CleviteKid
09-01-2003, 10:36
With the loss of archived posts, this advice may be worth repeating - for the "Over-the-Hill-Gang" trucks (1982-1987) with multiple V-Belts.
The V-belt advice is: Keep 'em tight, and change 'em frequently.
Also, check alignment of the pulleys; I had to shim my alternator's mounts to align it properly with the fan and crankshaft pulleys to get acceptable belt life. I now change the alternator belt yearly, and use a GOOD belt, like a Goodyear Gatorback (Autozone) or a Dayco Top Cog (Advance/Discount Auto) and pull it TIGHT to prevent slipping. If it even STARTS to slip, it will glaze and will not function properly at high alternator loads, and you will need a new belt. Retighten a new belt after 25 to 50 miles of use.
Last week I was driving back home from a little late-night session of checking my 2-3 shift point on my new 700R4 (3700 rpm, I want it to be more like 3500 rpm) and was 2 miles from home, and as I took off from the traffic light (conservatively for a change) I heard CLANG BANG BANG under the hood, and all of the sudden my power steering was VERY tight. Knowing that the HydroBoost brakes are also powered from the PS system, I tested the brakes, and found it took a lot of push for very mild deceleration. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. What else ??? The A/C was blowing warm air, so I switched it off (a major concern in the summer in Miami) and the temperature gage was climbing toward 220 F, and the voltage was dropping, and the lights were getting dimmer . . . . but everything else was OK ! ! !
I made it home, and used some spare muscles to horse my truck aroung the curves, and slow it down, and to make the right-angle turn into the driveway.
When I shut it down and popped the hood, one belt was shredded and the other two were off their pulleys and hanging around the fan. I suspected that the alternator belt had let go and pried the other two off, but when I got into it the next morning, it was the A/C belt that had popped, and the PS and alternator belts were the innocent collateral damage.
So - if you have one of the older trucks like mine, keep the belts tight, inspect them for signs of degradation, and plan on changing the belts and the hoses on a regular basis, and hope you are only 2 miles from home if you DO have a problem. By the way, I do carry a complete set of three spare belts all the time in case I am farther away from home when such bad Karma chooses to strike.
Dr. Lee :cool:
The V-belt advice is: Keep 'em tight, and change 'em frequently.
Also, check alignment of the pulleys; I had to shim my alternator's mounts to align it properly with the fan and crankshaft pulleys to get acceptable belt life. I now change the alternator belt yearly, and use a GOOD belt, like a Goodyear Gatorback (Autozone) or a Dayco Top Cog (Advance/Discount Auto) and pull it TIGHT to prevent slipping. If it even STARTS to slip, it will glaze and will not function properly at high alternator loads, and you will need a new belt. Retighten a new belt after 25 to 50 miles of use.
Last week I was driving back home from a little late-night session of checking my 2-3 shift point on my new 700R4 (3700 rpm, I want it to be more like 3500 rpm) and was 2 miles from home, and as I took off from the traffic light (conservatively for a change) I heard CLANG BANG BANG under the hood, and all of the sudden my power steering was VERY tight. Knowing that the HydroBoost brakes are also powered from the PS system, I tested the brakes, and found it took a lot of push for very mild deceleration. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. What else ??? The A/C was blowing warm air, so I switched it off (a major concern in the summer in Miami) and the temperature gage was climbing toward 220 F, and the voltage was dropping, and the lights were getting dimmer . . . . but everything else was OK ! ! !
I made it home, and used some spare muscles to horse my truck aroung the curves, and slow it down, and to make the right-angle turn into the driveway.
When I shut it down and popped the hood, one belt was shredded and the other two were off their pulleys and hanging around the fan. I suspected that the alternator belt had let go and pried the other two off, but when I got into it the next morning, it was the A/C belt that had popped, and the PS and alternator belts were the innocent collateral damage.
So - if you have one of the older trucks like mine, keep the belts tight, inspect them for signs of degradation, and plan on changing the belts and the hoses on a regular basis, and hope you are only 2 miles from home if you DO have a problem. By the way, I do carry a complete set of three spare belts all the time in case I am farther away from home when such bad Karma chooses to strike.
Dr. Lee :cool: