Belt change

[robbz28]

So I decided to change my belt today, I think the car had the original belt on it. It had GM on it and it was in quite sad shape (chunks missing). Anyway I got it all loose and the couldn't get the belt off of the top pulley...the upper plenum was in the way. Is this normal? I was not in a shop I was at my home and went ahead and drained some coolant and loosened the plenum and got it off and the new one on...but what a PITA!

[Z51JEFF]

The belt comes of without removing anything from what I remember.The only replacement Ive found that will go back on the car without any grief is the Goodyear belt.I had a Gates belt that would not go on the car regardless of what I tried.

[Pete]

Some are tight between the A/C pulley and intake the way i do it is i install that first,take the belt lay it on the A/C pulley kind of an angle and roll the belt in place if needed put some water on the back side of the belt so it slides on the intake.

Hope you understood what i just wrote.:)

Pete

[scottfab]

No, you should not have to loosen the plenum. I wonder if maybe
there is no plenum gasket? That may lower it just enough to make
the space be too narrow. Dunno......

[robbz28]

There is a gasket, the only thing I can think is that this car was worked on by LPE, they could have very well "trued" up the surface on the upper plenum and that little bit of surfacing might be enough to make it that tight. I know there was no getting that belt off without loosening things up...no big deal, just annoying. Oh well, hopefully I won't have to worry about that again for a long time.

[Blue Flame Restorations]

The air horn is easy to loosen up. The screws are on the inside where it attaches to the throttle body. It doesn't have to be removed. That will give you the needed room for the belt. I had to do this on my 88.

[robbz28]

Yeah, air horn probably would be easier, maybe next time! Thanks