Do you buy into conspiracy theories in general or just ones that help you feel justified in buying a dorky car?
CK5
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serp belt vs. v-belts
- Thread starter ryan22re
- Start date
Do you buy into conspiracy theories in general or just ones that help you feel justified in buying a dorky car?
cabledawg
Secret Squirrel
I voted v-belts for the same reasons that everyone who voted v-belts did. Multiple belts means one breaks or the accesory it attaches to goes, you still get home. If they all go out, pantyhose or even an old bike innertube can get you back on the road. Other stuff like OBA or a hydro pump use v-belts. I will say this much for serps, they are a hella lot easier to change.
Up from the dead.. 
I've read through this a couple of times so far. Getting closer on the build to needing these parts for the 496.
The poll shows almost twice as many go for the serp. set up vs. the v-belts, but it seems like ~75% of the comments are for the v-belts. It also looks like the serp. set up is more for the road and v-belts for the trail.
Just seeing if there is new thoughts on one over the other?
I've read through this a couple of times so far. Getting closer on the build to needing these parts for the 496.
The poll shows almost twice as many go for the serp. set up vs. the v-belts, but it seems like ~75% of the comments are for the v-belts. It also looks like the serp. set up is more for the road and v-belts for the trail.
Just seeing if there is new thoughts on one over the other?
I like the pros of V belst. I just hate the squeeeling!! Seems like belts are good for about a month, then no matter how tight they just keep on squeekin every time I start it up. All the pullys are clean, tried belt dressing. Other than that I like v belts. I always keep a spare of each in the glove box.
That's because v-belts need the defense, serpentine speaks for itself.
Now I will contradict myself and defend it....
Serpentine pros....
more reliable (the belts last longer)
more efficient (they take less energy to use)
less maintenance
easier maintenance
better grip
more constant tension over time
one spare needed
easier to work on
V-belt pros
individual belts in case you seize an accessory
you could say they are cheaper but by the time you buy three of them that is probably out the window
Also, you can't go long without an alternator, and you shouldn't drive at all without a water pump, so this whole theory of limping home doesn't really hold that much credit for me. I've had both, I like serpentine, and I carry a spare.
When my alterntor went out on a trip I was glad I had a serpentine, they had one in stock at the parts store, and it was easier to change than a vbelt on the road. Just a few bolts and a connector. No adjustments needed.
Either one you should do a short inspection before a long trip.
I am changing my position on this. I vote serpentine belts now.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
Without going back through the whole thread to see if I commented in here or not, I personally like the ease and simplicity of the serpentine belt, it's quiet and operates awesome even when wet.
HOWEVER...
After running both through my years now,, (making me sound old)
Just a few years go, I had to go rescue my mother while she was on a 150 or so mile road trip to go visit someone, she was on her way back and called me to tell me she was on the side of the road with a major power steering problem, fluid leaking out everywhere and whatnot..
I automatically assumed the high pressure hose... So after calling around for an hour or so, trying to find this hose for a '94 Silverado with a 4.3v6, I found that Carquest had one in stock, went & bought it, drove about an hour out of Phoenix to where she was, looked over the problem and realized all hoses were fine, but the front bearing of the power steering pump had siezed and come apart. Essentially making the truck undriveable until the pump was replaced, because naturally, everything else needed that belt to run, charge, stay cool yadda yadda... I was not happy and ended up tow strapping her and the truck all the way back to Phoenix,, something like 60 miles.
ALSO,,, as mentioned previously in one that I did read in here,,, I did at one point have an alternator bearing let go and actually had a small fire inside the alternator when I opened the hood,, again, stranding me on the freeway, luckily I was inside city limits, but was still in need of this type of rescue..
HOWEVER...
After running both through my years now,, (making me sound old)
Just a few years go, I had to go rescue my mother while she was on a 150 or so mile road trip to go visit someone, she was on her way back and called me to tell me she was on the side of the road with a major power steering problem, fluid leaking out everywhere and whatnot..
I automatically assumed the high pressure hose... So after calling around for an hour or so, trying to find this hose for a '94 Silverado with a 4.3v6, I found that Carquest had one in stock, went & bought it, drove about an hour out of Phoenix to where she was, looked over the problem and realized all hoses were fine, but the front bearing of the power steering pump had siezed and come apart. Essentially making the truck undriveable until the pump was replaced, because naturally, everything else needed that belt to run, charge, stay cool yadda yadda... I was not happy and ended up tow strapping her and the truck all the way back to Phoenix,, something like 60 miles.
ALSO,,, as mentioned previously in one that I did read in here,,, I did at one point have an alternator bearing let go and actually had a small fire inside the alternator when I opened the hood,, again, stranding me on the freeway, luckily I was inside city limits, but was still in need of this type of rescue..
So did the bearing go out enough that your alt fan was rubbing on the aluminum bracket apparently? Do you think you would of made it far enough to matter with no alternator? My battery would go down pretty fast when my alternator went, even before I had EFI, I did have electric fans though. Mine stopped charging but would still spin without a fire. What actually happened is the internal plastic fan exploded, and the alternator burned up inside, then quit charging. No fire though. I could probably drive for about 15 minutes before I would get in danger territory of low voltage. I drove far enough to charge it up, then drove it back to where I could fix it.
I hate it when stuff like that happens, I have to admit, in the back of my mind, the power steering pump going out is definitely a concern, I have even tried to see if I could get a belt length that would bypass the power steering, with no luck, because that's really the only thing that could screw you where you would be OK with the Vbelts for quite a while, but I still think all the pros outweigh the cons, especially since the chances of that are pretty low, especially with proper maintenance and no warning. But sh!t just happens sometimes.
I hate it when stuff like that happens, I have to admit, in the back of my mind, the power steering pump going out is definitely a concern, I have even tried to see if I could get a belt length that would bypass the power steering, with no luck, because that's really the only thing that could screw you where you would be OK with the Vbelts for quite a while, but I still think all the pros outweigh the cons, especially since the chances of that are pretty low, especially with proper maintenance and no warning. But sh!t just happens sometimes.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
I know I could have driven the rest of the way home without the alternator belt, IF I had V-belts, really I was only about 10 miles away.. and yes, the alternator cooling fins did make contact with the mounting bracket, front bearing was totally destroyed.
I was just thinking here though, another option to the quiet running and strength of serpentine belts, would be the setup like they used on this newly acquired '87 Burb I have here with multiple smaller serpentine style flat belts. They look like narrower serpentine belts, but are still routed like the old style V-belts, one belt per accessory.
I was just thinking here though, another option to the quiet running and strength of serpentine belts, would be the setup like they used on this newly acquired '87 Burb I have here with multiple smaller serpentine style flat belts. They look like narrower serpentine belts, but are still routed like the old style V-belts, one belt per accessory.
Interestingly enough, I was planning on "upgrading" my v-belt system to serpentine... the main reasons are that when I get into water/mud the current set-up slips (yes it is torqued properly) and the second is that I'm spinning upwards of 6k when I get into it.
Are my thoughts wrong? This is not a DD or long distance vehicle, just a weekend warrior!
Are my thoughts wrong? This is not a DD or long distance vehicle, just a weekend warrior!
radiused tooth cog belts for the win...
i swaped to serp 5+ years ago. workin perfect.
and this past weekend i removed all the pulleys and soaked them in the parts washer and scrubbed them down to remove the oil .
i had a oil leak the last few years on the crank bolt for the dampener. never pulled and cleaned n sealed the bolt for it to stop.
the leak was not masive but after 2+ years of oil all over and on the belt i figured time to put new belt on and seal the threads ( no leaks now ) and fix it up.
well all i can say is the belt is so soft like a gummy bear candy and even 1 rib is gone off it. but that thing was still workin 100% no problems and never skiped a beat.
so i still stick to my vote of serp belt for the win.
and this past weekend i removed all the pulleys and soaked them in the parts washer and scrubbed them down to remove the oil .
i had a oil leak the last few years on the crank bolt for the dampener. never pulled and cleaned n sealed the bolt for it to stop.
the leak was not masive but after 2+ years of oil all over and on the belt i figured time to put new belt on and seal the threads ( no leaks now ) and fix it up.
well all i can say is the belt is so soft like a gummy bear candy and even 1 rib is gone off it. but that thing was still workin 100% no problems and never skiped a beat.
so i still stick to my vote of serp belt for the win.
not a fan of idler and or, tensioner pulleys.. but it beats V's.. 
cogged rules for performance and component longevity hands down, it's just expensive and a pain to set up...
cogged rules for performance and component longevity hands down, it's just expensive and a pain to set up...
I gotta vote V belts if only because my 84 chucked the Alt belt while coming home from the Atl Airport with some precious cargo (the baby) and despite no charging system and having the belt flapping around in the fan, I got us home AND could drive it to the shop to get fixed. No tow truck charge is a nice change of pace.
I like both, each for different reasons, so I never change what it came with.
I have older otrucks and cars with the V belts and they work fine, and have some newer ones with serpentine and they do fine too.
I have older otrucks and cars with the V belts and they work fine, and have some newer ones with serpentine and they do fine too.
GMCSuburban2500
Registered Member
Both are fine IMHO... But if I could go either way I'd go V because of the redundancy thing... as long as the water pump is turning you can get by without the alt or power steering...
Serps look cool and are easy though... and the tensioner is a good thing
Serps look cool and are easy though... and the tensioner is a good thing
That is pretty much what I think.
if I could put a tensionner on each V belt, or even have a cogged belt with a tensionner seprate for each accessory I would.
My 2001 big rig has 3 cogged belts with tensionners, and I lost my A/C belt and nothing else got hit.
The fan with water pump has a belt and the alternator has it's own belt, everything else is gear driven which is the best of all.
radius tooth FTW! 
I'd say it's a toss up on v vs serp... serp's last longer and don't slip nearly as easy as v's..... but v's don't have a tensioner, which suck.. that has always been the weak point of a serp setup, the tensioner and/or idler pulley bearings... they are notorious for failure... so i think that makes those 2 systems pretty comparable.. better performance from a serp, but possibly not as durable..
I'd say it's a toss up on v vs serp... serp's last longer and don't slip nearly as easy as v's..... but v's don't have a tensioner, which suck.. that has always been the weak point of a serp setup, the tensioner and/or idler pulley bearings... they are notorious for failure... so i think that makes those 2 systems pretty comparable.. better performance from a serp, but possibly not as durable..
