I noticed this weird noise when my A/C was on in the Toronado a while back. I finally figured out that the A/C belt was wobbiling when the compressor was on...causing the weird noise. My friend who is a mechanic suggested that the belt was stretched out and needed replacing. So today I decided to replace all the belts. Well the A/C belt still wobbles when the compressor is on!! I can't figure out why it would do that. It seems to have lessened since I put on the new one though.

It wobbles on the side that goes down from the compressor to the crankshaft.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?

Thank you!

 

my caddy did the same thing on the same place. i just tightened it up some more and it works a lot better

 

Thanks...I'll try to tighten it again...need to get back in there anyhow, the PS belt squeals...that one is a pain in the **** to tighten!

 

is it a 307? if it is its not that hard just tap the key til hole in the pulley lines up with the bolt. thats how i did it

 

Is it more like jumpy in that long section of belt? If so, both of my Olds does that. The high load from the compressor causes the belt to stretch enough that the trailing (non-load) section is loose enough to wobble.
Tightnening it is about the easiest & best thing to do. (Next would be to rig up a tensioner on that end). On sume engine configs, it can jump enough to cut through the lower radiator hose (a very bad thing.)

Are these the cogged belts? If so, I have seen this issue worse, since these belts are able to stretch more (less material for strength. I hate these, but I cannot find non-cogged any more!

Does the A/C work well? If the compressor is taking more torque to turn, the belt stretch would be greater. The belt on my 72 came off when the POA valve had clogged, increasing system pressure.

 

Cool, glad it's not just happening to me! Yes it's a cogged belt...that's all I could find too. My air pump belt was not cogged though...that's the only one! I wonder if that's why on my station wagon the cogged sides of the belt were facing up...I looked at them and was like...someone put these on backwards! haha...maybe they had the same idea.

The belt was starting to hit the lower radiator hose so that's why I was getting concerned. It is better than it was before but I'll try to tighten it again see if I can get it any better. The A/C seems to work fine.

Yes it's a 307. I finally found how to adjust the PS belt in the service manual so that made things a lot easier this time around. It's still hard to tighten it though, I didn't have a screwdriver long enough to pry against the bracket...but I did line up the hole in the pulley with the bolt on the front...that worked great.

Just now the belt squeals in the morning and when I turn the wheel all the way to one side, it vibrates quite a bit...so I'll have to take a look at that again.

 

I takes a little searching, but if you measure you belts then go to the gates belt site you can cross reference the length to almost any type belt you want. Thats what I did on my non ac 455 in my 57 and I have non cogged belts. My first set of cogged belts jumped off the pully and cut the upper radiator hose. This happened when I was pully hard passing a car, just under a 100 when she let loose, had to pull over, the car I passed honked and gave me the finger when he went by. Don't want that to happen again, It was a new ford mustang.