<VV> Corvair engine - update

[Lonny Clark]

I'll put in another plug for loose belts here. 20 years or so ago, when I
was young-and foolish (that's one word, right?) I drove my Corvair for 8
months with one ear broken off the generator. Yes, only one bolt holding it
in place. The belt was so loose you could lift it a half inch out of the
pulley. Never did lose the belt. As a matter of fact, when I started the
restoration a couple of years ago, that belt (and the broken generator) was
still on it.

The guy who rebuilt my engine (early engine) modified it so an alternator
could be mounted, so I bought an alternator for it. Guess what? I lost the
belt the second time I drove it and lost a valve seat. I should have left
the broken generator and the 20-year-old belt on it.

Lonny

On 12/14/06, corvairs <lonwall at corvairunderground.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Roger - The belt being too tight might have simply been all there was
> to it.  Many people don't realize that everything else can be perfect
> but if the belt is too tight you will lose it. It's not the width of the
> belt or anything else, multiple widths of fan belts work on Corvairs
> providing the effective length is correct. A little too tight verses way
> too loose will usually lose you a fan belt!
>
> As you enjoy your Corvair you will discover that there are a number of
> issues that are governed by varous superstitions that people hold. This
> is a very unfair situation to foist on a new owner but what can we do?
> It's the internet after all.  Lon Wall
>
> www.corvairunderground.com
>
> Roger Atkinson wrote:
>
> >Okay, a couple of things first.
> >
> >1) I don't really appreciate the fact that some have basically called me
> an
> >idiot or not worthy to be a Corvair owner because I didn't have a spare
> belt or
> >didn't notice what happened immediately. I have owned the car a total of
> one
> >week, have never owned a Corvair before and am still in the honeymoon
> phase of
> >ownership. Yes I should have been more observant but we all make
> mistakes.
> >Well maybe some of you don't but most of us do.
> >
> >2) The car has maybe 100 miles on a ground up total professional
> restoration.
> >There are not rusty parts to go bad etc. So whatever the problem it isn't
> from
> >bad parts unless it was mechanical failure of new stuff.
> >
> >I put a new belt on the car, started it and let it run. No noises, etc so
> I
> >am assuming all is well - time will tell.
> >
> >Bob (the guy I bought the car from) called me back and told me basically
> the
> >same thing you all did. He said his guys went through the car getting it
> ready
> >for me and should have noticed the belt was too tight, loose or worn. He
> said
> >he should have double checked before I left but didn't. He told me that
> if the
> >engine needed rebuilt or any repair that he would pay for all the parts
> and
> >labor. I can't complain about that offer.
> >
> >So bottom line is - I feel much better about it now.
> >
> >Roger
> >
> >
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