Drive Belt System Description - Chevrolet Corvette 2003 Owner's Manual

2003 Chevrolet Corvette Restoration Kit
Drive Belt System Description
The drive belt system consists of the following components:
• The drive belt
• The drive belt tensioner
• The drive belt idler pulley
• The crankshaft balancer pulley
• The accessory drive component mounting brackets
• The accessory drive components
• The power steering pump, if belt driven
• The generator
• The AlC compressor,
if
equipped
• The engine cooling fan, if belt driven
• The water pump, if belt driven
• The vacuum pump,
if
equipped
• The air compressor, if equipped
The drive belt system may use one belt or two belts. The drive belt is thin so that it can bend backwards
and has several ribs to match the grooves in the pulleys. There also may be a V-belt style belt used to
drive certain accessory drive components. The drive belts are made of different types of rubbers
(chloroprene or EPDM) and have different layers or plys containing either fiber cloth or cords for
reinforcement.
Both sides of the drive belt may be used to drive the different accessory drive components. When the
back side of the drive belt is used to drive a pulley, the pulley is smooth.
The drive belt is pulled by the crankshaft balancer pulley across the accessory drive component pulleys.
The spring loaded drive belt tensioner keeps constant tension on the drive belt to prevent the drive belt
from slipping. The drive belt tensioner arm will move when loads are applied to the drive belt by the
accessory drive components and the crankshaft.
The drive belt system may have an idler pulley, which is used to add wrap to the adjacent pulleys. Some
systems use an idler pulley in place of an accessory drive component when the vehicle is not equipped
with the accessory.
Page 53