Yeah, I made it back home OK, but OMG, what an ordeal!

So, as you know, the original belt shredded. We figured it shredded because it was old.

So, we left my truck near the Calaveras County line (pretty close to the mine-cart "county sign") and we went to Kragen to buy a new belt. Returned to the truck with the new belt and installed it, but noticed one edge of the belt was riding high on the alternator pulley. We figured it would hold until Angel's Camp, so we started heading towards town.

Four miles later, at the bottom of a steep grade, the temp hits HOT and the engine dies, so I pull over quickly and pop the hood. The $34 Kragen crappy belt (what a ripoff!) had also shredded.

Upon closer inspection, we noticed that the alternator pulley had 5 grooves (instead of 6) which explains in part why the belt was riding high on one side of the pulley. The alternator pulley was incorrect for my truck.

Anyway, my wife brought the stock alternator up to Huy's house later in the evening and we swapped the alternator out, and I was able to make it all the way home.

This morning I visited a local alternator shop about a mile from my house, and got the correct pulley installed on the new alternator.

Whew, what a nightmare!