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MG MGB Technical - MGB fan belt alternative?

Hi all, my "high quality" fan belt that I purchased through my local MG parts supplier has stretched past the limit of the slack adjuster on the alternator bracket(had to adjust it weekly as it kept stretching). I had this problem with a spitfire belt I had bought from them before.
Is there another vehicle that uses the same size belt?
I guess I could bring the belt in to match it up, just wondering if someone's already done this?

thx
Ron

There is another vehicle which uses the same size belt, but I am unsure what it is. I would just remove the belt from your car and take it into a auto parts supplier and tell them to match it.(if it has stretched tell them to pull one size shorter) Ask about their return policy in case the belt is too long or short. They may also let you look at their belt rack and find one you like on your own. I did this with my '69 B when I swapped over to a AC Delco alternator.
Robert

Try another source. You should be able to get a quality belt that fits on the minimum adjustment and doesn't stretch past the maximum!
Paul Hunt 2

Trying another local brit car part source is not an option. They're getting all their parts from the same supplier. I'd rather go for a Japanese car alternative and have better luck with the quality of the belt.
Ron

Ron, try Canadian Tire or Carquest (if they're out in BC).

Good luck & TTFN.

Derek Nicholson

I have had excellent luck with DAYCO's top cog belts. I have never had one fail yet. I replace them whenever I start to get nervous about trusting an old belt - every 5 to 7 years. They are available almost every where.




http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=DAY&mfrpartnumber=15375&parttype=12&ptset=A

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=DAY&mfrpartnumber=15315&parttype=12&ptset=A
.

Here's what Gates gives me for a standard '73 'B:-

http://www.gates.com/part_locator/index.cfm?location_id=3598

Here's the phone number for their Vancouver warehouse. They should be able to direct you to a supplier who can help you:-

Vancouver Warehouse
Phone: 604-437-7772
Fax: 604-437-7636

TTFN

Derek Nicholson

OK, can't say I've any experience with DAYCO products, but you can look for them here:-

http://www.dayco.ca/english/locator.asp

I just put in Vancouver & Victoria. Seems you've a chain called Lordco out there that handles DAYCO products.

TTFN, again.

Derek Nicholson

I actualy sell Dayco Belts where I work. The top cog model is the best of their series. They run some 50 degrees cooler than a standard belt and normaly last about 40% longer than standard. Dayco also manufactures a belt that goes under the name of Drive Rite (avaliable though Advance Auto) which is basicaly a standard replacement belt. I think I paid $7 US for my last Dayco.

You can try a Gates belt, but I have heard several remarks about them stretching badly. The Dayco goes through an initial stretch which is generaly run out quickly, then they seem to stop stretching.
Robert

the length of the belt is 900 so it must be cm so the part number will end in 900 at your auto spares place
Ste Brown

Ste,
Unless I am mistaken, I think you must mean it is 900mm. 900cm would make the belt about 360 inches long or 30 feet long. 900mm would be about 36 inches long.

Robert
Robert Browning

9.5x900, standard for MGA, MGB, Volvo122 and VW beetle - sorry, I know I'm gettin' old!
FRM
FR Millmore

The belt on my car went on some years ago when I got tired of adjusting the old cloth one. After an intial stretch as it settled in it seems to have maintained enough tension to keep the battery charged and has kept it. I think modern belts have synthetic fibres which do not creep like the old natural ones.
Stan Best

Ron, if you do happen to go to "Crappy Tire", (it isn't called that for nothing folks) don't tell them it's for an MG. Most of the idiots working there weren't even born when MG stopped production in 1980!

I mentioned MG once and the person insisted that I must have meant GM. They also told me my car (midget) was the same as an MGB! Like saying a Taurus and Thunderbird are the same because they were made by Ford!

Any good automotive shop should be able to measure the belt and set you up with a good quality replacement.



Clive Reddin

Ron

I too live in BC. If you want the name of a distributor who doesn't live in the Vancouver area, contact me at me e-mail address and I will supply with his web address.
As per my e-mail address, I have a V8 and getting parts from Canadian Tire can be a lot of fun. They HAVE to use the computer to find parts and won't listen to you. So I have gotten use to telling them it's an MGB, they then ask for the engine and once I tell them it's a V8, they get all confused and can’t find a listing, at this point they will now listen and do the search I require to find the part I need.
When I built the V8 I put the alternator in the position I wanted, used a piece of string and ran that around the pulleys. I ended up with 48". Off to the store I went and bought a 48" belt. It turned out to be too long, so I took it back and bought a 47" belt.
With a running vehicle you should be able to just swap the part over in their packing lot. No way they can refuse to exchange the part after selling it 10 min, earlier.

FWIW


Bruce
Bruce Mills

"With a running vehicle you should be able to just swap the part over in their packing lot. No way they can refuse to exchange the part after selling it 10 min, earlier."

Don't try to change the belt on a running engine - drive the car there (if it will run with your current belt) and try the new one in the parking lot on your SHUT OFF engine.
(never hurts to state the obvious, never understand the capacity of the human mind)
.

The main reason to shut the engine off is to keep it from overheating with no fan belt in place while you are in the store standing in line and then explaining it all to the clerk. Contrary to the view of the esteemed "non-member" it is not dangerous even when the engine is running, because there is no belt to turn the fan and related parts.
Barry
Barry Parkinson

Thanks all, surprisingly, my local NAPA parts distributor had two MGB belts in stock(and open on Sunday)! They're made by Gates. So I swapped the new one on, and sure enough it was a 1/2" shorter than the previous belt. So we'll see if it stretches much.
Bruce, is this parts distributor the Drakes in Kelowna?
Ron

Ron

Yes it's Drakes


Bruce
Bruce Mills

"The main reason to shut the engine off is to keep it from overheating with no fan belt in place while you are in the store ..."

So if you were down at the store to buy something else you'd leave the engine running? The main reason for shutting the engine off while you are in the store (or anywhere else) is to stop someone nicking the car! Unless tongue firmly in cheek, Barry.

That is, if you could drive more than a few hundred yards without a fan belt anyway. I had one fail on the motorway and before I could pull over it (Scimitar GTE) had boiled out all its coolant. Only put fresh in the day before too. Took about 6 AA vans before we found a belt that would fit - which happened to be one from the first van that was just too small to go on, until I suggested removing the adjuster bolt altogether to give a bit more movement to get it over the pulley. That took two or three hours by which time the parts place was shut where I was going to buy a new wheel bearing as one had started squeaking that morning. Went next morning, and when the counter chappie looked up the price he said "Oh, you should have come yesterday, they went up by 15% this morning"
Paul Hunt 2

This thread was discussed between 04/08/2006 and 08/08/2006

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