Please help me with my belt problem!

[CoryB]

I have a 1989 Mustang GT. The A/C has been removed using the Ford Racing A/C eliminator which moves the power steering pump up. I've also eliminated the smog pump and associated pieces. I'm using a 72-inch belt as the 73" normally suggested was too long.

The problem is that the tensioner pulley pushes the top of the belt down far enough that it's only 1/4" from touching the belt surface that runs right underneath it.

The red circled part in the picture is where I'm talking about.

So what are my options? A shorter belt just won't go on there. I force-fit a 71.5" belt on by removing the alternator mounting bolts, but I couldn't get the tensioner on it, even with the alternator floating loose.

Is there a smaller water pump pulley available? Do I have to install a smog pump eliminator pulley?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ID89GT]

Try using a set of underdrive pulleys

 

[watchdogfour]

.

I went through that on my car you have to get the smog pump eliminate pully to make it work i tride to do it the way you are doing it and the belt will strech and it will start rubbing under the tensioner

 

[stormroller]

i used the trick flow ac elim and it keeps the ps pump low and relocates the tensioner-i used no smog pump and had no problems for 10k- plus its less expensive!

 

[MyHoFoSho]

Mine is set up the same way as the picture and i have had no problems with stock pulleys. I got the car like that and since put about 9k miles and have not had one problem. But one of my friends had the same problem and he put on a smaller belt and drilled another hole for the tensioner tab to go into and has not had a problem with it. He did it so it would level out the tensioner more. Just in case you wanted to do it. If you want i can ask him how far down he drilled the hole.

 

[Mustang5L5]

No need to buy additional pieces or modify anything. You need to reroute the belt differently. Red belt is what you want to follow. Pullies still rotate the same direction but now there is no clearance probs.

Where did you get that other pic showing the belt routing? On the vast majority of car, it will cause rubbing exactly where it's circled

 

[dr59l]

that belt routing is a good idea bc underdrive pulleys use a larger water pump pulley and that will make rubbing worse. i used the smog pulley cuase i bought it off a guy for $20

 

[CoryB]

No need to buy additional pieces or modify anything. You need to reroute the belt differently. Red belt is what you want to follow. Pullies still rotate the same direction but now there is no clearance probs.

Where did you get that other pic showing the belt routing? On the vast majority of car, it will cause rubbing exactly where it's circled

The picture came from the cjponyparts tech section - I added the red circle. I found out about routing the belt the way you showed and I'm working on trying that.

The PS pump uses a fairly large pulley and the suggested 70.5" belt won't come close to fitting. In fact, I had a 73" and it was still too short. I'm picking up a 73.5" tonight and hopefully that will fit.