belt with no a/c

[bdhollie]

I have a 72" that almost fits but the tensioner barely touches the water pump pulley, can i just buy a shorter one??? , as long as the tensioner is in range does it really matter? i really dont want to change pulleys if i dont have to...... i was just going to try another inch smaller belt. ..... thanks Bryan

[Blacktop]

I bought a daco belt number 5060820 I have the A/c elinminator kit also. The belt was a tight fit I had to take out one of the powersteering pump bolts to get it to fit then use a pry bar on the ps pump to put the bolt back. I then realized that the tensioner was now putting too much tension on the belt so I drilled another centering notch where the tensioner mounts so it wouldn't have as much tension so the belt didn't touch the water pump. I don't know what year car you have. Mine is a 93 and I'm pretty sure the water pump rotates counterclockwise. Just make sure the belt is routed correctly. Check your manual. As far as the range which is stamped into the side of the tensioner: once you change the angle at which the belt passes by the tensioner you can't go by the "range". Just make sure that the belt has some tension on it and not too much. If the belt stretches and starts to touch the water pump pulley I have heard of people buying underdrive pullies for their PS pumps which are bigger so it gives you more clearence. If you decide to go the underdrive pulley route post which belt and pulley you use.