[FC] Fan belt toss?

[Diane Galli]

Steve, several things can cause a fan belt to come off repeatedly, 
especially on a '61.
   A '61 has a heavy, steel fan to start with. It acts as a flywheel. This 
by its self will not cause the belt to fly off, but if your engine is 
running uneven, especially at idle, the tendency for the belt to stretch and 
contract, giving it a whipping motion, allowing it to come out of the 
groove, especially if the belt is too wide. If they are too wide, they ride 
too high in the groove.
      Another cause is a damaged pulley, many get damaged by the PO using a 
screwdriver to install a new or other belt, thus putting a bend in the outer 
edge of the pulley. This can cause the belt to take up that whipping motion 
that will flip it out the belt.
     The correct belt is available at your Corvair parts vendor. Your local 
parts house is not apt to have the correct belt in stock.
     You would be well to replace your steel fan with a magnesium fan that 
first became available in '64. This one will be a direct replacement on your 
'61 engine. '65 and later mag fans will not fit, they can be used if the 
matching pulley, bearing and top crankcase cover are used.
      Rust in the groove of any of the pulleys will cause rapid wear of the 
belt.

     Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Turner" <karknut61 at msn.com>
To: <corvanatics at corvair.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 7:36 PM
Subject: [FC] Fan belt toss?


> Hello gang;  I recently purchased a '61 Corvair Lakewood with the original 
> engine in place and only 45XXX miles on the car.  As this is our first EM 
> with an EM engine I have a question.  Twice in the last 2 weeks when I've 
> started the car after it has sat for a couple of days the fan belt comes 
> right off.  Of course, I put it right back on the both times I've worked 
> to tighten the belt, thinking that this would solve the problem.  But then 
> I wondered whether one oculd somehow mount something on the engine to help 
> prevent the fan belt from coming off so easily.  Of course, on later model 
> engines there is a belt 'guide' mounted on the blower housing but with the 
> lip on the housing such a device wouldn't seem feasible.  Any ideas or do 
> I just get used to putting the belt back on once in a while?  Many thanks. 
> Steve
>
>
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