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Hey guys I've ran into a problem that I hope someone can help me out with? I've been working on a 1985 5.7 C4... I switched the water pump... Removed only what was needed to replace it. Put it back on no biggie everything was good until I put the new serpentine belt! It seems to have too much slack now (loose)! My buddy ordered the new belt on line... I removed the old belt last week and didn't get around to finishing up the job till today. So the old belt was trashed... We went to the auto parts store and picked up a new Continental belt thinking they delivered the wrong belt to him on line... I measured both belts and they both were the same length... Put the Continantal belt on and yup, too big! After checking everything 4-5 times to see if I might've bolted something wrong, I still don't understand why it's loose! Everything is on good... Is there a new belt size being sold for this year? Everything is original it only has 55K miles on the car... I don't have the old belt to compare it with... The tensioner is pulley is mounted where it belongs on the AC compressed bracket I used the same water pump pulley clutch and nothing else was removed in the process... As far, the parts that make contacts with the belt... Any suggestions or info would be great!
I'd imagine someone has modified/removed one of the accessories that the serpentine drives. Which of these components are missing? What replacement belt part # did you buy? This is a 'thought to be' correct routing from an '85 FSM (Factory Service Manual).
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Originally Posted by tattoosbmws
Hey guys I've ran into a problem that I hope someone can help me out with? I've been working on a 1985 5.7 C4... I switched the water pump... Removed only what was needed to replace it. Put it back on no biggie everything was good until I put the new serpentine belt! It seems to have too much slack now (loose)! My buddy ordered the new belt on line... I removed the old belt last week and didn't get around to finishing up the job till today. So the old belt was trashed... We went to the auto parts store and picked up a new Continental belt thinking they delivered the wrong belt to him on line... I measured both belts and they both were the same length... Put the Continantal belt on and yup, too big! After checking everything 4-5 times to see if I might've bolted something wrong, I still don't understand why it's loose! Everything is on good... Is there a new belt size being sold for this year? Everything is original it only has 55K miles on the car... I don't have the old belt to compare it with... The tensioner is pulley is mounted where it belongs on the AC compressed bracket I used the same water pump pulley clutch and nothing else was removed in the process... As far, the parts that make contacts with the belt... Any suggestions or info would be great!
When you got the Continental brand belt home, did you heck to see if the part number on the paper sleeve matched the number on the belt? Could be that somebody switched the two. Also here's some part numbers of other brands for 85-87 Corvette L98 engines from Rockauto.com : Dayco - 5060888, AC Delco - 6K888, Bando - 6PK2255, Gates - K060888 Any of these brands are good quality
To me, trashed doesn't necessarily mean thrown away. It could mean unusable or ruined
Sorry my comment bothered you enough to respond
Ain't much that actually bothers me!!! Certainly NOT that, but you did take the time to 'quote' it so I understood you might have comprehended it! Let's move on!
Being an '85 'original' owner you might actually be familiar with OE specifications. An '85 belt by dimension was a 'one year only' specification. Was the alternator changed ? That's why I mentioned 'removed/modified' Granted it's only 10mm but if a replacement was purchased for the original spec and alternator changed/upgraded it would certainly create I'd think issues. I asked brand/part # purchased!!
I've had that happen often enough to keep the old belt and stretch the old and new between a couple (hammer handles or whatever) to verify the new one is the same size (allowing a little for wear).
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Originally Posted by WVZR-1
Ain't much that actually bothers me!!! Certainly NOT that, but you did take the time to 'quote' it so I understood you might have comprehended it! Let's move on!
Being an '85 'original' owner you might actually be familiar with OE specifications. An '85 belt by dimension was a 'one year only' specification. Was the alternator changed ? That's why I mentioned 'removed/modified' Granted it's only 10mm but if a replacement was purchased for the original spec and alternator changed/upgraded it would certainly create I'd think issues. I asked brand/part # purchased!!
Sorry for the late reply... Every part is on where it belongs! Yeah the old belt was toosed away in the trash can! The images above are correct! I followed the belt diagram located on the subframe next to the radiator on the car! From what I remember for the belt my friend ordered on line was the Gates #K060888 and the one we bought at the shop was a Continental #8886K... As for removing a component to put on the new belt, no need to! I can put the belt on very easily... Tne promblem is that when I take pressure off the tensioner pulley the belt is still loose! Meaning it’s is too big, not tight enough, if I were to turn the engine on the belt won’t turn all the pulleys becuase of the slack the belt has...
I'd imagine someone has modified/removed one of the accessories that the serpentine drives. Which of these components are missing? What replacement belt part # did you buy? This is a 'thought to be' correct routing from an '85 FSM (Factory Service Manual).
Everything is excactly the same, nothing is missing... When the old belt was removed it was snug with a good amount of tension! I will post some pics when I get a chance to take some pics or a video so you guys can see what I’m dealing with! I appreciate everyone’s help thanks...
my 2-cents -- from this thread, I see three things....
1) I have my suspicions.
2) from the numbers ID'd in the posts, anything 888 or 8886 should be correct. the 85's nominal belt length should be 88.86 inches. same should apply for model years 86 and 87.
3) ...but I thought I bothered you -
OP, are you sure the belt hasn't slipped off and behind one of the pulleys and you're not seeing it? there shouldn't be one reason that two different belts with correct part numbers wouldn't fit a correctly configured, stock, 1985 L98, unless - (go to item 1)
Do these pullys look the same? I wonder if they gave the wrong year belt.
Well checked Gates PN is correct.
Yup! Like I said the only parts that were removed which engage with the belt was the bracket with the AC compresser. Since it mounts on the same bolts located on the left side of the water pump. The torx bolt under the AC compresser was tighten and the tensioner was put back on correctly with the small key in the small wedge on the bracket and the small (tube like) bracket that connects to the back of the AC compresser on one end and the other end to the side of the engine block... Its about 4 inch long, mounts on with a nut at each end... The tensioner is good because when I move it with a 1/2 breaker bar it has allot of tension... I was looking at the pic and I thought of something... Can the alternators height be adjusted?
Serpentine issue! Need help!!
