A "serpentine" belt conversion for Pontiac motors that uses an electric water pump.

Talk about lowering reliability while increasing cost.

 

As a mechanical engineer, I believe I can confidently say that that thing offends the honor of my people.

 

Is that 3 idlers and mechanical tension? On both the AC comp and alt.?
"A fool and his money are soon parted."

 

While the basic design premise is just stupid, you really have to love the cantilevered A/C compressor. Could they mount it any further outboard? What part of "fatigue failure" was not clear (plus, that's an ALUMINUM bracket, so fatigue happens much sooner than for steel).

 

I'm looking at the belt wrapped a little less than half way around the crank pulley. Yeah....no thanks.

 

Well they at least assaulted a Pontiac and not an Olds... Looks PRETTY for the show crowd...

 

I had so any people tell me the moroso electric water pump drive was junk. I have been running one for almost 7 years on the street. I do carry a spare unit just in case as its very easy to swap the motor. But i guess thats actually more reliable/ versatile than a unit that would need to be rebuilt by the maker since its not easy to repair by most people.

But i agree its a horrible looking design.

 

It's a horrible looking design with no functional benefit. At least it's expensive.

The limited belt contact on the crank pulley requires a LOT of tension in the belt to prevent slippage. The result will be MORE friction (and thus more HP loss) than with V-belts. This additional tension also means premature failure of the accessory front bearings. Yeah, this is a good design. There's a reason why true serpentine belt designs use a reverse-rotation water pump with the belt S-shaped (like a SERPENT, get it?) around the crank and pump pulleys.

 

With a reverse flow belt drive to the water pump and a sensible A/C mounting it would make sense, and look good too imo.

Roger.

 

At which point, you wouldn't need a bazillion idler pulleys...

 

I run the moroso drive in reverse. Just got flip the wires lol.

 

And isn't that angle on the power steering pump a bit extreme? You'd never get a proper reading on the dipstick at that angle and quite possibly not have the sump in the correct place to let the pump operate properly.

 

I think we are missing the point, it's all about looks.
Two things that sell nowadays are cheap and appearance. Sound engineering, efficiency, and value for money are all discounted in these crazy times....

Roger.

 

I like cheap and efficient. Wasn't that pretty much the sales pitch of volkswagen .

 

I have no problems separating idiots from their money...

 

lol lol


I find it offensive on a visual, financial, impractical level.

 

It'll sell. Remember that Pontiac stands for Poor Old Newby Thinks It's a Cadillac.

 

No it doesn't.

 

Do things like this end up at SEMA?

http://www.tornadoair.com/

If so, I think this Pontiac motor serpentine belt is far from the dumbest thing at SEMA?

 

Point taken.

 

It looks to me from that photo that it needs to be a ways out to clear the valve cover. The compressor must interfere with it unlike the alternator which is probably shorter. Just a guess.

 

The Sanden compressor is pretty short and looks like it fits in front of the valve cover in that photo. More to the point of structural design, the factory compressor mounts used beefy brackets that supported the compressor with a wide base to prevent vibration and fatigue failures. I realize the Sanden weighs about half of what an A6 does, but that's still quite an excessive cantilever with a very narrow base.

 

Why so wide? It is just ridiculous.

 

I think they call it form over function. Shiny a bright. someone with too much money and too much wine will buy it for their trailer queen.

 

And the first time they start it the belt will slip and squeal all over the place....lol.

 

"Live beneath your means" was one successful tag line.
Another was a Beetle driven over snowbound roads with the punchline; "How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to the snowplow?". Didn't ask how he avoided frostbitten feet though.

Roger.

 

Break out the turd polish...and pig mats when filling the PS pump...