Joe,
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/joevitek/Motorized_Projects/projects.htm
"On the left here is the layout of the pulleys in an Olds powered Cutlass" (Late model only) "(Thanks to Dave Worthington aka Oldsranch for supplying the excellent art) And on the right shows how the belts are typically routed on a stock "late" model engine:" "If one doesn't have the A/C belt installed, all pull is to one side. This causes a problem with squeaky belts. Tighten the alternator and the power steering pump belt becomes loose. Compensate by re-tightening the p/s pump belt and now the alternator belt is loose. Get them both tighter than they should be and you end up with too much side load (shortening the life of the w/p bearing). The solution is to balance the tightness by having the A/C belt installed at the correct tension. Even if it is non-functional. Worked for me."
For the very first time, I understand the problem. Earlier Olds engines just don't do this. The alternator belt does not go around both the crank and the WP pulley on the late engine, only the WP pulley. I didn't know that, or at least it never registered on by brain. That's the complete problem. That's why on earlier engines with all of the belts always going around both the crank and the WP pulley, there never is a belt squeal when the AC belt is not used. By having the belt go around the crank, there is no extra side deflection and excessive side loading when the AC belt is removed. The crank compensates.
Milton Schick 1964 442 Cutlass [EMAIL PROTECTED]
