Greetings/Bonjour à tous/Buenos días:

A week ago or so, I had trouble reinstalling drive belt to a/c compressor on '83 245 after replacing water pump.

No real problems reinstalling innermost, dual belts 'round alternator/H20 pump, they seemed to have actually "shrunk" and were a rather tight fit around dual groove on pulley.

Whereas the "biggun" that is cinched down by two-piece pulley, outermost on crank, providing drive to a/c compressor, that was a different story.

Tried all possible shim configurations, even w/no shims, couldn't get the slop out of the belt to provide enough drive to compressor which does provide drive to the power steering pump. I was in a bit of a hurry...and didn't rotate the crank to get proper "seat" of the belt into the groove, perhaps.

I did get an undersized belt for fractional HP use to work (tight fit, did rotate motor and got it to seat but 'twas a struggle) and get me home from borrowed garage. Hasn't broken yet! Not an automotive belt, for "appliances."

I would like to reattempt installing correct, Volvo-branded belt now that I'm home and not in a rush. Belt is old but seemingly in good shape, dimensions marked 12.5 X 925 (mm I assume).

This kind of pulley goes back to old days of air cooled German rear-engined vehicles and I understand the tensioning principle, methinks.

Questions:

1) What could have gone wrong (new water pump, HEPU, diff. dimensions than original?)? Are crank pulleys misaligned somehow?

2If I do go after a new belt from Volvo or AutoZone,etc, would I end up w/another belt that won't "work" right either?

I can't imagine the belt would have stretched so much over time, esp. as others had shrunk.

Thanks for any help in resolving this state of confusion.

--Frank near Lake Eerie USA
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Franck 83 245