79C3

My belts were getting old but they looked fine. So this past weekend I take it out for a spin to charge up the battery and for a wash. So the alternator belt breaks and I am stranded on a Sunday after 5 pm. (I am stranded because earlier I took the air conditioning compressor off--yup, no backup belt for the water pump.) So, replace your belts if they are old. I wish I did.

Paul L

Good tip! This is the waterpump/crankshaft belt on my former 1979. That is the belt that can only be replaced by removing the pulleys. Obviously it was ready to let go. BTW not all 1979s have that belt.



Here you see the new one with red/white/blue markings.




[Modified by paul67, 7:49 AM 5/25/2004]

brooksman9

For what reasons would a 79 have or not have that belt? :confused:

Paul L

The poster alluded to that question. I should have mentioned that my 1979 was a non-A/C car.

My set-up for belts was:
-airpump/crankshaft
-crankshaft/power steering
-alternator/waterpump/crankshaft
-waterpump/crankshaft

So if the alternator belt goes the waterpump/crankshaft belt remains to keep the coolant circulating and you can limp home on battery power.

On his configuration - and I am working from memory as my shop manual left with the car - it is probably:
-alternator/waterpump/crankshaft
-crankshaft/power steering
-A/C compressor/waterpump/crankshaft; and possibly
-airpump/crankshaft

So if the A/C belt lets go the alternator belt remains to drive the waterpump. And conversely if the alternator belt breaks the A/C belt will still drive the pump.

By removing the A/C compressor and its belt he has deleted the limp-home capability in the system.

brooksman9

Ahhhh! I seee. I have this configuration myself. (A/C car w/o condensor). Very interesting. Perhaps I will look into adding this belt until I get around to fixing a/c. which will be long way off :thumbs: