I was under the impression that the correct belt size to get was 29.5 inch 4 rib. I tried that size, and it doesn't even come close to fitting on the car. I have the alternator all the way down to the metal and it isn't even close to reaching around the top of the pulley.

I also tried a 30.5 inch belt (next size up in the dayco belts) and it was too big even with the alternator tensioner all the way up.


Do you need a 30 inch belt or is there another way to get the 29.5inch belt to fit? I don't see any other way, and I am serious it doesn't even come close to fitting how it should. I can't believe the difference 1 inch in size makes for these belts.

The part numbers I've tried so far are listed below:


5040295 - barely too small, can't get it over the alt pulley lip

5040305 - too big, even at full tension had too much slack and room for slipage.

 

Just get a 300 then. Part of the problem with figuring out exactly which belt to run is that people run different combos of pullies...you have a crank pulley, a waterpump pulley, and an alternator pulley, all 3 of which matter to the belt. For most people that run an underdrive crank as well as waterpump and alt pullies, a 29.5 will work fine. The stock crank pulley is a lot bigger, and you need a longer belt for it.

Also there is a slight variance in the actual belt sizes from different manufacturers, just like tires etc. Keep in mind also that belts stretch after a bit of use and heat, so you want to use the tightest one that will fit.

Generally the belts are hard to install on these cars and you wind up having to turn the crank by hand while pushing the belt over the alternator pulley to get it to slip into place. They made the outer edges of the alternator pullies taller than they needed to be versus the internal ribs, which makes the belt hard to install but it is looser once you get it over the edge and where it should be.

 

Yea I just tried to muscle it on with a screw driver for the last 5 minutes and all I suceeded in was jamming a screw driver into my wrist lol


I think I'm just going to go and find a 30 inch belt of a different brand since this brand skips right over 30 for 30.5, which like I said is just too big on my stock pulleys. Thanks for the help

 

30 even worked fine for me. Got it from Oreilly's

 

Yea I ended up just zapping off the alternator pulley with my air gun, and putting it back on with the belt on it. Then I had room to tighten it. Worked like a charm