Alternator belt will not go back over pulley

#1

Hi all, replacing belts. Remover PS and Alt belts fine, new alternator belt will not go over pulley. Car is an 87 325is. New alt belt says 980mm, which I believe is stock. Old belt came off fine. I have the alternator as loose as I dare without removing lower mounting bolt. Upper adjuster bolt is out. Alt seems to hit side of engine, or mounting bracket, when I try to get new belt on, so I think its as far as it will go, but the belt will not go over the pulley.

Help please…

#2

Lay the old belt up to the new one as make sure they are the same.

#3

The old belt was actually a bit shorter, but must have stretched. Wound up putting the new belt over the water pump and alt pulley, getting as much of the belt onto the crank pulley as I could, then turned the crank manually to roll it over the rest of the crank pulley. Thanks.