V-Belt Advice

Discussion in 'Wrenchin' Secrets' started by Gary Anderson, Dec 14, 2019.

  1. Gary Anderson

    Gary Anderson Well-Known Member

    '68 Riviera, 430 w/AC

    I'm ready to fire up the A/C in this car, but not sure which road to take with the fan belt. As you can see in the pic, the middle of the dual A/C compressor pulley sits right inline with where the belt should go. At that length from the crank and water pump pulleys, should I worry about spacing the compressor one way or the other? Is there some detailed info on correct belt layout? Like, does the generator actually need two belts, or is that second groove just to align the A/C compressor's belt? Chassis Manual is not very convincing on this.

    More info: looking at assorted pics of other '68 Rivieras, it looks like I shouldn't have a dual pulley on my A/C compressor and yes, the A/C belt only rides in the inside groove of the gen pulley. I don't think my replacement(?) compressor pulley is a problem, save for how it lines up with the other pulleys, is it? The clutch does grab when the A/C dash switch is on, and the compressor is not seized.

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    Last edited: Dec 14, 2019
  2. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Gary, I'm no expert on that model. I think the double style alt pulley is right. Can't say if the pulley on there is right, though. When there is a double alt pulley, one is just for clearance for the AC belt. These belt alignment problems are always hard to solve. Any or all pulleys could be wrong, the water pump could be wrong, some brackets could be wrong, or missing. Here's a pic of a 30K Riv. It looks like your compressor may be wrong or have the wrong pulley/clutch on it. it looks like it should be a single belt pulley on there.
    https://barnfinds.com/30000-miles-1968-buick-riviera/
     
  3. Gary Anderson

    Gary Anderson Well-Known Member

    Ha, that's one of the cars I looked at! And, yes, it looks like I'm supposed to have a single groove pulley on my compressor. I guess as long as one of the grooves lines up with the generator, I should be fine. I wish I knew more of the history of this car, who worked on it and why...
     
  4. GS464

    GS464 Hopelessly Addicted

    Had a 68 Riv. Single groove A/C and two on the Alternator.
     
  5. Gary Anderson

    Gary Anderson Well-Known Member

    UPDATE:
    Used a spacer (large nut) on my generator bracket end where it attaches to the A/C comp bracket. Hard to see in the earlier pics above that that bracket was bent (on purpose) by whoever put it on (chrome package: generator, A/C bracket, adjustment arm, crank pulley...). Plus, I removed the chrome generator and ground down the 1/4" lip on the lower pivot hole, so all of that got the generator out enough to have the pulley line up close enough with the compressor and still be okay with the W/P and crank pulleys.

    Before even putting the A/C belt on, I had tested the clutch to see that it was turning the compressor without too much trouble, and when I turned the A/C selector dial on inside the car I could hear the clutch snap on. But it didn't do so once I had the belt on and the engine running. So I jumped the A/C clutch to turn it on with the engine running. It turned the compressor, but it also blew out something in that stupid "muffler" next to the horns - compressor oil leaked everywhere.

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