V-belts
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 651
From: Thunder Bay
V-belts
Pulled the '79 into the driveway today, spent a couple of leisurely hours cleaning and polishing it, backed it into the street and promptly spit out the belts. Pretty sure it had something to do with the water in the pulleys, and glad it happened right in front of the workshop, but I'm thinking it would be nice if it didn't happen again, especially in the middle of nowhere. Are some belts better than others? I have cogged belts right now. Would solid belts be better? Or worse? Anyone know of a brand of belt that my car won't spit on the street?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Just a WAG ... maybe the water allowed them to slip during cranking and then ... SUDDENLY ... they Grabbed Traction at idle or above ... and snapped.
I've used cogged belts with no issue ... but I've heard others complain.
I've used cogged belts with no issue ... but I've heard others complain.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
^^think the wet may have done em in
Always liked gatorbacks. I buy the best belts possible there is a difference even on a serp. with a tensioner.
PS Gates sucks
Always liked gatorbacks. I buy the best belts possible there is a difference even on a serp. with a tensioner.
PS Gates sucks
Last edited by cv67; May 11, 2019 at 08:47 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Belts get wet when it rains. Belts get wet when you wash the car. I think something else is going on here. Something got in between the belt and pulley, made it jump track, so to speak.
Look for ANY broken parts up front. Bolt, plastic, rubber, steel, hose clamp, piece of shroud. Anything missing?
Look for ANY broken parts up front. Bolt, plastic, rubber, steel, hose clamp, piece of shroud. Anything missing?
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; May 11, 2019 at 07:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 651
From: Thunder Bay
Belts get wet when it rains. Belts get wet when you wash the car. I think something else is going on here. Something got in between the belt and pulley, made it jump track, so to speak.
Look for ANY broken parts up front. Bolt, plastic, rubber, steel, hose clamp, piece of shroud. Anything missing?
Look for ANY broken parts up front. Bolt, plastic, rubber, steel, hose clamp, piece of shroud. Anything missing?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 30
From: Oak Harbor WA
Old belts do stretch out... that and maybe a little bit of misalignment with the pulleys could allow this to happen. Belts can occasionally get wet when driving around in the rain if you hit a puddle or two just right so I suspect another cause as well.
Was one belt broken and the other just off? One taking the other with it is entirely possible and not at all unexpected.
Was one belt broken and the other just off? One taking the other with it is entirely possible and not at all unexpected.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 651
From: Thunder Bay
Old belts do stretch out... that and maybe a little bit of misalignment with the pulleys could allow this to happen. Belts can occasionally get wet when driving around in the rain if you hit a puddle or two just right so I suspect another cause as well.
Was one belt broken and the other just off? One taking the other with it is entirely possible and not at all unexpected.
Was one belt broken and the other just off? One taking the other with it is entirely possible and not at all unexpected.