Well i was driving along and my AC started sqealing, so I think this is normal, so I turn it on and off a few times, and it doesnt stop.

 

But then the ac stops blowing cold and it stops squealing all together, so I instantly panic thinking its the compressor. But after looking under the hood, i discover the rear belt had broken(the one that doesn't go around the alternator). At the same time my car started back up with the TOD :-\

 

So this all happened at 1:30pm, by the time I get tools and get a new belt its 1:45, and by the time i got that GODDAMN belt on its 3:00. Then when I was tightening everything back up, the top alternator bolt snapped, and the bottom threads on the alternator became stripped. So then I had to spend more money at Autozone. Oh, and i was supposed to be at football practice at about 2:00. oops.

 

So my question is, what exactly does that belt drive? for some reason i was thinking oil pump? And, Why was it so hard to get on even with the tensioner undone?

if you replaced the belt you should be able to tell what it drives, what did it go around? water pump (to the right, drivers side, and a little low), a/c (also to the right but high), alternator...sounds like you know which one the alternator is, and power steering pump is to the left (passengers side). then the crank pulley, that's the big joker in the middle that both belts share.

 

the oil pump is driven by the timing belts, not the accesory belts so the belt you replaced shouldn't have anything to do with the oil pump. that it made noise was coincidence or water pump related. if it drives the water pump, then the engine could have gotten hotter than normal and that can cause abnormal noises.

 

owners manual may show where things are if you have one.

They had a bunch of different designs, but on mine, the A/C compressor belt goes around all the same stuff as everything else... plus the A/C compressor and a second little tensioner under the compressor (the alternator is used to tension the other belt). I just took the A/C belt off completely, and am just running one belt. It's also the front belt that runs the A/C. However, it sounds like you might have the inboard AC (on mine the A/C is way over to the right, and the alternator is in the middle). In that case, it's different... my '85 GL had that, but I can't remember the details.

 

Either way, the oil pump is driven by the timing belt, so no worries about that.

 

Z

They had a bunch of different designs, but on mine, the A/C compressor belt goes around all the same stuff as everything else... plus the A/C compressor and a second little tensioner under the compressor (the alternator is used to tension the other belt). I just took the A/C belt off completely, and am just running one belt. It's also the front belt that runs the A/C. However, it sounds like you might have the inboard AC (on mine the A/C is way over to the right, and the alternator is in the middle). In that case, it's different... my '85 GL had that, but I can't remember the details.

 

Either way, the oil pump is driven by the timing belt, so no worries about that.

 

Z

Yeah, I removed the inner belt too because it was annoying trying to keep it properly tensioned. I have the outboard-alternator, inboard-a/c compressor setup. It worked fine that way, since the outer belt ran everything. I also bought a spare belt and stuck it in the trunk just in case one belt wasn't strong enough to do the job; but I never needed it. Later I tossed all the a/c stuff because it wasn't working & I didn't want to bother with charging/repairing it. Had to leave the a/c compressor on because it was inboard, and the alt's top bracket was bolted to the compressor.

 

Recently I bought the correct brackets for a non-a/c car from a Board member, so I could ditch the a/c compressor and move the alt inboard. Looks much cleaner that way, and easier to get at the front driver's spark plug. I had to go buy a shorter belt, because now the alt is closer; and also with the new brackets it wants to use the inner pulley.

I dont know if this is bad, but I don't run a back V-belt on my '86 SPFI. I've driven it up the wazoo and it hasnt given me trouble, yet anyway. Mine's got the AC in the middle and the alternator to the right of it, EASY alternator swap.

 

The tensioner had seized up (bearing shot) so I just left it off, and the belt too.

 

I suppose the second one's for backup in case of one breaking? The V-belts do run the water pump... Oh yah, my A/C runs 100% perfect on one belt, with no squeal.

 

Timing belt runs the oil pump of course... maybe the oil pump needs a reseal? Mine ticks too, whenever it wants, and for as long as it wants