240 Alternator Bracket - Broken Bolt
 

Howdy All,
I have to admit I joined the group to see if any of the folks here have ever the same problem I have.
I drive my 91 240 as my daily driver.
She has 335,727 miles on her odometer but she has more miles than that on her. (The speedometer broke back in April of 2010.)
My problem is,
I have had trouble with the single bolt that holds the bracket to the block breaking.
This will be the third time in the last 3 years.
The adjuster bracket broke a couple of years ago and I bought a new one on Ebay.
I did not buy new mounting bushings at that time.
The bolt sheared off again, right at the block.
This time I bought new bushings and re-installed the bracket the way I had been installing it.
That was at the beginning of this year.
And now?
You guessed it!
Sheared again!
So,
I am looking for a parts diagram that would show the correct mounting of my alternator bracket on my '91 240.
The way it has been mounted is with the arm of the bracket away from the block, long length of bushing holder towards the block, and the adjustment block on the alternator in front of the alternator mounting lug.
Should it be reversed with the arm closest to the block, short length of the bushing holder towards the block, and the adjuster behind the alternator lug?

Thanks in advance,
Sarah_Dippitty

Broken Bolt
 

Ht All,
I re-read the post and it was hard to say what the bracket looks like.
So,
I took a couple of pics.
Thanks,
Sarah

[ATTACH]Attachment 4970[/ATTACH]

well, this is the drawing in the parts catalog...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O...5%252520AM.jpg

I wonder if you over or under torqued stuff? are you using the volvo bolts, or stuff you got at the hardware store, and if the latter, is it the right hardness grade?

I found this:
http://www.forums.turbobricks.com/sh...d.php?t=172337

Which explains some of the confusion. Pierce - My 86 has the tensioning arm with the longer tube, that connects to the front of the alternator, not the back as shown in your diagram. Do you have another diagram that shows this configuration?

Thanks!!!

the VADIS diagram for the 86 looks identical, although there's some part number differences.

VADIS is wrong. For what it's worth, so is VIDA (same diagram). The adjuster goes in front; otherwise the adjuster bolt would hit. While a stonger grade 8 bolt might alleviate the problem, removing a broken grade 8 is much more difficult. I'm thinking either the adjuster bracket is bent or someone is overtorqueing the block bolt. Perhaps you are missing the spacer that goes behind the bushing?
Attachment 18963

heh, I was going to try and take that same pic on my 87 240 but dayum, that stuff is buried down in there.

Hi All,
Sorry about not getting back to the forum.
So,
I guess that I have been installing it incorrectly.
I have been installing 2 bushings in the sleeve/barrel, one on the outside and one in the inside.
Then,
I should just mount the arm with the bushing towards the block and the bolt inside of the sleeve?
What keeps it from moving forward, towards the pulley?
I guess I have to ask another question.
What spacer?
Do you mean the metal sleeve that comes with the bushings, bonded to the bushing I.D.??
I did not see any other bushing when I did my original replacement of the new arm and adjuster.
So,
If I am missing a spacer,
Does anyone know the dimensions of the spacer?
I am a millwright/machinist and I could make one if it is just a basic spacer.

Thanks for keeping with me on this.

Sarah_Dippitty
Anacortes Washington

Attachment 4971

The spacer is #14 in the diagram above. It is nothing special and only sometimes necessary. Most modern accessory bushings have an extension of the inner bush...these do not need the spacer. The spacer is nothing special; just a stand off. More than anything, after assembly, just make certain everything is in line and that the bracket is at a 90° angle to the block.

Lots easier to take the pic when it's on an engine stand!!

Thanks for answering so quickly,
So?
The bushing has to be drawn into the barrel pulling the flange/outside lip in?
That would make it fairly tight and maybe the barrel will be held against the block?
Or,
Does the bushing go into the barrel with the flange on the outside/against the block and the bolt through it.
In this case,
What would keep it from walking off of the bushing?
The great pictuer from SwiftJustice 44 shows the arm exactly the way I have been mounting it but without the extra bushing.

Any advice is good here.
I was lucky this time, I was able to extract the bolt end from the block using a small screwdriver to walk it aroud.
The last time I was not that lucky.
I had to remove the radiator, fan and shroud and center drill the bolt and use an Easy-Out to remove it.
I am getting tired of doing the same job over and over.
So,
I am going to install the arm without the extra bushing
And maybe a spacer?
Thanks in advance

Sarah_Dippitty
Anacortes Washington

Broken bolts are no fun. Broken grade 8 bolts are much less fun. Drilling becomes a chore. Definitely only one bushing; which way the accessory bushing goes escapes me at the moment. Logic tells me it should be inserted as in the diagram above with the flange on the outside and yet my photo shows it to be inserted from the rear. I don't have to mess with this stuff much anymore; let me look at it closer tomorrow and I can give you a definitive answer. Also, if you have not discovered, there are polyurethane bushings that are much superior to the neoprene stock bushings. The stock bushings fail from oil and heat. They cost more but I use the polyurethane down low where they are a pita to swap out on the car.

Thanks for the help!
Looking forward to doing this right, once and for all.

Sarah

My arm also is walking off the bushing. I use the poly parts as well. Is there a solution to this? Should an extra bushing be on the front of it? My alternator shifts around. How do you keep it stable?