I took my vette to a shop the other day to get a repair estimate for a bunch of work.
While I was there I asked about squealing belts. They checked them out and said my AC and PS belts were a little large and probably causing the issues. Obviously I don’t want to kill my PS, or maybe I do. It’s original and really just a power assist if I understand correctly and I’m totally fine with driving a car with no PS.

Right now the AC doesn’t work anyway, so are there any downsides to removing it’s belt?

The PS works but if I don’t care about it are there any downsides to removing it’s belt too?

I won’t do it if there are any ill effects to be had on either system, but the squealing is making me crazy.

I know the obvious answer is to replace them, not sure I can do that as I imagine you have to take other belts off to do that, cutting off a belt is definitely within my skill level though.

 

Changing a belt is a pretty simple and inexpensive job.. If its outside your skill level any shop can do it in well under an hour. I would not disable your power steering over such a simple maintenance task. and if you remove the ac belt you may find you'll have other belts like the water pump slip without readdressing your belt situation anyway.

 

I believe you can remove the AC belt without issues. Look to see what else it runs. As far as the belt being to long, do you have adjustment left? Its possible the belt is not tight enough or glazed. You can deglaze by running the engine and lightly take a wire brush to both side to deglaze as its spinning. Be careful.. OR, you can do what I would do and by a new belt and match it up to the old belt then install.

 

No play left, the guys at the shop tried to tighten them for me. They’re the ones who said the belts were a bit too big.

 

I dont know what year vette you have but I had all my belts off my 74 withing ten minutes with only a 1/2 and 9/16 wrench. just went to the local autostore and had them pick out the closest size (smaller) kinda surprised the shop didnt suggest it.
I pulled my radiator out today... now thats a job worth dreading..

 

Ya, really easy to install belts.. Put 2 Rads in my 69 since my nearly 40 years of ownership.

 

You can't disconnect the PS belt and safely drive the car. Without the pressure from the pump the PS control valve will have too much free play.

 

Since you have Vintage Air and not factory AC on your '71 454, you probably don't have the idler pulley for the crank to water pump belt. You can do without the AC compressor belt, but it's imperative that you have the crank to water pump belt that is tight and doesn't slip. You don't want to only have the power steering belt turning the water pump.

 

I get the gist of what you’re saying I think.
Since the shop said all my belts were good except PS and AC, it’s safe to just remove the AC belt and see if the squealing stops, right?

Understood, thanks for the warning.

 

First thing you need to do is get part numbers off the old belts. Then take those to the store and get one inch shorter. Somewhere on this forum are the fan belt part numbers you need. You can swap the belts out easily with the car on ramps. Take photos of where every belt is.

Ditch the A/C belt. And you can remove / store the compressor if you want. Just dead wt doing nothing.

Next time you are backing out of your garage, turn the engine off. Now try to steer. That's what it would be like w/o P.S.

 

Thanks for that info, since the AC doesn’t work anyway I’ll see how easy it is to remove the compressor.
I may want to fix it sometime in the future, but there are way to many other things needing to be done first.

Took some pics of what my belts look like right now, not sure why there’s a second groove on the compressor. But me not knowing something about a car is nothing new.

 

Because you have a nice newer aftermarket compressor and appears someone got lazy on pulley selection...or you can run 2 if aligns with another pulley...don’t know what design was intended..

honestly...just replace the belts and adjust...by several from your size and 1/2 inch lower dimensions...take back what doesn’t fit...oreillys carries usa gates stuff...

find original belt sizes besides ac and see if you are just stretched...

Bad *** big block...!
Edit
also if you want to fix ac in future..leave it in and connected..belt optional but why not get it right..it should just freewheel

 

From an older alan post
op hard to see how yours is routed but worth a review

 

Okay, so mine looks like:



Except, I think this is my idler pulley, right?



It's not touching anything.

 

Don't want to confuse you, but here's my observation.

Here's the good news:
Your 3 groove pulley on the water pump is correct.
Your AC Compressor belt is routed correctly, the brackets and spacers line the compressor up like it's suppose to be.
You can remove the compressor belt if want to, but I would not remove the compressor, it might just need a charge or a leak repaired.
Fortunately, you have the idler pulley for the crank to water pump belt but the belt is not installed, details below.
Your power steering belt is installed correctly, so no problem there. It might be the wrong size belt, but that's all.

Bad news:
Something is not right about the 2 groove crank pulley, the 2 grooves should line up with the rear and middle grooves of the water pump pulley.
From what I can see, it looks like the crank pulley is not correct for a '71 454. It should be a 2 groove, the rear groove should line up with the rear groove of the water pump pulley and the idler pulley. The other groove would line up with the water pump pulley and the power steering pulley
You have the wrong alternator pulley, that's why there is a nut between the alternator and the upper alternator bracket so it positions the alternator forward to line up the belt with the power steering pulley.

I've been replacing belts on my '71 LS5 for 45 years, has the original pulleys.

 

Isnt he missing the belt closest to engine? You have better eyes than me..i cant see crank pulley grooves..

 

This engine is out of a 1974 Chevy police cruiser if that makes any difference.
At least that’s what I believe based on the stamped number on the block.

 

Yes, he's missing the crank to water pump belt, which is crucial on his 454. Without it, the power steering belt is driving the PS, water pump, alternator, and AC compressor.
The crank pulley doesn't look right from what I can see.

 

yikes..
OP..
at the very least find another garage...

 

Any experienced C3 big block Corvette mechanic will address that crank to water pump belt at first glance.