114 replies to this topic

[07-2937]

Its not really swept under the carpet   the problem isnt really 100% either its alot of driving technique (staying off the rev limiter) and design (the single serpentine system and substandard tensioner)  Its not a Shelby problem  Ive seen their "test car" get  driven hard  for over a year and it never threw a belt  thats about100 dragstrip launches and 600 laps on a road course with a stock tensioner!!!!  but Whipple has seen a trend in the shredding and did in fact add a tensioner to their new Kits!!

[Doug_GT350]

ebellnier, on 17 March 2010 - 06:42 AM, said:

Doug,

Eric here from Tasca's Mod Shop sorry about the belt problem

Please PM me your address, I will have another belt sent to you asap no charge!!!


Eric Bellnier
Performance Coordinator
Tasca Mod Shop

Thanks Eric, unfortunately I don't need a belt, I need a tensioner! I bought two belts when I shredded the first one. Maybe I should get a case of them, it looks like I'll need one with every tank of gas!

[tekheavy]

[MMcGuirk]

ebellnier, on 17 March 2010 - 06:42 AM, said:

Doug,

Eric here from Tasca's Mod Shop sorry about the belt problem

Please PM me your address, I will have another belt sent to you asap no charge!!!


Eric Bellnier
Performance Coordinator
Tasca Mod Shop

Eric - nice!!

Doug - buy this -
EDELBROCK 15806 E-FORCE BELT TENSIONER BRACE $43.95


works great!

Michael

[MikeCMM]

springer, on 16 March 2010 - 06:37 PM, said:

Mike, have the tensioner arm changed during your SC conversion.  Check the pulleys, as I've discussed, when you receive the car.  I know one other owner that did not have the correct 100mm idler pulley on the driver's side.  Let the builder know that this has happened before and you want the idlers checked and replaced per Whipple's instruction manual.  (According to Whipple, all the correct pulleys come in the kit.  What doesn't come in the kit is a stronger tensioner arm.)

Thanks for the intel, Springer. I will definitely remember your advice at install time. I also saved the picture of your set up in case any questions come up. Good job!

I mentioned this in another thread but this is going on HER car as a surprise and if it gets messed up, my boys are at risk of serious damage.   I want it done right the first time for obvious reasons.

[springer]

MikeCMM, on 17 March 2010 - 04:58 PM, said:

Thanks for the intel, Springer. I will definitely remember your advice at install time. I also saved the picture of your set up in case any questions come up. Good job!

I mentioned this in another thread but this is going on HER car as a surprise and if it gets messed up, my boys are at risk of serious damage.   I want it done right the first time for obvious reasons.

There is definitely a safety issue with the belt shredding or coming off the pulleys.  You won't have any power steering and the water pump won't work either.

If she's in heavy traffic, and the belt goes,  the car will over heat, and worse, be involved in an accident due to the steering pump being disabled.  I brought this all up with Whipple when I talked with them and they seem to believe that the greatest portion of the problems with the belt issue is the tensioner arm not having the "stop tab" properly ground off or removed as detailed in their instructions.  They know there is an issue with the tensioner arm, but will not address it.   There are a few scenarios that cause the belt to come off, and the ones that haven't popped yet under load are far and few in between.

Be safe, it is not a good feeling being stranded with a $50,000 car while you are waiting for a flatbed.  Also, make sure you carry a spare belt for the blower, instructions on how to thread the belt and the tools to change it out - don't forget the 3/4"  socket for the bolt going thru the small pulley located just below the blower snout (see pic again, the bolt head is visible on the 1 1/2" pulley.)  The 1 1/2"  pulley must be loosened to put on the belt.  The pulley is pushed down tight and the bolt in this pulley is tightened when you have the belt as tight as it will go.

Also, I carry my original belt, which by-passes the supercharger, and may be installed instead of the supercharger belt.  There are instructions in the owner's manual for threading the stock belt.

Attached pic again (modified):

Attached Files

•  IDLER PULLEY.SMALL.jpg   159K   65 downloads

Edited by springer, 17 March 2010 - 06:34 PM.

[SGT/SC#0471]

I forgot the guys at SAI recommended not to rev it up and down with the clutch in. And to turn off the TC if your playing with the long pedal or your motor mounts might get beat on too much...

I guess they ground my tab right as well (not inplying that Tasca did not).

I can recommend SAI for an install 110%.

[rush_junky]

MMcGuirk, on 17 March 2010 - 08:56 AM, said:

Eric - nice!!

Doug - buy this -
EDELBROCK 15806 E-FORCE BELT TENSIONER BRACE $43.95


works great!

Michael

I've been very lucky; no belt issues after 20K miles with the Paxton.  I think I'll go ahead and order this part !!

[ShowCar]

Its to bad to hear about all these belts shredding. I have about 5,000 miles on mine with numerous strip passes and not one issue.  Now that I typed  something mine will shred. LOL
We did install the pullies and tensioner properly and being a automatic probably helps.  Good luck with the fix.
Anyone have pictures of the updated tensioner from Whipple or the aftermarket tensioners available for the 3 valve?

[andrewnagle1964]

07-2937, on 16 March 2010 - 08:04 PM, said:

I had  belt problems in the past  then about a year and half ago I installed the thumprrr  tensioner.   I race my car regularly both on road courses and at the strip, not to mention my obnoxious driving style and no more  belt probs !!!!.... the design of our belt system is that there is too much belt and the stock tensioner isnt up to the task... your arm looks bent for sure  and im sure its flexing even more under boost.... do yourself a favor and get a thumprr. (it now comes with the whipple install kits...

Doug

+1 on the Thump RRR



Ignore the rust that door stop is long gone (old photo )



PM me your address and I will send you my stock tensioner it has less than 500 miles on it and is in a box in the barn

Good Luck
Andrew Nagle

[springer]

Here is the Thump RRR tensioner arm.  Make sure you get the 90mm pulley installed on the tensioner.

Attached Files

•  PM-1002-76_MED.jpg   29.9K   35 downloads

[Doug_GT350]

springer, on 21 March 2010 - 06:54 PM, said:

Here is the Thump RRR tensioner arm.  Make sure you get the 90mm pulley installed on the tensioner.

here's the update.... Tasca is sending me another belt and a new stock tensioner, this should hold me over until I get the Thump RRR. Dennis recommended that I get the adapter plate also, but that to me just sounds like a band-aid. It may work very well but I will feel more confident with the beefed up tensioner. I think of it like ...if ya put on a pair of pants and tore the seam when ya sat down, then had them sewed up and tore the seam in them the next time you wore them..... how comfortable would ya feel about buying another pair of pants exactly the  same, but with a iron on patch over the seam!

[Doug_GT350]

andrewnagle1964, on 21 March 2010 - 06:47 PM, said:

PM me your address and I will send you my stock tensioner it has less than 500 miles on it and is in a box in the barn

Good Luck
Andrew Nagle

Sorry Andrew I just saw this part of your post.... man it's tough getting old!

[andrewnagle1964]

Doug_GT350, on 23 March 2010 - 01:45 PM, said:

Sorry Andrew I just saw this part of your post.... man it's tough getting old!

No worries, Glad Tasca is sending you one and when that one gives up the ghost holler at me and I will send you mine (stock one that is ) !

Good Luck
Andrew

[Doug_GT350]

andrewnagle1964, on 23 March 2010 - 02:45 PM, said:

No worries, Glad Tasca is sending you one and when that one gives up the ghost holler at me and I will send you mine (stock one that is ) !

Good Luck
Andrew

Hopefully I'll have my Thump RRR and won't need it. I'll just baby it for awhile. Thanks for the thought tho!

[ShowCar]

Glad they are sending in new parts. That Thump RRR tensioner looks good and strong.

[Doug_GT350]

SGT/SC#0471, on 17 March 2010 - 07:13 PM, said:

I guess they ground my tab right as well (not inplying that Tasca did not).

For the record, the tab was ground off on the original tensioner and on the replacement. I know you or anyone else blamed them for not grinding it, but I don't want any rumors started.

Lucky for me I was asked to work overtime starting this week for an unknown amount of time, so it looks like the Thump RRR will be here sooner than I expected.  

[SGT/SC#0471]

Doug_GT350, on 26 March 2010 - 04:24 PM, said:

For the record, the tab was ground off on the original tensioner and on the replacement. I know you or anyone else blamed them for not grinding it, but I don't want any rumors started.

Lucky for me I was asked to work overtime starting this week for an unknown amount of time, so it looks like the Thump RRR will be here sooner than I expected.  

Re read my post NOT IMPLYING THEY DID'NT.

I did not see your tensioner in person and I would not talk smack about Tasca...

Glad it worked out I am not blaming anyone.

Mines good guess I got lucky.

[Doug_GT350]

Doug_GT350, on 26 March 2010 - 04:24 PM, said:

For the record, the tab was ground off on the original tensioner and on the replacement. I know you or anyone else blamed them for not grinding it, but I don't want any rumors started.

Lucky for me I was asked to work overtime starting this week for an unknown amount of time, so it looks like the Thump RRR will be here sooner than I expected.  

SGT/SC#0471, on 26 March 2010 - 04:30 PM, said:

Re read my post NOT IMPLYING THEY DID'NT.

I did not see your tensioner in person and I would not talk smack about Tasca...

Glad it worked out I am not blaming anyone.

Mines good guess I got lucky.

I'm not being nasty but I think you should re-read my post. I didn't even know these things had to be ground before I saw your post. That's why I put it in writing, to cover you, me and Tasca.

[MY500SS]

Doug_GT350, on 26 March 2010 - 04:24 PM, said:

For the record, the tab was ground off on the original tensioner and on the replacement. I know you or anyone else blamed them for not grinding it, but I don't want any rumors started.

Lucky for me I was asked to work overtime starting this week for an unknown amount of time, so it looks like the Thump RRR will be here sooner than I expected.

Ahhhhh, the days of overtime. That's how I made most my toy purchases.

Glad things are working out.