Belt fell off!! 1996 Impreza Outback Sport

[bartman]

Hi,
It looks like the accessory belt for my 1996 OBS just fell off. I
know this belt goes around the power steering pump pulley, but I am
not sure where else it is routed. Are there any diagrams on the web?
Does anyone know what other pulleys this belt goes to? Right now the
PS is a bear to turn (no kidding w/o the PS pump) and the battery and
brake(?) light come on.

If anyone has an diagram of the pulley path, I would greatly
appreciate it. Also, any thoughts on how something like this "just
falls off"? It looks pristine and completely intact.

Bartman

 

[johninKY]

May first want to check you still have a crankshaft pulley.

 

[strchild]

Simultaneous battery and brake lights indicate something between the
alternator and battery (low output from regulator, bad connection, etc.)

Without running outside and looking, I believe the belt just runs around
crankshaft, alternator, and power steering pump. Without that belt, you are
running on the battery alone, so I would recommend against any extended
trips until the belt situation is sorted out.

Do you have the proper belt for the application?

Perhaps the tension was incorrectly set and allowed the belt to spin off?

The alternator should be used as your tensioner, using the bolt on the
front-left of the alternator that is parallel to the pulley shaft to
lock/unlock the tension and the perpendicular bolt to adjust the tension.
Normally there is a metal guard over top the belts. You may need to remove
this guard to get the belt back on.

~Brian