Thread: fan belt

For me its a 2 person job. Someone underneath to push up on belt to get rid of the slack in the belt you cant see from the top. Make sure u have a big spanner on the tensioner and 'untension' it as much as u can. Then with it fitted on all the pulleys with raised edges, u slip it on to the central jobbie with no edges a bit at a time.

Make sure its the right belt! An ace belt wont fit a non ace and vice versa. And you need the idler in place of the ace pump.


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I've had this problem also and in the end wasn't successful. A new belt did it.


What I think happens is the "spare belts" contract as they age, and they don't have to contract by much to do exactly what the both of ours have done.

Good message to others - either rotate into use your spare belt, or at least semi-regularly check that it still will go onto the engine by actually putting it on the engine. It doesn't need to contract by very much at all before it doesn't fit by what appears to be a lot and when you hold it up to a new belt it still looks like its the same length.

I had the same trouble when I decided to have a practice run at home, before going away. After much grunting & swearing, I made up a tool for the tensioner out of an old socket ratchet with pipe extension handle, and pulled the tensioner as far as I could away from the engine, & tied it off. Then the trick is, I think, put the belt on the viscous fan pulley last, as it does not have a lip.Tight fit, but hold your tongue right, it will go. Most important, make sure the "V" 's in the belt match perfectly the "V" 's on the pulleys, otherwise you will strip the belt [ don't ask me how I know] Bob

warm the belt up first.. seem to help me

*If it has broken the belt check all the pulley bearings are rotating.
Mine seized one of these burning the belt.
The harmonic went out in sympathy too

I thread the belt sliping it over the airconditioner clutch last.
Then unload the adjuster fully with a socket and ratchet.
Slip it onto the airconditioner and allow the tensioner to do it's thing.
Rotate the motor by hand with a socket on the harmonic/crank bolt 2-3 times.
Check all the ribs/V's are where they should be.

A note for the V8's, one of the pulleys can be fitted either way, and it's half a rib out so it cuts a rib off the belt. There's no marking on the pulley and it's not visible. (don't ask me how I know) . Pretty sure its the ace or p/s pulley.