I'm trying to get some new belts for my SD here and well, I'm not sure if I need a 1000 or 1037 length alt belts.

I have a single 1000 on there and it's VERY tight, took me a good deal of effort to just get that off with the alt tensioner relaxed (volt regulator took a dump so I had it tested if you must know. )

Any clues as to which length I'd need to run?

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

i can tell you from the vin number

I'll PM you, thanks!

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

here is the complete engine number the part after the 951 is the production portion

617.951 12 070371

On the options I'm looking at I have to choose from...

039510 on down OR 039511 on up. So does that mean I have block number "070371"

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

usually mercedes has an up and a from, the 070371 it the block number, yours look like it is in the from range

Ah I see. Okay now, I have a 1000mm belt on there currently but wasn't sure if it was correct.

The dual groove alt pulley I installed from an older MB alt is a wee bit bigger than the single groove that came off there (obviously something is amiss when I only have a single groove on there). The pulley I put on was right about 1/4" larger in diameter or so.

A 1037mm belt is just a hair over 1/8" longer than the 1000mm, so I wonder if the pulley I put on is from a much older motor with the longer belt!

Boy do I hate neglected vehicles due to bad PO's.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Just want to point a small error...the 1037mm belt is actually 1.45 inches longer than the 1000mm belt, if my figures are correct. Only a heads-up just in case you are actually looking for a belt that is only hair (1/8") longer than the 1000mm belt you have. In that case you'd be looking for a 1003mm belt and would be unlikely to find one...FWIW

230/8

HitMan, did you ever resolve the belt length issue?

I'm looking at the same problem on the SD. The belts are too short to remove and replace without removing the hose from the heater core directly above the alternator. The belt length is currently 1000 mm.

I have 1005s on there currently, those are the replacments I picked up from the parts store. When they were installed, it did take a good bit of effort to install them by slipping them over the pulleys there.

My next problem is getting tension on there properly without breaking that "L" shaped bolt again. I have some belt slip at low RPM off a light with big loads on the alternator (headlights, blower fan, and radio), yet that is gone at cruising speeds. That's attributed to the less than stellar tension I have currently.

Lastly, yes my math was off. One reason I'm not an accountant

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

You actually found 1005's???

And, could you get them on without removing the alternator and without removing the hose to the aluminum nipple on the water pump housing??

It seems like this one needs about 1020mm belts. The 1037mm from the earlier engines would be too long.

I sure did, when I saw this thread I went out to see what I had on the vehicle. I purchased quite a few sets of belts when attempting this swap just in case I ran into anything odd.

The brand is Kelly-Springfield for the belts I have on there, which are reboxed Duralast from Autozone. I've used them on other vehicles in the past on mine as well as my chums and they work fine. I just don't see the point in dropping $10-12 on a belt that I'm going to change in 50,000 miles or three years anyway... Gates also makes a nice product, O'Reilly has them typically.

My alternator did stay in place, but I had to remove that upper tensioner bolt so the unit could move toward the driver side of the vehicle. I also did remove the fan with the clutch, it's only four 10mm bolts and takes perhaps 10min to do. This frees up a GOOD deal of space to see what exactly is going on.

The 1005s were tight to get on, they just don't simply slip over the pulleys. It'll take some frustration to do this (as well as some foul words ).

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I hear you. Imagine trying to shove the 1000's on. It's impossible without disconnecting the hose.

I recall using a screwdriver as something to help slide the belts. The belts on the alternator itself were the last I put on, meaning I put them on the crank and waterpump pulley first then slipped them on the alternator.

That worked best for me, perhaps over the waterpump pulley would have been easier.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Yeah, I tried every conceivable possibility. But, it's not possible to get them on unless that hose is removed. The alternator can then lift another 1/4" or so and the belts just make it with a little prodding, but without screwdrivers.

I've got to do some measurements and see if the 1037's will fit. But, I doubt it.

Funny part about it is that the adjustment slot in the bracket has another 3/4" of room to the right of the full slack position. If the water pump housing was not in the way, the bracket and alternator would roll up and over at least 3/4".