<VV> Throwing belt

[Smitty]

>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:36:53 -0400
> From: "Ray \"Grymm\" Rodriguez" <vairguy at echoes.net>
> Subject: <VV> 63' belt tosser! need help
> To: "corvair" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Message-ID: <0F06A9C479DB441D898905A1C5DBC84A at PWNT>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hey folks,
>
> I've been driving (late model) Corvairs daily for much of the past 9 years 
> and I've never thrown a belt.  I'm aware of the loose belt rule and cold 
> tensioning procedure (able to turn the alt/gen pulley etc.).
>
> For some reason the 63' 102 keeps throwing belts on me.  Admittedly I 
> don't have a clarks belt on it yet, that is the next step.. but the belt 
> I'm using though not wrapped is the correct (narrow) width.  I also used 
> coarse sand paper to clean most of the rust from inside the pulleys (since 
> the car sat for 27 years).
>
> Now I know that this car has the steel fan.. which increases the odds of a 
> thrown belt.. I also notice it has a solid pulley rather than harmonic 
> balancer.  I'm still using a generator, though I have a 64 generator (and 
> gen fan) installed now.
>
> Increasing the tension seems to be helping, but if it wasnt for the guard 
> on the idler I think it would still be throwing it constantly.  I notice 
> quite a bit of wobble in the belt, particularly between the idler and 
> engine pulleys.
>
> Missy just threw the belt on her first trip home (a 100 mile trip) and I 
> had to drive down and rescue her.  Despite my warnings to watch for the 
> light, listen for ping, and shut the engine off immediately she ignored 
> the ping, didn't notice the light, and ran it till it quit and generated a 
> big smoke cloud....   When I got there 30 mins later and put the belt back 
> on the car started right up and ran perfectly... these cars are amazing!
***************************
Smitty Says;   Ray you just can't get the pulleys too slick and smooth. 
Sometimes it takes a lot of work to get them smooth enough.  What belt you 
use is relatively unimportant.  I use belts from FLAPS and don't even buy by 
brand.  I buy by length and width code number.  Usually wear a belt in 5-6 
years or so enough that I am more comfortible changing them.   Pulley 
flanges must be true.  If the belt rides up and down in them then they are 
likely crushed and should be straightened or changed.  Is your generator 
mounted properly on the inboard side of the mounting bracket and not to the 
outside?  I know it is a pain but to change a 64 generator you have to 
remove the pulley to get at the bolts.  Don't bitch at me.  I didn't design 
it.  Other pulley alignments are critical too.  Is the idler cocked.  If it 
is a 4 speed car the driver might have to form new driving habits.  Don't 
downshift by just dropping it in the next lower gear and dumping the clutch. 
Can't get away with that much with the heavy fans.
About the cooked engine.  You will be lucky if you don't experience a 
dropped valve seat or leaking O rings.  I don't know who Missy is but 
somebody would be walking if it were my car.