Mine also has 3 grooves. The one for AC is much deeper and wider than the other two.

 

Are y'all talking about the water pump or the crankshaft pulley? I've seen a lot of 3 groove crankshaft pulleys to drive the various accessories, but usually the waterpump has but one groove and belt driving it. If you have more than one groove on the waterpump (the pulley above the crank pulley) How many are being used?

 

Mine definatly has 3 grooves....Their all the same size, butI'm only using one It was the only pully I could find that would work in my truck at the time....Please remember I am making the trip in October to Fla and I still have to work out all the buggs in the system.

 

Ok Guys and Gals, I have uploaded 4 pictures into my 1954 Gallery. The shots of the belt configuration are the last 4. Please check them out and give me your ideas on how to fix this belt slipping problem. Jag

 

Jag, I would do as AX said and go with a serpintine set up or an idler pully in there somewhere....Or maybe get the same A/C set up I have it was a new system back in the 20's and 30's called 2X45 which was upgraded to the 2X55 in the 50's and 60's then again to the 2X60 and then on to the present 2X70.....Otherwise known as 2 windows down at (insert MPH here).

 

Jag -

It looks to me as if the crank turns the water pump and PS. The water pump pulley (as a slave) turns the A/C and alternator. Correct? OR does that A/C belt also wrap around the crank pulley? I don't see a problem unless that belt also wraps the crank. Then the engagement angle on the A/C pulley isn't enough.

My understanding is basically that if you can get 1/3 of a pulley engaged, it will work fine. Each belt usually needs three pulleys (with one adjustable) to make a circuit. Is that what you have? Or are there 4 pulleys on the alternator circuit?

 

Jag -

I just reread your entry (#49). You say the circuit for the A/C and alternator is 4 pulleys. Change the belt and take one pulley out of the circuit. Problem solved.

Because of the positions of the components on the front of the engine, I think you'll get best engagement using the water pump, A/C and alternators pulley on one belt (no crank in that circuit). That will get at least 1/3 of each pulley engaged. It looks like if the crank is part of that loop, the engagement at the alternator will be about 1/4 or less. Check it out. If you are concerned about load on the water pump bearing, use the crank - A/C and alternator as one belt.

It will only cost you one fan belt to find out if that will fix it.

 

That's an interesting belt on the AC compressor can't say I've seen one with teeth on the outside like that, is it std V belt shaped on the bottom? I don't think you're going to have good luck with the setup you have there. I'd be looking for a way to arrange the components so that you have no more than 3 pulleys on a belt if you're going to use V belts. You may be able to drive the alt directly off the waterpump pulley without including the crankshaft but I'd definitely want to drive the compressor and PS pump with the crank. I think the only way you could sucessfully use the arrangement you have now would be to include an idler close to the block between the alt and the compressor to pull in that vertical segment of the belt into a V shape.

 

Jag

I don't think you really want to wrap the water pump like you have it. It would be nice if you could move the a/c to the driver side remove the alt from this belt rouiting and add a a/c adjuster pulley then add a third crank pulley for the alt and just run from crank to alt.

You do need to run the a/c compressor from the crank in fact all should be run from the crank the w/p is just along for the ride.

If you would like I can try and take a few pictures of my accessory drive not that it is the only way but it seems to work.

 

It seems like the consensus is that I need to get another groove on the crank pulley so I can get rid of the 4th pulley in alt belt plane. I see the logic and must admit that this was a concern when I was building the truck. At one time I was considering buying the serpentine setup, but it was very expensive. I do have another belt I can temp use that will bypass the A/C. It was the one that I used before I installed the A/C compressor. Ax, you are right about the appearance of that belt, but it is the only one that I could find that was long enough. I don't know why the manufacturer would put the teeth on the outside. The inside is a normal V belt design that fits into the alt pulley very well. Any pictures of A/C belt set ups and the A/C brackets would be greatly appreciated. I may be able to adapt mine in a similar way to get a third belt plane working. Thanks for all the input, Jag

 

Jag

Take a look at my album it shows what I did. By the way all of my belts are like your a/c belt, I'm sure it's just a gimmick belts work just fine

 

They do that for cooling reasons. It apparently makes the belt last longer when it runs cooler.

 

Ah! I thought maybe it was for a vehicle that used an idler since it would run on the back of the belt.
Can't help wit belt routing mine has a serpentine belt.

 

Those belts also have the bottom of the V like:
-----------
vvvvvvvvv
supposidly this helps the belt flex easier.

 

Jag,
I've got a 73 that I've been working on. I ran a 302 in it for a while. I don't have pictures of the belt set up, but I looked at factory small block set ups and 302 and 351W are the same for the older V belt set up in trucks. Here is how the set up works using an alternator, P/S pump, and compressor.
the water pump has 2 grooves
the crank pulley has 3 grooves
The far inside belt goes around the crank, water pump, and alternator
The middle belt goes around the crank, water pump, and P/S pump
The out side belt (nearest to the radiator) goes around the crank, an idler pulley, and the compressor.
This is what I think your going to have to try to accomplish in order for everything to work correctly. I don't know how to tell you to get there easy except to locate an engine with all the brackets and pulleys attached, and get the whole set. I tried mixing and matching parts and could not get things to line up properly. I tried to go around more than 3 things like you have done, and I ended up tearing up the bearings in the alternator, or having a belt slipping problem like you have now. There are actualy several different spacings on brackets and pulleys. So once again....make sure to get the whole set off of one engine. The only other thing I can think of to do, is either get an aftermarket serpentine set up which is going to be BIG money, or try to score a serpentine set up from your local U pull it yard.
I ended up buying a set of brackets and pulleys from the U pull it yard from a 351W that was in a 73 model Torino. They bolted right up to my 302, and every thing worked good.
As I see it by looking at the accessories that your trying to run....you have 3 choices.
1. Get a York compressor to replace that samden. Get the earlier model P/S pump that has the little dip stick. Then get 72 to about 76 brackets and pulleys.
2. Get a york compressor. Get the brackets and pulleys from about a 78 up to maybe 82 or 83.
3. Keep your current accesories and get the serpentine set up from a late model small block.
After looking again....I can tell you for a fact that the way the belts are routed and things like the angle of the P/S pump belt, that you are going to have nothing but problems out of all your accessories. I know this to be a fact because I tried the exact same thing.
Doc