On my 2.8L V6 (MPFI), the area of the belt on the passenger's side, below the alternator and above the crank-pulley, the belt is slapping around. There's probably about an inch worth of "play" as it wobbles.

Now, I don't know if this has anything to do with it or not, but... I just got my car back from the shop to have the A/C worked on. I took it in because I would get a loud clanging nose from under the hood (from what sounded like it was around the A/C compressor) only when the A/C was on. I figured it was a bad compressor clutch, and they just needed to swap compressors with me (I had already seen these people once before to have the system changed from R-12 to R-134A, and they apparently swapped the "bad" compressor in). They told me after they had my car for a day that they swapped the compressor, but it still made that sound. The guy looked around and said that it was actually the power-steering pump making the noise, so he tightened it. I don't really think that was the case (didn't make the noise unless the A/C was on), but whatever--he did what he did. He left the "new" compressor in there, and it sounds only a little better (still makes some clanging noises when the A/C is on).

Like I said, I don't know if the above would have anything to do with it, but all I can say is that, when the A/C is off, the belt is fine; then the A/C is on, the belt is all over the place in that area between the alternator pulley and crank pulley.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

My car used to rattle a lot when I had the A/C on, It was the belt tensioner. I guess it was ready to go out. For $42, its better than replacing it and being safe on the roads, rather than being stranded because your belt and tensioner broke.

My dodge JUST had that problem, and it was the tensioner, and now I have more power, better cooling, better ac, better powersteering, and more charging. Swap it out and see if it fixed it, and report back to us

Dude you don't have the smog pump either I'm guessing? I just installed a new tensioner and the car still slaps the belt just as you are describing. We have even tried smaller belts. It does it the worst when the A/C is on. We are going to try a new belt that is a touch smaller. As it is the car can't use the belt that comes up in the computer at the parts store. We have told them no smog pump and still the belt they call for is so loose it flys off the car. Hence us getting a smaller belt. We have to get multiples and test fit them.

My parent's cars do the same thing . I think thats normal guys . My car even has a fairly new tensioner on it and it does it .

Why so much trouble Redraif ? You should be able to just walk in and get a belt . Not saying your doing anything wrong , but I just dont understand

Sancho , I think its also pretty normal for our cars to make some clanging noise with the ac on . But just not anything real loud and obnoxious . My car has done that sence pretty much sence the day I have owned it in 95 and I have practically all new parts on my car including a new engine and new AC .

Now if your car starts getting real slow with the ac on and powersteering starts acting up ,you most likely need a new tensioner .

Joe answering for Shannon, she just stepped away for a sec:
The stock one doesn't fit...its way too loose and will not stay
on;you can put it on without even moving the tensioner!. We would like to get one that is slightly tighter, but the belt companies don't make one that is the right size for her car (another 1/2 inch or so would do the trick). Its not the parts guy's fault, everybody lists the same one and it won't fit the car. The current belt stays on ok, but it does whip an awful lot with the ac on and Shannon says it squealed on her when she started off and accelerated. The tensioner is new, and its a reputable brand (Goodyear).

It seemed like , if I can walk in and get a belt for my 2.8 , you shouldn't have a problem either . This sounds like Im being rude , but Im not ..lol ...you know what i mean man . Something isn't right here ... Just tying to figure out what could be causing this man .

Hey Joe , Are you Joe L ?

did you guys have this problem with the belts not fitting before the new tensioner ?

Wayne-- they're trying to get a belt for a 2.8 without the air pump -- something that was not offered from the factory.

Redraif -- Check with Camaro_Hunter_C. He recently ditched his air pump and had the belt size needed for a good fit

Most of these retarded stores dont know the lengths of their belts. If its not in their computer under a certain car, then it can't be used for that car. I think CHC said his was 91', but I might be wrong.

Thanks for the replies.

I suppose it's possible that it could be the tensioner. I was not prepared to have to buy a new tensioner just yet, though, so it might have to wait...

The only reason that I brought up the whole A/C thing is that it doesn't whip at all when the A/C is off, then when I turn the A/C on, it's all over the place. I know that there's practically no load when the A/C is off, but I didn't think that the compressor puts *that* much load on the belt.

The belt is in great shape (it's a higher-quality belt), and I've not had any problems with the power-steering, but it concerns me for two reasons: 1) I'm afraid the belt could jump off -- and -- 2) The belt is already *very* close to the two coolant tubes that go into the throttle--having it move all around doesn't make me feel good about the clearance there.

redraif: As far as I know, you shouldn't even have an option for whether-or-not you have a smog pump; 2.8s never had them. Could be wrong, though. Actually, I've been having a similar problem trying to put my IROC back together--got a new belt from AutoZone (the one the computer said to put on), tried it, and it was way too short. So we took it back and got a longer one, and it was way too long. Went back a third time, told them to give us the one the computer said again, and now it works. So either they could be giving you the wrong belts, or it's also possible that you could be routing stuff wrong (mabye that's what happened with me).

Now the only thing I have to figure out with the IROC is how to move the belt tensioner up to put the belt on--we had to replace the pulley on it, and now every time I try to use the breakover bar and socket to pull up on it, the screw just loosens up. I'm afraid to tighten it because I don't know how much I should tighten it before it breaks (and this is a big enough breakover bar that I could screw the threads pretty easily). Don't know why, but I thought tensioner-pulleys had reverse-thread in the screw (would have made more sense)...

He is LTI Guy.

It may be that in the past some mechanic moved the brackets around or bent one. When the power steering pump bracket broke, we found out the idiot who worked on the car, mounted it wrong and that is why it broke in 1/2. Who knows they may have gotten some brackets off another car. Each 2.8 we look at is a bit different at the junkyards.

Odd thing is that every 2.8 I have seen in person has had the smog pump. I got mine used and someone could have removed it, I did not know the previous owner. You never know. Thats why I do the work myself and with Joe when ever possible. At least I know what I have done.

I had Jasper try and fit a belt on the car. He brough every one they had in stock because he could not get the factory size to fit either. It had to have another belt.

Yepers. It has been that way since I bought the car in 89.

Believe it or not there is an option on the parts store computer for w/ or w/o air pump (smog pump)

I will check with CHC for the belt size.

Thanks!