VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 31 fan belt

Had an interesting experience with fan belt for my 31. The belt sold by Filling Station and recomended by Bill Barker is a 5L390 (the 390 means 39"). When I put that belt on my car it was way too long. The generator was tilted way over and not in correct postion. After some research and a lot of emails with Chevy "experts" and car owners here is what I found out. Whether it is correct or not I will leave up to you but it works for me. JYD says (and if he says something it has to be true) that the correct belt is a DAYCO 24380 (380 means 38"). I have spoken to 3-4 other guys and they all agree. Some cross over numbers are Gates TR22373,Goodyear 24377, and NAPA 2524379. You can order the DAYCO 24380 on-line at www.advanceautoparts.com for $14.99.

You might want to inform FS of your research, I think they would like to know this.

Another 2 cents worth from a former auto parts dealer. Any belt which starts with 3L, 4L, 5L, etc is referred to by it's manufacturer as a "fractional horsepower" belt. The number preceding the L indicates the width (perhaps in 1/8 inch increments, 5 meaning 5/8 inch) You will find belts with these numbers hanging on the wall in hardware stores...think about it. These belts are not intended for automotive use, and if my memory is correct, have a different angle to the V than an automotive belt. I have used them in a pinch, and would again, but they are not the correct belt for any car.

The Filling Station already knows from what John tells me.

Hi guys,

Have informed Filling Station of what I found out about 31 fan belt. Also sent email to DAYCO and they were very nice in giving me a list of suppliers in my area. Also been advised that "fraction horsepower " belts should not be used on cars. The belt I orderd from advanceautoparts.com is aready on its way and should be here on monday

Thanks for the update, JYD. I know the FS has devoted Chevy people owning it who care and are helpful members of the VCCA.

Hi All,

Steve from The Filling Station here. Just thought I should respond to this thread. First of all, we used to carry the Dayco 24380 belt for this application. We still would except that, Dayco, as with most other manufacturers, has changed all of their belts to the "cog" type. These have notches at the inside edge as do all modern belts. This is not correct for a restoration. If anyone has a Dayco 24380 without cogs, I would be willing to look at having them made. We checked with Dayco about having the belt made without cogs, but they wanted a huge amount of money to do them.
Yes, the belt we now carry is a "fractional horsepower" belt. The 1929-32 engines, at most, put out 60 horsepower. I have personally run this "fractional horsepower" belt on two of my old Chevys - a 1932 pickup and a 1931 coupe. Both of these vehicles have been driven hard and long (over 15,000 miles each)with no belt failure.
We are willing to listen to alternatives, but from our research, there aren't any - except what we have now - or making a new reproduction. I invite your input to help solve this problem.

HI,

I have both the Dayco 24380 and the NAPA 2524379. They are the same size. Both are cog belts. The only difference is the NAPA belt has a smooth outside surface where the DAYCO has an ouside surface that looks like a flat version of the inside cog.
Mine is not a show car so I personally do not need it to be an exact reproduction. However I can totally understand that if you have a show car you would want something that more closely looks like the orginal. However if you do not have a show car then the these other belts offer an option.

I went out to the garage and checked both of my older fan boxes... they were both 5L390... Napa and an "off brand" which means 39" length. Then I looked at the belt as installed on my 31 Sport Couple. It did appear to be too long, but it did fit... the generator bracket had about 1/4 " of space left on it for adjustment. A shorter belt (38") would have worked better.

It's been about 5 years since I purchased these and I now remember getting caught up in the "cog" verses "smooth" issue. Now that I've read Steve's note, I will go out tomorrow night and check my other cars and see if I have an original (eg. older) belt that Steve could use for reproduction. I'd be more than happy to let my car sit this winter so that the hobby gets a new supply of these parts!! Thanks Steve for your continued support. We need to help you help us!

Steve found an original belt in very nice condition and he is currently working on having the correct fan belt reproduced. The new belts will be 38" long, which is the correct length.

And what color was this original belt???red or black???

Black.

I have a few new GM 836347 belts-look like they could be from the 1940's,Number is moulded on.Sure the originals were different as they had the bow tie and no part number.

This is very cool, Chevy guys who care helping each other with a problem with a good result; doesn't get much better than this...together maybe we can do the impossible?

I talked with Dayco last year about doing a run of the original non cog belts and then I had talked with Larry Jackson who has work experience and Steve of the filling station about having a run of the 24380 dayco belts run but with no results. Dayco at the time would do the run but wanted to go through one of their distributors which would give an extra mark up that could make it cost prohibitive. I know that Larry was busy also with the gear runs. If this has changed maybe Steve could let me know.

Talked to Steve about it two days ago and nothing has changed. Dayco still insists on going through a distributor. :( :( :( :(

Any way Steve can become a distributor for Dayco? or a limited distributor? Does Steve know a distributor that maybe would work with him on this project?

Just brainstorming here...trying to find a way to solve the problem...

Anyone else out there who could make the belt?

FYI Gator, I have run a Fractional HP belt on my chevy six and haven't had a failure, yet! I do carry a spare. I only pull the WP, fan and generator and don't tighten them any tighter than the book (Chevy manual)shows. I had not noticed the difference in the "V" difference till I saw it here. In fact,I also didn't know it was a fractional HP belt, until I saw the "L" in the number because I got it at a national parts house!

Well, anyway since it ain't broke, I don't intend to change it now!

Steve has to buy the product from one of Dayco's distributors......that's how it works. :( :( :( :(

...And that is the American way, You gotta go thru normal channels or if you can't find it at NAPA, Auto Zone, Wally World or Harbour Fright maybe They will have it at The Fillin Station or Chevy's of the Fortys........

Except that if the Filling Station pays Dayco to make the fan belts, the Filling Station still has to go through a distributor to purchase the belts that the Filling Station had made. :eek: :eek: :( :( :(

I'm doing a frame up restoration on my '31 and I want everything to be as correct as possible. I found this old thread last week, and based on its information, I purchased the belt the Filling Station lists as a '29-'36 passenger fan belt. It arrived yesterday. It's a Gates 5L390, and the label says it's for 3 to 17 HP use. It may work fine, but I must be doing something wrong. The upper generator bracket I recently purchased is 7" long, and does not have a curve at the generator end. Is that correct? I attached one end of it to the bottom bolt on the water pump and the other to the top ear on the generator. Is that correct? If the bracket is correct, and I have attached it correctly, the belt is way too long. Any assistance would be appreciated.

The generator brace is 7" long and it has a slight curve to it. The brace attaches to the upper bolt on the driver's side of the timing gear cover, not the water pump, so you have the installation of the brace incorrect.

Also, is the belt that you purchased from the Filling Station a solid belt or a cogged belt? If it is a cogged belt then that too is incorrect.

6wheel, I have purchased several good NOS original belts from ebay.

Post a message on 'parts wanted' section here on Chatter for a belt and you might get lucky also.

Good Luck.

Thanks Junkyard Dog, I found the bracket that you described in one of the many boxes of parts that came with my car (basket case) and installed it as you advised. It seems to work fine, but I won't know for sure 'til I find the right belt. I'm now looking locally today for a 5L360 belt, which I think will be the right length, and will work 'til I get an NOS one. I'm still months away from driving the car, but maybe I can drive the chasis around the block soon. Thanks also to Louis C.- I'll watch ebay and post an add in parts wanted.