Ok this is in an 87 s10 but it is powered by a 84 trans am 305. The only accessories that I have are the alternator and waterpump. Everything else is gone due to the s10 not having powersteering or A/C originally.

Right now there is just one v-belt that turns the alternator and waterpump, the problem is that it keeps getting chewed up on the edges and loosening or completely jumping off. The truck has been driven daily for a few weeks now and its on its third belt.

A few things I've noticed....The alignment of the belt seems fine, there is a slight wobble in the waterpump pulley( I think its about to go), and the alternator seems like its about to go because the battery light comes on sometimes when the engine is just idling.

I really do not like the v-belt setup and would like to convert to the flat multi-groove alternator belt that I have seen in some pics of cars on this site. What year cars came with this setup?

I was also considering the serpentine setup but since I have just the alternator to turn it seems like alot of junk under the hood just to fix this belt problem.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

You're better off sticking with the V belt, than trying to figure out how to fit a serpentine setup with no accessories.

Which brackets do you still have?

 

Just the brackets that hold the alternator to the engine. I took to others off.

 

When you took the smog pump brackets off, did you use a spacer behind the alternator bracket to take up the missing thickness? Have you checked pulley alignment with a straightedge?

 

The belt look likes it lines up, I'll try the straight edge idea though. I dont think that I took out any brackets that would make the alternator be mis-aligned. I will try to get some pictures tonight so I can show you guys what it looks like.

In 85 or 86 did they change the alternator belt from a v-belt to a ribbed belt thats alot wider?

I was searching and found this quote

"THe best thing I ever did was replacing the V-belt on the alternator with the ribbed setup from a newer LG4. (Similar to serpentine, but just for the alt. and water pump) I got my pulleys from (I think) a '86 Grand Prix, but they were on almost all 86 LG4's and I think maybe even 85 V8's in general. Look around at a salvage yard!"

Anyone have this setup?

 

IIRC, that was a one-year-only setup in 87 or something.

 

pics


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/4...f6cd8fbe_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/4...679d6bf9_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/195/4...15e605a2_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/4...ae958998_b.jpg

is the fan on the alternator backwards?

the weird thing is that when I bought the trans am the car had no alternator belt and a bad battery, I put those two things in and it started right up. maybe the guy i bought it from put the wrong alternator on.

 

The alternator fan is on the right way.

To line the pulleys up without the smog pump bracket, you'll probably need to put some washers behind the alternator bracket that the long pivot bolt goes through into the head.

You'll also want to put a bolt in the hole in the block where the smog pump bracket lower bolt used to be so that it stops bleeding oil everywhere.

At some point you might want to get rid of that power-robbing flex-fan and spacer.

 

thanks for the replies, your a lifesaver. This is my first chevy that ive ever worked on so ive got alot to learn.

Ill try some washers where the bracket used to be and ill be sure to put a bolt in those holes. I didnt think they would leak( I though it was leaking from the fuel pump blockoff).

Flex fan is being used because of space and it cools well. Its pretty hard from what ive read to cool a v8 s10. this is a daily driver so ill take better drivability over a few hp. Its only a 15" fan but it really moves some air .

Thanks again for the help.

 

A stock type thermal clutch fan would probably cool better than that thing, but if it's working now, then no need to rush to change it.

 

Any fan would also be working a lot better with a shroud, too.

Here's the alternator mounting on my 84. (Same belt setup as your 86 engine) I was hoping it would show up better, but there's a washer between the alternator mounting ear, and the black bracket. It should probably be between the bracket and the head, but it seemed to work better here.