Serpentine swap...yay or nay?

[jwalterus]

V-belts for me, I've had too many problems with serps on different vehicles.
I keep an extra set in the truck, always run extra heavy duty belts, and belt dressing gets applied every oil change.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I really like serpentine belts because of the width and because they are usually the right tension due to the spring tensioner.

That being said: the only vehicle I ever had serpentine issues with was my 92 IDI, and I've grenaded both styles of tensioner. IMHO: all these tensioners suck as they look just like the gassers they were most likely designed for. Every think about how much more an IDI shakes with nearly double the compression of a typical gasser? They put lots of tension in a really questionable housing, you shake the crap out of it and eventually something cracks and all that tension goes outside of the tensioner. That's my opinion, again I've broken two of them and was lucky enough to not overheat my truck either time, although the second time it cost me the idler pulley too, which BTW the dealer didn't replace for free. They did warranty the tensioner, which was only a little over a year old: you think they've seen this before?

If the set up you were looking at in that boneyard was pristine, I'd say take your chances, but it looks pretty rough in the pics. And then there's the part about having the "non-preferred tensioner", which is an anomaly because they all suck . In a nutshell, it's a fair price for a fair condition set up, but I wouldn't do it.

Just my .02, good luck whatever way you choose to go

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I have over 250k on mine, went with a custom pulley on the tensioner and havent had any squeaking issues anymore

Pics and details on this custom pulley or it's considered "The Sasquatch": it might exist but nobody believes without legitimate pics

 

[Thewespaul]

Your stock pulley

You must be registered for see images attach

My pulley

You must be registered for see images attach

As far as details sorry I can’t share that yet, but I can tell you they will be available later in the year

 

[vegas39]

So how tight should these serpentine belts be? I can flex mine fairly easily. The PO replaced the ac compressor with a different brand and used nuts for spacers to raise it higher but it almost seems like the belt could be a tad tighter.
I have to wonder if the compressor change made the belt a tad too long.
I know mine is 111" long

 

[Cubey]

I agree about the v belt setup, like it much better.
Everyone complains about the flopping alternator belt but I've never had an issue with one coming off. If you get the tension correct, they are fine.
I like the idea off being able to cut off a belt when a component goes bad so you can get where you need to go

I did that with a 91 Corolla that still wasn’t using serpentine. The power steering blew out so I just removed the belt. Seems like I removed the ac belt as well.

On my IDI it looks like it lost a power steering belt once maybe, the air intake tube as a hole by the pulley. Could be the tube was loose and went against it though.

 

[Thewespaul]

So how tight should these serpentine belts be? I can flex mine fairly easily. The PO replaced the ac compressor with a different brand and used nuts for spacers to raise it higher but it almost seems like the belt could be a tad tighter.
I have to wonder if the compressor change made the belt a tad too long.
I know mine is 111" long

They are too loose in stock form, I could install a new belt without tools, easily push the tensioner down by hand. I’ve tried shorter belts and spacing the ac compressor but still ran into issues with the belt slipping on the tensioner pulley. With the oversized pulley it adds more tension to the belt and more surface area that the belt contacts on the tensioner pulley. No more squeak and nice and tight belt.

 

[vegas39]

They are too loose in stock form, I could install a new belt without tools, easily push the tensioner down by hand. I’ve tried shorter belts and spacing the ac compressor but still ran into issues with the belt slipping on the tensioner pulley. With the oversized pulley it adds more tension to the belt and more surface area that the belt contacts on the tensioner pulley. No more squeak and nice and tight belt.

Kinda what I was worried about. I could go smaller belt but the tensioner still doesn't seem like it would hold it tight enough.
I know it has too much slack, because if I hit the throttle too hard while turning, the power steering will quit for a second

 

[Thewespaul]

Kinda what I was worried about. I could go smaller belt but the tensioner still doesn't seem like it would hold it tight enough.
I know it has too much slack, because if I hit the throttle too hard while turning, the power steering will quit for a second

Pm sent to you