Serp Belt AC VS no AC

TOMANDJU

MEMBER
CHEVROLET

88 chevy fullsize I have a 350 5.7 motor with air. The air compressor pulley locked up and I do not want to replace it. The belts that list for no air are half as wide as what it runs now do you think this will matter?
.
1. Do I have to take off the compressor or just route around it.

2. Will the smaller belts run on the wider pulleys?

3. What about the smog pump?

1 Reply

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

You should go around the air pump, may fail inspection without it depending on your area.

Smaller belt may work, but I don't recommend that.

Without seeing the belt diagram or your motor, if not sure about the routing. Make a sketch with arrows of the pully direction of rotation. See if there is a direct straight line between the pulleys that are adjacent to the pump your bypassing and will still accomodate the direction of those pulleys. If it is good, take a string and wrap it around the pulleys and bypass the compressor. Now measure the string and record it. Count the grooves and record it. Tell the counterman at the parts store your marked down numbers and ask for that size belt, the next size up and the next size down. Return the belts that didn't work.