dsgmach007 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I replaced the plugs, fuel filter, oil and such. Now my question is Is a 160 Thermostat gonna be alright for my 350? And I don't have an AC but am looking into replacing the serpentine belts. So do I need to loosen the alternator to get them off or is there a better way? Still trying to find the part # for the belts Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 160° is fine but in that part of the nation I'd use a 180° minimum. Maybe do you mean "V" belts or unless you're running a ("March") after market pulley system.. or similar. You could cut them off but would still need to loosen the travel to get them back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsgmach007 Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 Gotcha 180 it is. Yes I do mean V-belts. Not sure where to find replacements at(because I'm not sure the part number) I don't have an aftermarket system so when I looked at it it just seems the best thing is to loosen the alternator and slide the belts off. Do you know a better way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Nick, since you mentioned "belts" and don't have A/C, I assume you have 2 V-belts - one that drives your water pump and alternator and another that drives your Power Steering pump. To replace them both you will need to loosen both the alternator and the power steering pump and rotate them both toward the crank pulley. Even at the unit's furtherest travel, the belt may still need to be pryed off with a flat blade screw driver, depending on its overall length. Simply loosening the bolt that clamps the unit to its adjustment track may not allow you to easily rotate either unit toward the crank pulley. You will likely also need to loosen the mounting bolt around which the unit pivots. The alternator belt should be the first to come off and will have to be worked around the fan blades and out the side of the shroud housing. The power steering belt should be in the pulley notch closer to the engine and can be pulled straight off the crank pulley once the other belt is out of the way. I checked my GM Assembly Manual for original GM part numbers that most auto parts stores can quickly cross reference in their computers for the particular brand of belts they sell. The alternator/water pump belt is GM # 3932438 and the power steering pump belt is GM # 3849258. Of course, you can always take your old belts in to the auto parts store and they can measure them for equivalent replacements, regardless of brand. Even a half inch difference in overall belt length can make a big difference in how it fits. A new belt that will just barely go on (may even require some prying) will usually tighten up and also leave some room for further adjustment later as the belt wears or stretches a bit. Installation of the new belts is just the reverse of the removal sequence. I always use a large screw driver or small pry bar move either unit far enough out to put snug tension on the belt prior to tightening the adjustment track bolt. Remember to also re-tighten the mounting bolt of each unit once you have tightened the respective bolt in the adjustment track. Hope this helps some ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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