Fell asleep after supper last night while waiting for NCIS to come on the tube and woke about 10 oclock. Once I nap then sleep is at least 6 hours away so went down to shop and fabbed up a serpentine belt set up for a 235. Will make brackets for an alternator and a/c compressor today and may include a power steering pump bracket even though it's not needed on this engine but keeping future in mind. Need final tweaking on pulleys which is no biggy. The advantage of the flat belt is you can run it anywhere (with idlers) and use both sides of it to drive accessories except for the water pump. Been so much fun I may pull the impeller out of the pump and make a reverse flow one to cut back on idlers required. A future owner that replaces the pump and has a big heating problem will go crazy.
Looks like the beginnings of a marketable, kit. Get it ironed out, with all the idlers, a reverse rotation water pump, reverse fan, etc., and I see $$$, for you, Evan. Much better than a single v-belt driving everything. Steve.
Would seem to me that reverse rotation on an alternator might work OK electrically, but would the alternator fan under the pulley provide proper airflow through the alternator? Would an A/C compressor work when driven backwards?
Actually, Bill, the alternator, and AC compressor turn the standard rotation. On my 2001 Chevy, it is only the water pump/fan, that have reverse rotation. That is why you have to study the belt diagram... to understand how it goes on. Evan, one thing I noticed is my '01 Chevy has a smooth water pump pulley. The back side of the belt wraps 3/4 of the way around it, to drive it backwards. Unless...maybe...I need to study that diagram a little more... Steve.
Steve got it right. Unless the belt is on the opposite side of a pulley from that of a V belt the rotation is the same. P/S pump, alternator, and compressor have belt same as V belt but if belt runs on the underside of the water pump instead of over the top the rotation is reversed. I'm going to try idlers to give the correct belt wrap on pulleys so no special pump or fan is needed. A serpentine belt can pull much more load than a V belt which is why they have been used once nearly every car became loaded with accessories and they can be bent at an extreme angle, either direction, without harm.
Evan, I would like to nominate you for the first (ever?) Advanced Design Award To recognize a person for his contributions to the automotive hobby, specifically our beloved 47-55.1 trucks Thank you Evan.
