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Reply to "Meet Penelope ! (and a few questions)"

@LBoogie

Something to consider for your on-board tool stash:

  • Medium Screw Driver
  • 21mm or 13/16" spark plug wrench or socket

Having a spare fan belt is always a good thing.  I have carried one since I started with VWs back in the 1960's and the last time I used one on my cars was in 1970!  Still, bring one along - you never know when someone else will need it.....  Like at a cars and coffee, when you can be a hero to someone else.

In order to change the fan belt, you'll need a medium-size screw driver (flat or phillips, doesn't matter, just one with a 1/4" thick shaft, 6"-10" long).   Jam it between the notch on the rear lip of the alternator pulley (go look) and the alternator shaft to lock the pulley in place while you loosen the nut.  Replaceable tip screwdrivers won't cut it.

Now, about that nut.  It's a 21mm - or 13/16" if Metric isn't your thing.  Bigger than your biggest roll-up wrench (so far).

BUT!  It just so happens that your spark plugs are 21mm or 13/16", too!  👍  
If you bring along a spark plug socket and 3/8" ratchet or, if you're leaning more toward being a Porsche Purist (tip your hat, please) and can find a 21mm or 13/16 road kit spark plug wrench (same as in the spares kit for lots of snowmobiles and motorcycles, too), just use that to get your fan belt pulley off.  Otherwise, find a 21mm box/open end wrench and add it to your kit (You already have a spark plug wrench though, right?)

Just so you know, (in case you wish to look informed for the AAA mechanic who comes to help you on the road), there are a bunch of flat washers under the nut on the alternator pulley, and when you separate the two pulley halves there are more flat washers between the pulley halves.  Those are used to set the fan belt tension which is measured at the midpoint between pulleys.   When you push on the belt it should deflect about 3/4".  The new belt will certainly take a different stack-up of pulleys than the old belt to get the tension right, so you add washers between pulley halves to decrease tension and remove them between halves to increase tension.  Those not used between get stored under the nut for the future.

Weird, I know, but that's how it works.  There's a lot more weirdness coming your way, so just go with the flow and, again.....

Welcome to the Madness!

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