94 LT1-Serpentine belt problems
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 482
Likes: 0
From: Wilmington NC
94 LT1-Serpentine belt problems
The problem is that none that I have bought in any parts stores (NAPA, Advance, Autozone, etc.) fit. I have the proper tensioner tool and the old belt slips right off, as of course it is stretched a little anyway. But I have tried belts from all the major parts stores and none, I repeat none will fit, they all seem to be .5-1" too short and it is absolutely impossible to get the new belt over the alternator pulley. The tensioner is fully released each time I have tried, and I have even improvised a rig to "prestretch" a belt but even that isn't enough.
Is it possible that there were different belts for different VINs? What is the secret to getting these %^*&%&*$ belts on anyway? What I am missing here?
Is it possible that there were different belts for different VINs? What is the secret to getting these %^*&%&*$ belts on anyway? What I am missing here?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,874
Likes: 0
From: Littleton CO
I got mine (for an LT4) at Car Quest, labelled as the store brand but made by Gates. It went on pretty easy once I used a suitable tool on the tensioner (the first one I bought didn't allow enough travel before I ran into the coolant hose).
One of the hints I read was to avoid saving the alternator pully for last because it is hard to stretch the belt over the lip on the edge of the pulley. Try fitting it over the tensioner pulley last, as it is smooth and does not have that lip.
One of the hints I read was to avoid saving the alternator pully for last because it is hard to stretch the belt over the lip on the edge of the pulley. Try fitting it over the tensioner pulley last, as it is smooth and does not have that lip.
Last edited by jrp; Jul 25, 2006 at 10:29 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
The belts are made to be a little shorter, but if you put the bottom half on and still cannot get it atleast started on the compressor, then it is to small. I got mine at autozone and it works fine, you have the same belt as I do.
Somebody will correct me if I am wrong, but as I remember. Serpentine belts will stretch over an inch during it's lifetime.
Somebody will correct me if I am wrong, but as I remember. Serpentine belts will stretch over an inch during it's lifetime.
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: Allen TX
When I changed mine a year ago, I also thought I had a "too short" belt. What I finally figured out was that even though I was releasing the tensioner by pushing the tool/bar all the way towards the passenger side as far as it would go, it would get to the radiator hose and that was it, no farther. I thought that was far enough, but the hose seemed too short 
So I bent the tool/bar a little so I could start releasing the tensioner at a lower angle and by the time it got all the way over to the radiator hose, the tensioner definitely was fully released. The same hose that I thought was too short slipped on...not easily, but it definitely fit.
Long story short, you really have to crank on the tensioner pully, and the only way to do that is to start lower on the crank because you can only go so far until you run out of room on the passenger side.
I'm not sure I can even understand what I just wrote
So I bent the tool/bar a little so I could start releasing the tensioner at a lower angle and by the time it got all the way over to the radiator hose, the tensioner definitely was fully released. The same hose that I thought was too short slipped on...not easily, but it definitely fit.Long story short, you really have to crank on the tensioner pully, and the only way to do that is to start lower on the crank because you can only go so far until you run out of room on the passenger side.
I'm not sure I can even understand what I just wrote
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I like that last explan by 94controller, such modesty!!!!
Push comes to shove, (pun intended to lighten it up a bit) you might try a factory belt from one of the dealers listed here as vendors. Or others listed in various threads.
Push comes to shove, (pun intended to lighten it up a bit) you might try a factory belt from one of the dealers listed here as vendors. Or others listed in various threads.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,793
Likes: 9
From: VA
Originally Posted by grayml
The problem is that none that I have bought in any parts stores (NAPA, Advance, Autozone, etc.) fit. I have the proper tensioner tool and the old belt slips right off, as of course it is stretched a little anyway. But I have tried belts from all the major parts stores and none, I repeat none will fit, they all seem to be .5-1" too short and it is absolutely impossible to get the new belt over the alternator pulley. The tensioner is fully released each time I have tried, and I have even improvised a rig to "prestretch" a belt but even that isn't enough.
Is it possible that there were different belts for different VINs? What is the secret to getting these %^*&%&*$ belts on anyway? What I am missing here?
Is it possible that there were different belts for different VINs? What is the secret to getting these %^*&%&*$ belts on anyway? What I am missing here?
Even with it turned fully, a new belt is a tight fit.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 2
From: Dumas Arkansas
Finally got my drive belt from the last detail after having trouble with the local part stores. The guys here just couldn't find the double sided grooved belt. Tld sent it in 3 days.
http://tld-corvette.com
http://tld-corvette.com
