Awful Belt Squeal Issue

[MegaOlds]

I'm having an issue with terrible belt squeal and I need some help getting this issue fixed. First off, the vehicle is set up for air conditioning but the compressor isn't on the car. With this being said, the alternator is on the drivers side above the power steering pump. I replaced both belts for the alternator and power steering but the squeal is still there and it's really loud.

I took the power steering pump off and removed the pulley to see if the pulley was bent but It looks straight. I laid it on a flat surface and it didn't wobble either.

I put the power steering pump back on and installed the belt back on and tightened it as it should be. I left the alternator belt off and started the vehicle. Same squeal. This leads me to believe that it isn't the alternator belt. I hand turned both the power steering pump and water pump and they feel fine.

Other than ensuring the belts are tight, what else could it be? Any help is appreciated!

 

[marktepper]

Smarter people than me will most likely give you the technical reasons. I just installed a 455 and didn't install the a/c compressor. I chased the same problem. Turns out that with out the compressor there is not enough belt coverage. What I did was install gen 2 Trans Am pulleys and an a/c delete pulley on the p/s pump. Problem fixed. They all line up. What some others have done is find and somehow fit an additional belt around crank pulley and water pump pulley. Hope this helps.

 

[rustyroger]

The Olds 307 as installed in A/C equipped GBodies has a terrible design fault;
The alternator belt is driven by the water pump pulley alone, the water pump pulley itself is driven by the power steering and A/C belts. If you remove the A/C belt the power steering belt has to do all the work, and if the belt or pulley is slightly worn it isn't up to the job. Tightening up the power steering belt helps a bit but imposes a lateral load on the water pump which does the bearings no good.
Non A/C cars have a different arrangement and don't have this issue, you could replace all the brackets and remount the alternator on the passenger side, or simply keep the A/C pump and run a belt simply to help the water pump pulley cope. Alternatively you could fit a serpentine belt kit, a more expensive cure but effective.
Or keep the A/C, get it working and use it during the summer, beats lowering the windows at highway speed, and you can't lower the rear windows anyway.

Roger.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I actually burnt a belt right off, set up like that. You can only do that with a dual belt PS pulley and triple crank pulley.

 

[MegaOlds]

Ok thanks everyone! I think I am going to get March's Serpentine kit. Now I know its because of the AC compressor. Couldn't thank you guys enough! Have a good weekend! 😀

 

[olds307 and 403]

The only serpentine set up I like is the style track. There was a guy on Real Olds Power making a few sets of brackets to work with GM parts and the Olds V6 diesel rwd water pump.

 

[foxtrot]

You could also just run an older Olds setup that has PS & alternator only. In the case, the alternator would be on the passenger side. The setup works awesome on a SBO - no need to run a serpentine setup$. Just make sure to purchase new crank & water pump pulleys with this setup. This setup will work great on any hi-Erving SBO setup. Good luck.

 

[DoubleV]

You could also just run an older Olds setup that has PS & alternator only. In the case, the alternator would be on the passenger side. The setup works awesome on a SBO - no need to run a serpentine setup$. Just make sure to purchase new crank & water pump pulleys with this setup. This setup will work great on any hi-Erving SBO setup. Good luck.

Yep. Converting to the March serpentine setup to fix a squeaky belt issue is like burning down your house to get rid of mice. It's way overkill.

 

[gdouaire]

on a 307 I ran back then, after removing the A/C compressor, I had installed a belt tensioner from a Mercury Topaz (oh boy!) using a home-made bracket to fix the issue... looked decent and almost OEM.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Either troll your local yards or for sale sections on Olds boards, like Classic Olds or ROP. The last two motors I bought had them on believe it or not, a lot Olds had factory A/C, so lucky I guess. I am running them on both my Olds powered vehicles.