it down there" and to a newbie like me that's a bit befuddling. But I just might have enough brains left to figure it out.
I did not see purple on the zip ties the other day. I do see the purple now -- very clearly in fact. Strange!
The altnernator belt is attached to the Alternator. In order to reach it you must stick your hand down to the front of the alternator and feel the tension on the belt a few inches away from the alternator.
Perfect! Thank you.
So I postponed my doctor appointment because I was afraid to drive with that belt so loose. I ran out of PB Blaster and went to Bumper-to-Bumper where they used to have a shop in back. I was gonna offer the mechanic $5 to move that bolt for me, because I couldn't do it. They no longer have the shop or any power tools, but the guy behind the counter felt the belt and said he wouldn't drive it until that belt was tightened.
There's another garage nearby so I went over there and the mechanic had a go at the bolt with an impact wrench -- delicately so as not to break the bolt. It would not move. He felt the belt and said it's not that bad, that he wouldn't worry and would feel perfectly fine sending his wife on that 120-mile round-trip (the mileage of my doctor trip).
I guess I just keep trying until it finally moves. Is it possible that it will never move, and the only option will be to break the damned thing?
bump... lets get this to 4 pages~
I’m surprised the mechanic wasn’t able to remove that bolt for you, maybe try a different lubricant and let it sit awhile then work it back and forth slowly otherwise it’ll snap the top of the bolt right off.
JDM
Your best option right now is to call all the local mechanic shops and ask them "how much to tighten the power steering belt" and they will probably give you a quote or tell you to bring it in. Once they give you a flat rate they'll do whatever it takes to get that belt tight. If they break it they'll be the one's liable to replace it (that's why the guy you asked for a favor didn't try to hard). Sometimes its better to pay a mechanic to take the risk when the repair is questionable like this.
I like to call around the various mechanics around town and ask for a flat rate over the phone-- I don't schedule a visit until I've check a few others for their rates and straight-forwardness.
Did the mechanic loosen the nut on the front of the pulley before trying to loosen the rusty bolt? If not it will bend the bracket when it does spin.
Liquid Wrench brand penetrating fluid works a bit better than the others according to one youtube video by a guy who scientifically tests these sorts of things on his farm. Spray the bolt with penetrating fluid twice a day for a few days in a row for it to work best.
Here's the video of the guy testing penetrating fluids. Blowtorch does a better job than all the fluids tested. A more skilled mechanic would be able to get that bolt out by heating it up first. I would not recommend doing it yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUEob2oAKVs
If I were the mechanic he brought it to, I wouldn't be liable for a broken bolt. Hard parts are the cost of doing business for the customer... especially when they get a quote for something over the phone and bring it in to find out it's something completely different than what was described. I, like any mechanic, would take one look at it and explain it may need to be replaced, and not put myself in a position where I am liable for bad parts.
I'll keep spraying and knocking on the bolt for a while. Yes, the mechanic loosened the front nut before trying. If ultimately it has to be busted out of there, what does it take to fix it back to normal? Big job?
The bolt isn't a big deal, it can be easily replaced. The block on the other hand might be a bit trickier.
OR, you could just buy this set up... and fit it in to place (may require retrofitting of some type, good mechanic can make it work).
HERE
I looked at that. It makes sense. Looks like if I completely removed the smaller bolt, the other parts would just fall off. Then the whole thing gets replaced, right?
I see at the top of the Amazon page
This does not fit your: 1987 Toyota Van
Most things that are getting retrofitted aren't going to fit our vans... If you want drop in parts for this, your going to have to find them in a salvage yard or ebay.
Just take the van to a mechanic already Suzu…… You'll probably be better off going that route
Easier said than done, my friend, when it's almost a choice between driving and eating.
Do you have any friends who can help you then? Someone with a decent set of tools and some know how?
If I was closer I would come over with a tool box, drink all your beer, have you make me a sammich and have it all done before you got back with the sammich.
Surely you know someone like that?
I appreciate the sentiment, Flecker, but I'm afraid you would find that I haven't had any beer in my fridge for almost 20 years. And no, I don't know a soul who would come here and help me fix my car. I did, but he died in 2012.
OK. Then here is what your gonna do. Man up!
FIRST, hose the bolt down again with some sort of lube. WD40, PB Blaster, whatever...
Then warm up the engine to operating temp. Get it nice and warm.
Get a 1/2" breaker bar (use a cheater bar if you need) and a 14mm socket. Loosen the pulley nut, enough to let the pulley move freely about an 1/8" off the track.
Next with the engine still warm (the bolt will have some heat on it too hopefully, grab that breaker bar and use a 6 point 14mm socket to loosen that long bolt!
JUST DO IT MAN!!!
BLUE- spray this bolt down, get the top of the block where the bolt goes in.
RED- loosen this bolt
GREEN- use breaker bar and all your might to loosen this bolt! Go back and forth on it to get the bolt to work freely. Continue to spray some lube as you go. YOU GOT THIS!
Heres your visual:
Last edited by Flecker; 11-15-2019 at 12:38 PM.
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