I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I was wondering what the difference between an engine with a serpintine and V-belt is. Is one better/worse then other?

 

A serpentine belt system drives everything with one belt that winds its way through all the pulleys. A conventional V belt system has multiple belts and pulleys. Some cars have a hybrid system with a serpentine belt driving some accessories and V belts driving others.

The biggest advantage of a serpentine belt is probably the convenience of the tensioner. As the belt wears the tensioner keeps things properly tight, and when it's time to change the belt, there's a single point to release the tension instead of having to loosen a dozen bolts. On the other hand, when a serpentine belt lets go, you lose everything at once.

 

It also makes changing a water pump on a small block chevy ( and conversly a 4.3 ) soo much easier as well. But seriously I have heard that it tkaes less power to turn the serp belt then the multiple belts, so that the motor A. makes more power ( even 3-5 is good right? ) and B. gets better gas milage as a result.

 

Probably closer to .03 or .05.

 

Full serpentine drive is much better, IMO well worth converting if you plan to keep accessories on the engine like AC.

Heres a pic of a converted system on my Camaro. It came from a Caprice engine but it's the same as F-body. BTW my sister who I let borrow my car still isnt back from her trip to California

 

I always liked the V-belt setup better cause I can yank stuff off if I don't wont it and can re-install it when/if I need to and you can't do that with the serpentine setup with out buying new belts and re-routeing it.

on the other hand the serpentine is really easy and quick to change

 

The automatic tensioning of the serpentine belt is a lot nicer than trying to keep tension on V belts with a pry bar while you tighten down one or more bolts.

If a V belt breaks, you lose an accessory, but your water pump keeps turning. If you lose the serpentine belt, you're hosed.

Not that any of us here would ever let a belt break.

 

You know even if did break it would be a whole lot easyer to buy a single spare belt and keep it in the storage compartment along with a cresent wrench.

 

If you were that farsighted, you would have replaced the belt before it was in danger of breaking anyway.