Serpentine belt install issues - too tight?

[chrisl609]

Hey guys, brand new to the site. I inherited a 91 mustang from my grandmother a couple of months ago & the alternator bearing froze up causing the serpentine belt to break this week. I replaced the alternator & now can't get the new serpentine belt to install. It will not go on the last pulley even with the tensioner all the way out. I am using a Gates belt part # K060905 (6PK2295) which I got from O'Reillys. I see conflicting information online if this is the proper belt. My mustang has A/C & I triple checked that the routing was done properly compared to the chart in the engine compartment. Anyone run into this issue? Is this the right belt?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Mustang5L5]

It's a 90.5" long belt, which should be long enough.

You are routing it like the bottom pic right? When you changed the alternator, did you change pulleys? Is the pulley the same size of the original?

 

[chrisl609]

Yes, I am routing it like the bottom picture. I'll compare the pulley on the alternator to the old one tomorrow. I am using the one that came on the new alternator & thought it would be the same as stock. When installing the belt do you have to put a lot of muscle into it to get it to fit or should it slip right on once the tensioner is out all the way?

 

[chrisl609]

Nevermind, got it on this morning. I didn't have the tensioner all the way open (had to wrench from the middle so it didn't hit the airbox). Once that was done I was able to get it around the tensioner pulley.