07blkvette

I have a ecs 1500. How much play should there be in the auto tensioner when tightening belt with the supercharger pulley tensioner? I keep breaking belts and not sure if im making belt to tight.
Thanks...

JSB LS3

First of all, which belt are you using? it should be a 90" (Gates K060900 or equivalent).

Assuming you're not trying to use a belt that's too short, you shouldn't really be able to make the belt too tight. The stock spring tensioner is fairly linear until you get right to the end of it so it shouldn't really be able to put TOO much tension on the belt.

I know when I replace a belt (I'm on my 3rd because I find they stretch and squeak after about a year and a half or so) I can tighten the blower bracket tensioner up to about 1/2" from the top of the slot the bolt rides in. At this point, the belt sits about 1/4" from itself as it wraps around the blower pulley and there's still a little travel to go in the bottom spring tensioner (though not much).

I think you might have something else going on there. Pulley alignment maybe?

Atomic C6

I think you may have somethng else going on. I too change the belt about once a year as it stretches and starts to slip. Currentlly mine is about 3/4 of an inch from itself at the tensioner.

07blkvette

I bought a gates K060900 but its not 90" its 90"5/8. So it didnt work. I have a dayco 90".

JSB LS3

It was 90 5/8" brand new or after it was on there awhile and snapped?

That's strange. All the K060900s I've put on worked perfectly.

07blkvette

My installer said it wouldnt fit and on the packaging it says 90 5/8" and the dayco says 90".

JSB LS3

I'm THINKING maybe this is your problem....

Regardless of the quoted length of the belt, I KNOW the K060900 works on a box-stock SL1500 kit. I've had 3 of them on the car.

I also know that it IS a little tight to get the 900 on the car. Some people opt to use the 905 to gain enough slack to install it more easily. (I wouldn't do this but I know it works)

The K060900 does pull the tensioner pretty close to the end of it's travel if you tighten the blower bracket tensioner up most of the way. If you're using belts that are 5/8" shorter, you could be bottoming the spring tensioner out and cranking down too much on the blower bracket tensioner.

I would either try installing the K060900 (which I don't think you CAN over tighten) or backing off the blower bracket tensioner a little.

07blkvette

[QUOTE=JSB LS3;1584218980]I'm THINKING maybe this is your problem....

Regardless of the quoted length of the belt, I KNOW the K060900 works on a box-stock SL1500 kit. I've had 3 of them on the car.

I also know that it IS a little tight to get the 900 on the car. Some people opt to use the 905 to gain enough slack to install it more easily. (I wouldn't do this but I know it works)

The K060900 does pull the tensioner pretty close to the end of it's travel if you tighten the blower bracket tensioner up most of the way. If you're using belts that are 5/8" shorter, you could be bottoming the spring tensioner out and cranking down too much on the blower bracket tensioner.

I would either try installing the K060900 (which I don't think you CAN over tighten) or backing off the blower bracket tensioner .

I will try gates myself and see what happens. Thanks for the help.