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Hi everyone! I’ve got a 1980 F150 with a 4.9L I6. I currently do not run the AC because of the pulley setup. It is running on a V-Belt setup. The problem I run into is whenever I run the AC, there is too heavy of a load on the power steering, water pump, AC belt and it tends to throw the belt at higher RPMs. Someone had suggested that I run with two belts on the AC drive to minimize the load. With the current setup however, I am unable to run two belts. I will attach pictures below. If anyone can suggest a new setup or any other options I would greatly appreciate it. I am hoping to stay within a $200-$400 range but I understand it may take more than that. Thank you all and I’m excited to be a part of the forums!
That's wild... I don't know who cooked up that belt system, but it clearly wasn't Ford. Those 2 idler pulleys are for a serpentine belt - not Vs. If you want the A/C to work, you should find & install the correct bracketry & belts; or swap to a serpentine system. The best place I know of to research the original belt system is http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/ .
But there are several advantages to serpentine, which is why all modern vehicles (F-series since '87) use it. So it's worth considering.
I know this belt system is wild. My grandpa was the original owner and took the truck to some shadier shops and got this setup there. Thank you I will definitely check that out!
In relation to converting to a serpentine setup, how do you recommend going about that? Would pulling the parts out of a junked late 80s f150 work?
I have been researching this as I have been looking to do this as well. My understanding is that you also need to make sure you grab the balancer and water pump in addition to the accessories and the brackets.
Jason is right - the V-belt water pump runs on the inside of the belt, so it spins the same direction as the crankshaft/balancer. The serpentine belt runs on the back, so it spins opposite, so its impeller & chamber are reversed, as are the fan & clutch. The closest I've come to this swap is throwing out my truck's original V-belt engine and dropping in a '95 serpentine engine complete. But I expect you could bolt on the later brackets, accessories, balancer, pump, & fan. Make sure you get a 3G alternator (preferably 130A) with its wiring harness, and I'd aim for a 7-blade fan (instead of the standard 5-blade).
06-11-2019, 12:23 AM
1980 F150 4.9L Accessory Drives
