car eats belts like candy... 8 rib setup?

My car keeps chewing up belts. Its on its 3rd belt in about 2 months now. Costs $50 everytime to change it cause I dont have the stuff to change it with and you kinda need 2 people. Guys who work on my car said the blower bracket was flexing when I get on it and pulling the belt to the side hard. Hes tried adjusting it and shimming it but seems like its still hard on the belt. You can hear the belt jumping sometimes when I get on it hard. sometimes it runs fine, but in time 2 ribs will eventually shred off the outer side of the belt. Then those 2 ribs proceed to wrap around my blower pulley and if long enough will destroy the input seal.

The belt is the right size. I am thinking about putting a new belt tensioner on there, but doesnt seem to be a problem with the current one. Something tells me I am going to end up needing an 8 rib setup. But the kits I saw are $500! thats alot of $$$ but cheaper than $50 per month and the time/misery of changing belts every month. Does anyone here have the same problems? Does anyone have the 8 rib setup? How much in labor are we talking to have the kit installed? Anywhere that I can find them for cheaper? :read:

I had the same problem with mine and we kept thinking it was some kind of alignment problem and all. Finally the problem reared its' ugly head. IDLER PULLEY seized up. With a Vortech setup, you've got a SC idler pulley and the tensioner pulley. I paid $50+ from Vortech for the SC idler pulley and about $20 for the tensioner pulley from a dealership. Once I replaced these pieces my belt started tracking beautifully and hasn't been a problem. My S-Trim actually 'woke up' some as well as it hasn't ever turned like it is now. Before I was getting 12lbs and now it's whining to the tune of 15lbs.

Before you spend a lot of money, try replacing your idler pulleys!

Edited.. Had a DBL Post.

yes I may try replacing the belt tensioner, but the other pullies are all brand new. When the engine is running, the belt tensioner is jumping around pretty hard. I dont know if thats normal, but ill try it first

Same problem

When I got my car about a month ago and had a problem with the rib to the SC sheading. When I wraped it out it jumped also. But my car was used when i got her. does you car have a stock SC pulley? I not sure whats been done to your car, but on mine the first owner reinstalled the stock SC pulley backwards. For that he gets :burn:
I hope you find out soon cause a 50-60 a pop It adds up fast.
keep us posted

Edbo said:

I had the same problem with mine and we kept thinking it was some kind of alignment problem and all. Finally the problem reared its' ugly head. IDLER PULLEY seized up. With a Vortech setup, you've got a SC idler pulley and the tensioner pulley. I paid $50+ from Vortech for the SC idler pulley and about $20 for the tensioner pulley from a dealership. Once I replaced these pieces my belt started tracking beautifully and hasn't been a problem. My S-Trim actually 'woke up' some as well as it hasn't ever turned like it is now. Before I was getting 12lbs and now it's whining to the tune of 15lbs.

Before you spend a lot of money, try replacing your idler pulleys!

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+1 Exactly the same here, but on a procharger F-1

ok guys i found what was shredding the belt. It still makes a rough sound when I get on it, but no shredding those 2 outer ribs off. The plastic vortech idler was the culprit. heres a pic of the pulley---->http://www.superchargersonline.com/product_detail.asp?PartNumber=V4FH016-150 Normally the belt rides in the middle of that pulley, but when I get on it, the supercharger bracket flexes and it pulls towards the front. The belt jumps on top of that plastic lip everytime. I took a flathead screwdriver with the car running and shaved down both lips on that pulley. Now ive been giving it alot of boost with no shredding. It still makes a rough sound, but im pretty sure that may be the bearings in one of my idler pulleys. The idlers I have are just from the parts store not really meant for hard usage. I think one of the pulleys is locking up under wot. maybe I wont need the 8 rib. Ill see if I can get it on the dyno and have them observe it or I may just go ahead and find some better idler pulleys and a new tensioner.

I've heard of Gatorback Belts not lasting too, for the 03/04 cobra's... If the above doesn't help you guys, try a gates belt!

Glad you got it somewhat fixed. You can get a machine shop to custom make whatever pully you need. Thats what I did. I took the shell of the jacked up Procharger pully and had the inside machined to accept bigger bearings, and a bigger clip.

You should make sure that the blower was installed correctly the first time. There are spacers on the side of the bracket that go on the two long bolts that must be used. Look on Vortechs site to make sure everything is right before you chase problems that can't be fixed...

Jay Meagher said:

You should make sure that the blower was installed correctly the first time. There are spacers on the side of the bracket that go on the two long bolts that must be used. Look on Vortechs site to make sure everything is right before you chase problems that can't be fixed...

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Yes I have it all installed correctly. I was the first installer, then a stang shop replaced the belt twice on it and were the last ones to install the head unit. I have all the spacers and everything that I need. I have pretty much figured that the plastic lipped idler pulley is hitting the timing cover under wot. Reason why is because the timing cover isnt made to accept that style pulley and the vortech manual instructs you to trim the timing cover to clear the pulley. I trimmed just enough material off to clear that pulley when I installed it the first time. Now im thinking that when I get on it and the s/c bracket flexes, it pushes that pulley and causes it to run into the timing cover. Theres not enough material shaved off to give it enough play room. Its a plastic pulley, so it should eventually wear it down but wont hurt the timing cover. Its probably slipping the belt when it hits also costing power and wear on the belt.

Buy a Lightning tensioner and remove the pully. It has an offset bearing even though it is the sam ID and OD as the stock idlers. Try it flipped either way and see if that work. If so you are good, if not takee it back. Word to the wise, get the whole tensioner not just the pully. O'Reilleys had it either way, but the part they showed for the tensioner pully was not the offset one that is on the arm.

so the lightning tensioner will just bolt right on?

Use just the pully from the L tensioner as the idler pully instad of using it as the tensioner pully. Discard the lightning tensioner.

Ok, I have totally fixed the belt problem now. All it needed was the new belt tensioner. Now that crazy sound when you get on it is gone. Now all I hear is the blower sucking in tons of air. I even changed it without having to pull the bracket off. I went with a tensioner from oreilleys. Its made by gates and seems to hold strong at WOT.:thumbsup:

LS1Killer said:

Ok, I have totally fixed the belt problem now. All it needed was the new belt tensioner. Now that crazy sound when you get on it is gone. Now all I hear is the blower sucking in tons of air. I even changed it without having to pull the bracket off. I went with a tensioner from oreilleys. Its made by gates and seems to hold strong at WOT.:thumbsup:

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Cool. I hate to tell you though bro that aluminum tensioner will only last a couple of weeks at the most.

hardcore35th said:

Cool. I hate to tell you though bro that aluminum tensioner will only last a couple of weeks at the most.

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Dang, I knew it was too good to be true. Should I go with a Ford replacement or what kind will last? Its still running good sofar but its only been 1 day.

Get the steel Ford one. Use the pully from your alum one, and you will have to grind some of the inside of the tensioner arm down to clear the pully and belt.