Trying to figure out what drive belts I would have. Seems there are 2 different sets of part numbers listed on here. Just curious if anyone knows what an 86 454 with ac would have so I can order and have on hand when the time comes. Also, anything else I should plan to get for a 10-15k trip?

The answer is not as simple as it might be. In 1985-6 GM changed the belt layout. Also the AC was ARA aftermarket and they had variations as well.

Early (to 1985 1/2)





My 86 had 4 belts. 2 air injection pumps and the AC compressor made things busy up front. They had just changed from a V belt for alternator/crank/air pump/water pump to a flat v rib style. Since I removed the air pumps and the engine AC I have non-stock belts. The flat belt is now the same as the one on the 90-94. One V belt is same as the non AC style, goes just from crank to PS pump, the other V belt is crank/water pump/PS pump.

1985 1/2 on:

What Steve said .

plus , The chassis is usually a year older than what the coach is registered .
My Barth is registered as 1986 , so i ask for parts for a 1985 . Bob

quote:

Originally posted by crouch38:
What Steve said .

plus , The chassis is usually a year older than what the coach is registered .
My Barth is registered as 1986 , so i ask for parts for a 1985 . Bob

Like Bob said, the chassis year may be different than the Barth model year. The VIN number is usually on the center of the frame in front of the radiator. If you go with the VIN a GM parts guy can tell what the OEM belts were. If your engine's belt arrangement hasn't been changed you can then get the cross references you need.

PS: as for the trip, I would bring spare fuel filters. I have gotten bad gas more than once.

Here is Bill's GM VIN decoder:

Okay so another dumb question. What is the best way to get at the belts? Do I need to take the radiator out or is there a better way?

If you remove both sections of the dog house they can be reached fairly easily.

Next stupid question is how do I remove the front section? Haven't figured that out yet. Does the dash need to come out? Can't seem to find what is holding it in except a single bracket in the engine bay.

On mine the sides were screwed to the floor with brackets and two bolts through the front lip and through the firewall.



Here is a link and more photos:

https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...433960687#7433960687

Well I must be blind as I can't find a single screw or bolt holding anything on there. Do I have to remove the carpet? Spent a solid hour looking and zip, zilch, nadda. For reference I spent last Sunday replacing a ball joint on our Jaguar XJR. Took a few minutes more from jack to test drive and that included a beer break while I pressed out the old one in the basement.

You might have to pull up some carpet on the bottom side of the front dog house. Look inside and see if you can't see some metal screws thru some metal angle. Ours was also sealed with silicon to the dash area. The screw heads were not easy to find. Once you can remove the forward cover you can get to the belts.

Look inside where? The engine compartment. I have run my hand down both sides and nothing there sticking out.

On the right side try removing the vertical carpeted panel with the heater grill in it. Mine was just wedged in. Behind that and under the floor carpet were the sheet metal tabs that were screwed in. On the driver side the doghouse carpet overlapped the vertical side near the gas pedal. The screws were in a sheet metal plate that overlapped the vertical side.

The bolts through the firewall on mine are probably not OEM, they may have just glued the box to the wall.

Try running a hacksaw blade or heavy knife along the seam. It may be mostly glued on yours.

I would go take some more photos but my 86 is 2500 miles away. Good luck.

Thanks guys, that was the ticket. I was thinking they would be going into the box not into the floor so I was looking in the wrong spots. Here is the odd thing. I had to cut the carpet to get it off so I don't understand how it was ever removed prior (had the ac redone and the banks put on so I know someone would have had to be in there. Belts look like a bitch to do, was surprised to see the alternator belt is a real modern ribbed belt not a v belt. Now, I'm assuming the next step is to get the fan off and the fan shroud. I'm guessing that will go down once loose right?

Interesting you had to cut the carpet. Must have never been removed or the carpet was redone later...

No need to remove the fan or shroud. I was able to snake the belts out and around with the fan blades in place. If you have the ribbed belt you have the later version belt layout. On my 86 the flat belt went around the crank, water pump, alt and air pump. If you want to remove the air pump you can use the later shorter belt. (The air pump probably doesn't work any way, all it ever did was dilute the exhaust stream and allow for a tiny amount of afterburn)

My AC also never worked and being an R12 system, I decided to avoid the expensive repair/conversion so I pulled it out. Amazing how much easier it is to work on with the extra junk out of the way.

Now you can see why the auto guys abandoned the 3 or 4 stacked Vbelts for a single serpentine belt on all the new cars. Saves several inches of space under the hood.

good luck, wise move to do this BEFORE your trip!

Well I'm actually thinking of not doing it. The belts look fine. PO bought it at 113k 2 years ago, drove it across country and had the ac fixed so it works, said he spent over 1k in parts so I'm guessing they did all the belts while they had it apart. however I would like to have replacements if I need them. Problem is how do I get the right belts? Vin is 1GBJP37W8G3325455 so I would guess it would be a 85.5 or newer.