Problem with belt

[Anonymous]

I have a 61 Econoline pickup with 170 engine. About 6 months ago I installed AC which works real good. When I installed it I didn't like the way I had to set up the belt. I have 1 belt going around the compressor, crank, water pump and alt.. I was afraid the belt wouldn't make enough contact with the compressor and alt. pulleys, so I got an idler and put on back side of belt pulling it in so the belt wrapped farther around them. Now 6 months and 4,000 miles later the belt lets go of lots of the teeth, cogs, or what ever you call the teeth looking part of these new v belts. Now I'm trying to figure out what has went wrong. I tried to put double grove pulleys on but I couldn't find any and to work on the 170. I got double grove pulley from 200 but it hit water pump pulley. Couldn't put 200 pulley on water pump because the pulley groves wouldn't line up with the ones on the crank. I checked out on the net and running idler on back side of v belt is acceptable but you get shorter life. I don't consider 6 month and 4,000 miles as short life, that is no life.. Are those v belts with the teeth inside any good, I have had to tighten this belt several times and it is a good brand belt. Now what I would like is a double grove pulley that will go on the crankshaft and not hit my 170 water pump pulley. Any one have one?

Any other ideas?
L.D.

 

[wallaka]

That's a tough one. I have A/C on my Comet but I also have a 200 with the dual pulley. Both belts don't go around all of the accessories though. One goes around the crank and A/C and the other goes to the alt, water pump and crank. Maybe try it without the idler pulley and see if it slips. The pulleys might be misaligned a little. If the belt is in the grooves all the way around it wears more anyways, and that would exacerbate the issue.

Maybe get a belt without the v-grooves? Mine don't have any. I don't recall the part number but I got it at Napa. One of the Kevlar-reinforced belts would probably help. 'Course, you could just swap in a 200...

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Yea get another belt with out those notiches... it makes the belt weak especiauly if you are bending it backwards.
tim

 

[Anonymous]

I am curious what idler assembly you got and how you installed it. I would prefer to use an idler instead of fabricating a new AC bracket.
Doug