1985 SVO serpentine belt conversion help

ImportKLR · 11-08-2008

I'm having issues with my 85 2.3l turbo throwing belts. Threw the first one in a rainstorm off of the alt/power steering side. Replaced both of them with Gates brand belts. They seemed to work just fine until I wrapped my rpms up to 4500-5000 a few times climbing through the gears then the rear of the two popped off again. The only change I've made has been to replace the stock alternator with 125amp out of a 92 GT. With a spacer behind the double groove pully everything lined up perfectly and has worked for several months. Ive kept from really banging on it (very hard to do) because of this problem. I want to convert to a serpentine system. Ive looked at several different websites and everyone and there dog sells kits for 5.0's but so far I've turned up squat for the 2.3l turbo. Any help I can get would be wonderful. Thanks.

jusplayn85 · 11-08-2008

Is the pulley off the old alternator the same size as the pulley off the new one. I had to swap mine when I got the new alternator to keep the same belt size.

ImportKLR · 11-08-2008

I had to use the pully from the old alternator. The new one had a serpentine pully. As far as belt sizes go when I went to the parts house and asked for a new set of belts for the application the stock belts were actually a 1/2" longer than the ones that were on it. There was plenty of adjustment left and the extra 1/2" didn't seem like much overall. The width of the belt was unchanged.

NavySVO · 11-10-2008

Try and get all the goodies off of a 87-88 TC.

You can also contact PA performance and they might be able to help you out.

ImportKLR · 11-11-2008

I'll give PA a call. I was hoping that I would be able to get that "new out of the box" feel but if doing a transplant is the only way to go what can ya do. Thanks Navy.

b_chandler · 11-12-2008

Just detail the new/used stuff before you put it in. Use a good aluminum cleaner on the brackets and repaint the pulleys. It'll look all purty when you're done.

Does you car have A/C? Reason I ask is that unless the PA Performance solution has a pulley to replace the v-belt compressor pulley, you're stuck unless you change it out for the newer compressor found on model years starting with the aforementioned T-Birds. Everything else is easily changed.

ImportKLR · 11-12-2008

Yeah I've got the old pancake compressor. I'm assuming the T-bird comp will bolt up with no problems? I need to post some pictures of my brackets. Cant tell if they're stock/unmodified. It looks like a monkey with a mig welder got after them. As soon as I can buy some time for cheap I'll clean on my motor compartment and snap a few. Get them up as soon as I can.