Hey all! I bought a 01 s60 last month. Alternator gave out over weekend. Was in process of replacing it until I got to trying to loosen the belt via idler. Only problem is with the instructions I've been following show a 14mm bolt on idler to loosen belt. But (OFCOURSE) with my s60 there was no bolt. But a star like Allen key insert. Which was also next to idler. I'm at a loss.. Please help!!!

 

Yours it's not the 14mm bolt.

click Release Serpentine Belt Tensioner

Turn it all the way back, the belt should come very easily off the steering pump or the tensioner is not fully released.

 

Its not an allen, thats a torx. T55 if I remember right.

 

It's better to go with the torx indeed, so you don't strip the notches. An allen key might strip it as you have to put quite some force on the tensioner.

 

Hey thanks everyone. The torex worked. Although now that I swapped the alt I had bought a used one for junkyard. I'm strapped for $. I spent hours doing this. So I need more help. When the alt went I bought a new battery just to get home and drained it by the time I got there. So the new, or used alt is in and I put jump pack on to get it started. But its doing the same thing. Once I take jump pack off car dies. Also when I started car the idle kept accelerating. Idk what to do. Did I buy a bum alt? Or is it something else! Please help! Any ideas guys?

 

Do you have a voltmeter to see if it is charging and at what voltage? It should be at/above 13.2V. If not, the most likely culprit is the voltage regulator, which is an external component on this alternator. The contact brushes get worn and then you get low or no charging. The regulator is a ~$63 item on IPD and can be changed without removing the alternator. There is a vid here . The guy has it out and is doing on the bench, but once you know where the bolts and screws are you can do it in place like I did or you can pull it out and do it like he does.

 

Thanks buddy. I just ended up spending the $250 on a new alt. Had them charge my battery a little bit and I started and stayed running to my delight. No next on my list is to find out why the car sounds the way it does. The car always sounds like the power steering is low or something. Even tho its not low nor does it not steer freely. But its got that noise when she's running. Weird.

 

for the power steering pump, you can check inside the fluid reservoir with a pen, if the intake tube is still attached near the top or it did fall inside. It a 3 inch long tube fixed to the upper hose. also, what color is the fluid? some people have put the wrong fluid and the pump was noisy. it's chf 202 fluid.

Does the reservoir look like this ?

http://cdn2.autopartsnetwork.com/ima...1660975APA.JPG

 

Are you sure the bushing in the Control Arms and Ball Joints are too worn? Not sure how many miles you have on the car but if it is an 01 I kinda guess over 100k. Might pull the car up on rams and see if that is the issue.