Cant tighten Power Steering Belt

[zarc529]

Tl;Dr: Power steering belt tensioner not tightening the power steering belt after replacement.

Hey guys, first off, I would like to say thanks for all the help that this forum provides for us few Q45 owners still around. It's really helpful to know how to fix something yourself instead of going to the dealership where in most cases, they don't know what the problem is. Anyway, Im in need of some help with my 94Q. A couple weeks back as I was driving on the interstate, I felt something snap in the steering and the car then began hard to drive (unsteerable) and the temperature meter on the dash began to rise. By the time I could pull over safely, the temp meter was on overheat and I was stuck stranded on the side of the road. Luckily, I was able to get my car towed to my home as I wasn't that far away, Upon opening the hood everything looked fine until I noticed something was missing. The power steering belt was gone! So I used this an excuse to replace all 3 belts with new ones from AutoZone, A/C, Power steering, and, alternator. I followed the removal process just like it says and the A/C and alternator belt went on perfectly. However, the problem comes to the power steering belt. At first, the first one I got seemed like it was too tight. There was no way that there was enough room to fit around the idler pulley. Like it seemed smaller than the original, like an inch or so off. So I took it back and asked if there was one about a few inces wider. The guy gives me a slightly longer belt that is about 2 inches longer than the previous one. I go back to the car and put it on, and it seems to fit perfectly. Now on to tightening it. Unlike the other two belts, the tensioner adjusting bolt didnt seem to tighten the tensioner at all. It would get tight and the belt would stay slacked. I bought a new idler pulley thinking that was the problem, but still wouldnt tighten. Any ideas? Is it the belt? Idler pulley? Its the only thing stopping it from getting it back on the road/ Thanks! Sorry for this book of a read.

[3Q Jay]

Japanese engineering fail-safe.
Wake up the driver with no PS assist, so that you MUST investigate as water pump has stopped turning.
Hope your overheat was not prolonged. Aluminum heads/block very unforgiving of overheat.
as to your problem, its sounding like you are not using an OEM belt. Who knows what dreck boys are actually selling you.
once you have the properly sized belt, it should go on firmly, but be well within the capabilities of the adjuster screw.
remember there are two separate nuts on the tensioner. the pulley nut should be just snug with fingers to maintain the geometry while adjusting the tension bolt.

[Q451990]

Ditto on 3Q's post. Get the OEM belt, check water pump...

[zarc529]

Can you further elaborate on what you mean by two nuts on the tensioner? I know that there is one on the faceplate of the tensioner but I dont know where the other is? Also the first belt I tried on I believe was an OEM belt, however like I said, it would fit super snug and there was no way you could get it around the water pump idler pulley. Thats why I asked for another belt that was an inch or so longer for room.

[3Q Jay]

To be more precise, there is one bolt and one nut involved with making the adjustment. the nut is on the faceplate of the idler wheel and it should be the finger snug while adjusting. the adjustment BOLT is a 12 mm hex, accessible from below. It may have left hand threads, but follows the standard convention--turn CW to add tension, CCW to reduce tension.
Also, Heath made an excellent point above. You need to make sure the water pump drive pulley turns freely by hand. Before installing the belt.
We don't know (yet) if the belt snapped due to WP bearing seizing up.

[zarc529]

Hey thanks for the help. Yes, the water pump pulley seems to move fine so I I think its good. Also do any you know what the correct belt number is for the power steering belt? I'm going to get an OEM one and Im unsure what the correct one is. (Ex. 4PK1284) Thanks!

[3Q Jay]

Hey thanks for the help. Yes, the water pump pulley seems to move fine so I I think its good. Also do any you know what the correct belt number is for the power steering belt? I'm going to get an OEM one and Im unsure what the correct one is. (Ex. 4PK1284) Thanks!

what model G50--a? t? or base?
if the belt has 4 grooves (not 7), should be 11950 60US4 VW
the 7 rib belt for active/HICAS cars is 11950 60US5 VW

[zarc529]

It is a q45 Base so I'm going to guess that means a 4 rib belt?

[3Q Jay]

A-firm

[zarc529]

Well I finally got the belt, it came in the mail yesterday. But now Im a little confused. The writing on the belt says 4PK1285 which I thought would read 11950 60US4 VW but whatever. I guess its the same length. So as I go to replace it on the car I come to the similiar problem as before. Im still an inch or so off from completely getting the belt around the pulley. Am I routing it right? I looked at the diagram for it, and it says that it goes around the water pump pulley, and then under the idler pulley and then finally the power steering one. I do that and and the belt still seems undeniably short. I'm really bummed out about this. Any ideas? I really really thank you all for the help so far!

[zarc529]

bump

[3Q Jay]

bump

Was the one that came in the mail a genuine nissan part?
I ask because I'm surprised--they usually have a grey cardboard sleeve with the nissan part number clearly on it (and on the belt, too. Interestingly, the current run of nissan belts seem to be made in the USA, but I digress.....
without confirming that you really did get the correct length belt it's hard to say.
iirc, the ps belt is the middle one on the (crank) pulley. so start with it there, work it around the wp next, under the idler, and last around the ps pump, start on the top and work around until it pops in on the bottom.

[Q451990]

When I googled the part number 4PK1285 the first match I found was for a Bando brand belt on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Bando-4PK1285-Qua ... automotive

Bando's site does show that as the correct belt for a base 94Q. Having had the same issue twice, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there's something else going on here... could you take some pictures of the idler pulley, water pump pulley and power steering pump? Maybe someone has done something aftermarket to the car in the past, and we'll be able to recognize it?

You're loosening the center nut on the pulley and backing the pulley all the way off before trying to install the belt, right?

Heath