Would you change the belt? (see pic)

[freefallin]

I noticed the pointer was on the 3rd mark a few days ago. Didnt get why as the belt was brand new (about 3 weeks old. AC Delco) that i got from the dealership. And yes i did make sure it was the correct size. They gave it to me by looking up my car vin.

Anyway, didnt know about the marks until like 3 weeks after buying and installing the belt. So after seeing that the tensioner was loose just a few days ago, i went to a parts shop to buy a new belt but this time GM, cz i figured that AC Delco was crap (even though it is the only brand everyone uses here as paying double the price for a GM belt is considered dumb by many).
When i got to the parts store, i realized the VZ LS1 had 2 belt sizes. And the guy at the store had no idea why? Even the dealership didnt know why there where two sizes and said that it makes no difference which one i used.
Luckily a costumer that was waiting his turn overheard the conversation and provided us the much needed info: he said the belt depends on the tensioner pulley size cz the pulley comes in two sizes. The store clerk goes "AHA!" and shows me the two pulleys. We compare them to the one on my car and it turns out i had the smaller one.

As the belt he had was only the same size i had, he suggested that i replace the pulley with a big one. I did that and now the pointer went from the 3rd mark to slightly below 2nd.

So is it fine now or should i still change the belt? I hear it should be exactly on the 2nd mark. Or is that just being too paranoid?

Reason i went through all this trouble in the first place is cz the car was overheating due to coolant overflowing from the reserviour. The car was overheating before cz the belt was loose and not gripping the water pump pulley. I figured i was having the same problem now. However i just realized that coolant is still overflowing. Logic says its probably due to rad cap. But i replaced that with a brand new genuine one just 2 weeks ago. Could it have gone bad in just 2 weeks?

What do you guys think? Belt too lose? Rad cap? Both? Etc?

Cheers!!

 

[bw yella terra]

Is it bled properly?
ie no air in the system

 

[morphix]

The overheating issue sounds like air in the system, eg. need to bleed the air out of the system.

There is a thread about it here, and i sorted my overheating issues by following it.

 

[loopie]

ac delco is the GM brand, normally used for the O E M parts,, unless you buy a Gates brand. What you should start doing is buying parts online in Australia and getting them posted too you,

 

[freefallin]

The overheating issue sounds like air in the system, eg. need to bleed the air out of the system.

There is a thread about it here, and i sorted my overheating issues by following it.

Yep its bled properly

 

[greenacc]

First thought was radiator cap, but youve already done that. I would drive it for a while with that new belt and see if there is a difference. When that belt stretches out a bit the lines will line up so i wouldn't worry about it, its probably normal. As the pulley is only an idler the size should not matter as long as the belt length is right.
When does your car overheat ? is it all the time or just in traffic.
If none of this solves the issue maybe your water pump has broken a vane or somethingm or you've got un underdriven crank shaft pulley and don't know it, which slows down the water pump so pumps less water ?

 

[uniacidz]

Mate, you made two threads on this.

I posted in the other one.
http://forums.justcommodores.com.au...ould-you-change-belt-see-pic.html#post2508124

Maybe a mod can merge them

 

[freefallin]

First thought was radiator cap, but youve already done that. I would drive it for a while with that new belt and see if there is a difference. When that belt stretches out a bit the lines will line up so i wouldn't worry about it, its probably normal. As the pulley is only an idler the size should not matter as long as the belt length is right.
When does your car overheat ? is it all the time or just in traffic.
If none of this solves the issue maybe your water pump has broken a vane or somethingm or you've got un underdriven crank shaft pulley and don't know it, which slows down the water pump so pumps less water ?

Wait a min...so which way does the pointer move when the belt stretches?? Left for right?

 

[DLFHUB666]

In the pic you posted Right mark is tight. Right to middle is good anything left of the middle mark is streching if its on the left mark its defiantly time to change it.

 

[freefallin]

In the pic you posted Right mark is tight. Right to middle is good anything left of the middle mark is streching if its on the left mark its defiantly time to change it.