New serpentine belt 3/4" too short?

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I purchased a new serpentine belt for my Cruze (1.4T engine) since it's about time to change it based on mileage. The new one is 3/4"/25mm too short at 1395mm vs. the original's 1410 mm (that translates to 55" vs. 55 3/4"). The belt maker's Web site says that the 1395mm belt is what they have for the application. I'm thinking it's a case of "close enough" on the part of the belt maker, and that I should hold off to get a correct-size belt. What says the BITOG brain trust?
 
Does this belt have a tensioner or is it one of those new stretch to fit jobbies? If it's a stretch to fit it may be the correct belt, just stretches when being installed. 3/4" does seem like quite a "stretch" tho...
 
Originally Posted By: double vanos
Does this belt have a tensioner or is it one of those new stretch to fit jobbies? If it's a stretch to fit it may be the correct belt, just stretches when being installed. 3/4" does seem like quite a "stretch" tho...


Tensioner. Needs an e-torx socket to de-tension.

A motor mount needs to come out to get at the belt. Pretty easy with air tools, but still another step that I'd rather not take just to find out it's the wrong belt.
 
I once had to change a serpentine belt simply for stretch. The tensioner reached its limit and the accessories started squealing from lack of tension during cold start. The belt otherwise looked fine after 11 years with 60k on it. The new belt was markedly shorter.

If you can fit the belt on the pulleys, then you'll be okay. I once had a new belt that would just barely fit.
 
If you look at part numbers it's basically length x number of ribs.

OP's part number implies implicitly that it's shorter.

I'd buy the OE belt. Next time around the aftermarket might have a better fit.
 
Why not get it halfway on then put a wrench on the pulley to get it the rest of the way. I had to do that with a mower belt because the tensioner was as loose as it would go and I couldn't get it any tighter by hand to get the extra slack out of the belt. That's probably where you're 3/4" short, it's still not as tight as it would be if you actually had it all the way on if that makes sense.

I now you're not really supposed to do it that way, but stretching the tensioner out all the way constantly doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me either.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Did you get an aftermarket or an AC Delco from the dealership? I buy OEM only everything.


Aftermarket. It was "cheaper". Sure won't be after buying the Delco belt.
 
10mm = 0.394 inches which is a little over 3/8 inch. There are 25.4mm in an inch.

Having said that I would still prefer the correct length belt.

Some manufactures use the outside length and some use 'effective length' which I think is the inside length when describing their belt. That may account for the 10mm difference.
 
I would try another brand. You are not going to stretch that belt where is won't be too tight. You might ruin an alternator or water pump by using that belt.
 
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A quick internet search proved the correct size belt is available easily from multiple brands in the aftermarket (dayco, gates, bando, etc.)

Don't screw around with a belt that is too short, they don't stretch as much these days as the use to. Just get the correct sized belt.
 
What's funny is that a few brands of aftermarket belts list belts that are just incorrect. I have a Bando belt with too many ribs and now this Continental belt that's too short. Both listed as the correct belt for the application.

Lesson learned, buy the OEM belt.
 
If you look @RockAuto, it spec 55-3/4" belt.

Gates NO: K050551

I am not sure on which belt mfg site you use but I like to use RockAuto website.
 
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When I saw the thread title, I was wondering if you had a 1991-1995 Escort. On that car they replacement belt tensioners have a smaller pulley on it. So the belt size is adjusted slightly shorter to account for this. Problem is, if you then buy the belt that all the application guides tell you to use, it's now too short if you are still using the original serpentine belt pulley. The belt people assume that you are using the smaller pulley, but they never tel you this. The serpentine belt tensioner should have a built in gauge.
 
1410-1395 is 15, right? Not 25mm. Still... 15mm may very well be too short. Instead of looking it up by application, try cross referencing the OE part number.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
1410-1395 is 15, right? Not 25mm. Still... 15mm may very well be too short. Instead of looking it up by application, try cross referencing the OE part number.


Good catch. No coffee when I posted that.

Crossing the OEM part number results in the belts I have that are wrong. I'll fix the issue by getting the OE belt.
 
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