Author Topic: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies  (Read 2355 times)

Offline velojym

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'86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« on: September 09, 2009, 01:36:15 PM »
Well, after my little girl and I went to lunch, we headed out to the airport. On the way, I heard a mild squeal coming
from under the hood. I turned off the a/c, with no effect, so when we pulled into the airport parking lot I popped the
hood.
The v-belt running between the crank pulley, power steering, and a/c compressor was twisted.
I noticed that the pulleys weren't lined up very well (gone through almost a tank of gas before the problem came up)
and that there were unused grooves in the crank pulley and the p/s pump.
I'm supposing that the previous owner kludged up a single belt to those accessories when I really needed two there.
I figured I'd drive carefully home, then find some belts to set it straight, but as soon as I cranked the engine it slipped
off.
A few minutes with some borrowed wrenches (not long enough, so it ain't real tight) and I was able to get it back on well
enough to make it home.

Now, it's off to my Haynes manual to see what I need, but I'm just guessing it'll be two shorter belts.

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2009, 07:32:14 PM »
You don't need 2 belts. The extra pulley grooves are for extra accessories. The truck probably had AC with an a.i.r. pump
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Offline velojym

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Re: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2009, 09:28:42 PM »
Unfortunately, it was the only way I could drive the a/c compressor. Whoever mounted it didn't line it up with the other pulleys, and I don't know how to get it to line up.
So, I ran a belt from the p/s pump to the a/c compressor, and another to the crank, fan, and p/s pump.

Then, I started tightening everything, and found the p/s bracket broken. The tab with the long adjustment hole was broken off, a bolt
holding that end on by what was left of the tab. All the tightening had been done on the a/c compressor.
So, now I'll need to find a p/s pump bracket (and my Sonoma daily driver is having tail light issues, so I can't "legally" drive it right now)
so I can tighten it enough to drive it *and* the a/c pump.

*groan*

Offline DnStClr

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Re: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2009, 12:29:59 AM »
Maybe you can find a bracket at a nearby scrapyard.
Don
87 Chevy Silverado

Offline velojym

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Re: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2009, 12:56:22 AM »
Maybe you can find a bracket at a nearby scrapyard.

I did. The bracket listed for my year model truck looked nothing like the one I have. I kinda figured
this might happen, as this isn't the original engine. The "new" bracket is coming off an '80s El Camino.
Hopefully I'll have it in less than a week. If I had time, I'd troll some nearby yards, but I don't.

Here's hoping this is the last work I'll need to do for a while.

Offline velojym

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Re: '86 C10 and p.o. v-belt follies
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2009, 09:30:37 PM »
Finally got time to install the bracket today. 'Twas a bit of a pain in a few ways.

- the adjuster bolt was a bit boogered up, and the head didn't really want to hold the socket, and the
threads weren't really ideal. I don't have a bunch of hardware, so I did reuse it. The other hardware
wasn't great either, but same-same.
-The bolts attaching the bracket to the pump are in the narrow space between the pulley and the
reservoir. Fun for a big guy with ham hands. I eventually did manage to get 'em out... and back in, which
was the bigger challenge.
-When I got it all back together, I didn't have a good bar long enough to tighten the p/s pump properly, so
it works fine so long as I don't run the a/c. (again)

I'm still not sure the a/c was meant to be driven solely off the p/s pump pulley, but that's the only possible
belt routing the way this engine is set up. I'll pick up a new p/s belt and a good crowbar, and see if I can get
this thing good enough to drive both. If not, I may just give up and start working on putting together a diesel
conversion. At least then I'll be doing the 'engineering' myself, and any hardships caused by it will be nobody's
fault but my own.