15 years with the wrong belt routing

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doogievlg

doogievlg

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I put a small block in my Dart when I was 18 years old (2008). I am learning today that I’ve had my belt routine wrong from day one. My alternator belt goes from the crank to the alternator and back. Power steering belt goes from the crank to water pump to PS pump. I’m only finding out now because I am putting a new alternator on and decided I better double check my old work.

So would there be some big issues I need to look for from running it with this set up?

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I don't think so. That's the same setup I've been using on my 318 for ten years or more since I put it back together with no a/c. I was concerned at first that the alternator belt might slip but I haven't noticed any problems.
 
As long as they are actually aligned and true, and it looks like you have good wrap, and as long as there are no annoying harmonic vibrations, I say leave it.
 
When I went from a 318 to a 440 in my Charger in 2001, I had to learn the proper belt and pulley arrangements. My donor engine was from a 77 or 78 New Yorker with a smog pump and A/C so that arrangement wasn't going to work.
I looked at cars at car shows to see what was right and was surprised to see many different setups, some sensible, others hacked and poorly aligned.
If you're not interested in factory correctness, that is fine. If you're able to get the pulleys to line up and if belt tension is easily adjusted, that is okay too. The one major problem could come when you lose a belt out on the road. Trying to find a matching belt for a non stock arrangement is extremely difficult. Going to a store trying to buy a belt for a setup that isn't listed in any book will be impossible.
Old belts stretch so even if you find your belt laying on the pavement, it may be hard to match up in the store.
 
Kern Dog said:
When I went from a 318 to a 440 in my Charger in 2001, I had to learn the proper belt and pulley arrangements. My donor engine was from a 77 or 78 New Yorker with a smog pump and A/C so that arrangement wasn't going to work.
I looked at cars at car shows to see what was right and was surprised to see many different setups, some sensible, others hacked and poorly aligned.
If you're not interested in factory correctness, that is fine. If you're able to get the pulleys to line up and if belt tension is easily adjusted, that is okay too. The one major problem could come when you lose a belt out on the road. Trying to find a matching belt for a non stock arrangement is extremely difficult. Going to a store trying to buy a belt for a setup that isn't listed in any book will be impossible.
Old belts stretch so even if you find your belt laying on the pavement, it may be hard to match up in the store.
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I surprisingly thought about that. My plan is to buy new belts to install and buy one spare of each to keep in the car.

It’s ran on the car fine since 2008 so I recon I’ll just leave it.
 
doogievlg said:
I’ll just leave it.
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It works. My 88 Dodge Ram with a small block factory set up has the belts running alternator to A/C from the crank.
the water pump is driven from crank/power steering.
 
doogievlg said:
I put a small block in my Dart when I was 18 years old (2008). I am learning today that I’ve had my belt routine wrong from day one. My alternator belt goes from the crank to the alternator and back. Power steering belt goes from the crank to water pump to PS pump. I’m only finding out now because I am putting a new alternator on and decided I better double check my old work.

So would there be some big issues I need to look for from running it with this set up?

View attachment 1716136405
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Usually the non a/c cars had the fan and alt and crank together. Then the p/s ran off the crank. Yours is the opposite it has been fine thus long so I would just leave it. Some also had a 2 groove top pulley that ran the p/s along with the w/p and crank. Kim
 
67Dart273 said:
As long as they are actually aligned and true, and it looks like you have good wrap, and as long as there are no annoying harmonic vibrations, I say leave it.
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And they're turning in the right direction. LOL
 
I presume it used to be an AC car? The set up for PS and water pump is stock for an AC car. Is that a third groove on the crank pulley that I spy?
 
str12-340 said:
I presume it used to be an AC car? The set up for PS and water pump is stock for an AC car. Is that a third groove on the crank pulley that I spy?
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Yep, used to be a slant six car. When I was 17 we pulled the engine out of a motor home in a field. No clue if that motorhome had AC but my 17 year old mind wasn’t thinking about anything besides getting a V8.
 
Can't imagine a motor home without AC! It's great that you still have the car and are still making it better! Make sure that the top of your alternator belt is not hitting one of the reinforcement ribs on the snout of the water pump. If it is you can grind away what is interfering on one rib with no concerns.
 
str12-340 said:
Can't imagine a motor home without AC! It's great that you still have the car and are still making it better! Make sure that the top of your alternator belt is not hitting one of the reinforcement ribs on the snout of the water pump. If it is you can grind away what is interfering on one rib with no concerns.
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That is a three groove pulley btw. And as far far as I know nothing was damaging the belts. I got a lot of years on those old belts and the only reason I’m replacing them is to be proactive. They still look fine.
 
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Just get the correct length belts and continue enjoying your ride.
 
If it's worked for 15 years, it's not wrong. Just different.
 
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