Hey All,

The belt that drives the alternator on my Stilo Abarth needs changing, the problem is nobody seems to have it, its the 4K638 belt, part number 46758804. Is there another belt I could use as an alternative to this? rather than waiting 2 weeks for fiat to source it?

Just wondering if a 635 would maybe do? I understand the 4K638 is elasticated which is why it is rare, and it looks as though the only car that ever used 638 was the Stilo Abarth, which is very frustrating.

Any alternatives would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Shop4Parts seem to have them:

http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=s...=1217&term=Fiat_Stilo_2.4_20v_Auxiliary_Belts

Why not give them a ring?

46758804 is the belt you need, try another Fiat parts garage, you will not get the correct belt anywhere else.

Actually fitting the belt is, to quote Miranda's mother, "such FUN!"
It's what I call a bitch of a job...

I wouldn't bother again - my belt appeared to be frayed at the edges, but it seems they're all like that, and it doesn't make them slip.

I got my belt as the genuine FIAT part, and to fit it, I spent an hour trying to wind the belt on, then I removed both of the alternator bolts, got the belt on, then used a ratchet tie down strap around a bar across the top of the engine bay, and winched the alternator up until I could get the bolts back in.

So only a couple of hours to replace something that was working fine...

-Alex

I second Alex's statement above, it's an ars****e of a job to do as there's no tensioner. Unlike 99% of all cars if you want to change the alternator belt you would simply undo the top bolt, slacken the bottom one and it just drops down so you can slip the old one off and the new one on...... Not so on the abarth, once you remove the top bolt it only moves about half an inch - not enough to even get the old one off and definatly not enough to put the new one on. So you have to kind of stretch the new one on which is easy enough in principle however there's absolutely NO room to do this.....

Like an idiot I cut my old one off and found great difficulty getting the new one on, in the end I had to drive it to my local garage (with no powered steering as the alternator directly feeds the electric steering motor) and give it to them to do. And even they said it was a ba****d to do!

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I made this tool to help fitment of the alternator belt quite straight forward.
Its a cut 24mm socket welded to an old open end spanner, Fit the belt on the aircon pulley first, then fit this tool onto the alternator pulley nut and loop belt over the spanner and turn the belt over the pulley. Its tight, but you can turn 360 degs for belt to be fully on, should take no more than 2 mins. Thats of course after you have removed the wheel, wing liner and aux belt !! Made this in 2007 , only used once still own this great car

My Alternator slackens off pretty easily but you have to undo the bottom bolt quite a bit. Then the hardest bit is wrenching it back into place enough to slip the top bolt back in.
I did have somebody with me every time ive taken it off though so it seems many hands make light work.