Dayco Belts

[AccessMaster]

Anyone know where to get the Dayco Belts called for in the owner's manual. I can't get the ac belt to stop squealing. I would like to try the correct belt.

[Impala SS Guy]

I just got all 3 belts at Advance Auto.

Hope that helps

[NASCAR345]

I installed NAPA cogged belts last year with no complaints. They are made by Gates, in the USA. The cogged belts help reduce the squeak factor. If your pulleys are "glazed" clean them with some laquer thinner and steel wool. That will help get rid of anything on the surface. My '87 345 has a combination of serpentine and v-belts. hopefully your are all v-belts. If you do have the serpentine belt, don't forget to clean the idle pulley. Have fun and don't bust any knuckles.

L8R, Jonesy

[swebster]

I replaced all of my belts with Daycos from Pep Boys. They had most of my belts listed under P30 but the aux booster belt had to be sized. My AC pump belt is a Dayco 15605. Might be different for an 88. If you can read the numbers or get your belt off...take it with you. There should be a part number on it.

The AC belt is easy to tighten from above but it's also your inner-most belt so to get it off everything else comes off too. Check that it's not your power steering or aux belt as they are right under your AC. The Alternator belt is also notorious for squealing.

I replaced everything at once. Some people on the forum have done it from underneath and above - I needed to replace my water pump too so I removed the grill and radiator first to gain access to everything. It can be done from the doghouse and wheel wells and underneath but it will not be fun.

[AccessMaster]

I found the belts at Pepboys on the web at www.pepboys.com.
I ordered them today. Thanks for the help.
I have paid to have the belts replaced 2 times this year but I failed to insure that the correct belts were used. The first time the belt was definetly too large and barely held the required tension with all the adjustmet used up.
Unfortunately, I was too far away to take it back so I tried again. This time the belt appears to be the right size but it still squeals whenever the AC is engaged. The power steering pump will squeal the belt also if the AC is on at idle. It is really embarrassing.
I intend to take it back with the correct belts and have them do it over. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
Joe

[NASCAR345]

Joe
I hate so say this, but, you might be having a more serious problem. first check the tension on the belts. find the longest section between pulleys and move the belt in and out, the total deflection should be around 3/4 of an inch. If this is correct, then the problem could be that the compressor is going bad. If the bearings inside the compressor are beginning to seize, then there will be too much resistance causing the belt to slip in the pulley. Since this pulley will become glazed, as I mentioned before, it is really important to clean it. It might require the use of sand paper. 80 grit won't hurt it to help gain grip. Another possibility that is much less expensive, could be that the belts are the correct length, but, not the correct width. This is some what unlikely. To check, simply look at the top of the pulley and make sure the belt is riding about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch above the pulley edge. If it riding too lowthen the sides are probably not in "pressure" contact and it is riding on the bottom, or, if too much is out of the pulley, you have the same issue not enough surface area is in contact between the belt and the pulley. A warning though is not to overtighten the belts as this will cause premature bearing wear in all the components, water pumps especially.

Good Luck,
Brian Jones