8.1 Liter Serpentine Belt

tropical36 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

cmarq wrote:
You May want to check the cam position sensor on the front of the block the belt may take out the wires going to it mine did. I was able to splice them together again. If check engine light is on check for that. If you can get a helper it is easier to install with two people. Napa has the belt.

One trick I use when I changed mine is that I use a ratchet strap to hold the breaker bar to relieve tension on the belt so that I can use both hands to position the belt. While under the coach on I-80 in Iowa, with traffic whizzing by, I found I could change the belt in about 10 minutes. :B

Not sure what you have there, but I can do it all from the top by myself and remain inside in comfort.
The first one I changed out, started going bad, so I replaced it with NAPA's best and so far, so good. I also have the OEM original on board at 8yrs old and 46K miles on it.

Simple...I have an 8.1L like the OP, not a 7.4L engine like you have. They are not the same.

rgatijnet1 wrote:

cmarq wrote:
You May want to check the cam position sensor on the front of the block the belt may take out the wires going to it mine did. I was able to splice them together again. If check engine light is on check for that. If you can get a helper it is easier to install with two people. Napa has the belt.

One trick I use when I changed mine is that I use a ratchet strap to hold the breaker bar to relieve tension on the belt so that I can use both hands to position the belt. While under the coach on I-80 in Iowa, with traffic whizzing by, I found I could change the belt in about 10 minutes. :B

Not sure what you have there, but I can do it all from the top by myself and remain inside in comfort.
The first one I changed out, started going bad, so I replaced it with NAPA's best and so far, so good. I also have the OEM original on board at 8yrs old and 46K miles on it.

Thanks everyone for there help. Nice to have a place like this to go to. I was very lucky when my belt broke. Pulled off highway at gas station ( try turning one of these RVs with NO power steering and my right arm in a sling) there was a small truck broke down already here. Mechanic came over afer that repair called local NAPA, had me back on the road in an hour. So now I do have an extra belt, and was lucky enough the mechanic replaced belt without having a diagram.....LIFE IS SO GOOD.....Thank God................

4ever16 wrote:
I have a 2007 Allegro Open Roads 35TSA with a 8.1 Liter Chevy Motor. Could someome help me find out how the serpentine belt goes on my motor. I can not find this anywhere on my rig. It has a W22 chassis. I have broke the existing belt.
Thnak you for any help you can provide.

First rule is to change the belt while it's still good and at the same time have a spare that you know will work. Also do so in your driveway, so as to make things a lot easier with maybe having to do so in death valley. It's sometimes hard to get a perfect match without the old one in hand, as the tensioner will only allow so much variation. Having said all this, get NAPA's best belt and once you're sure how it goes on, do it all, except for the tensioner on top. The idler towards the bottom, takes a 3/8" drive ratchet and once it's pulled in, you can slip the belt on the tensioner. No need to go over the fan either, but do make sure that the belt is in the groves, once you're done. At first go, this seems to be a real chore, but pretty easy, once you get the hang of it and another reason for the driveway practice.
I would imagine that the configuration of the 8.1 is the same as the 7.4, but can't be sure and do have all the info for a 7.4, so if anyone would like it, send me a pm with your addy. As said, everyone should have a known working spare on board, for all the variables, one might encounter, so buying two, once you have the right fit, is good insurance.

cmarq wrote:
You May want to check the cam position sensor on the front of the block the belt may take out the wires going to it mine did. I was able to splice them together again. If check engine light is on check for that. If you can get a helper it is easier to install with two people. Napa has the belt.

One trick I use when I changed mine is that I use a ratchet strap to hold the breaker bar to relieve tension on the belt so that I can use both hands to position the belt. While under the coach on I-80 in Iowa, with traffic whizzing by, I found I could change the belt in about 10 minutes. :B

You May want to check the cam position sensor on the front of the block the belt may take out the wires going to it mine did. I was able to splice them together again. If check engine light is on check for that. If you can get a helper it is easier to install with two people. Napa has the belt.

On the 8.1L engine there are idler pulleys on the tensioner and an additional idler pulley at the top of the engine. The replacement AC Delco pulleys are made in Canada but the part that actually fails, the bearings, are made in China. It is a good idea to replace them if the mileage is getting above 50,000 or so.

While you're doing the belt repair, they were known to have belt tensioners that go bad and squeal. I would replace the tensioner as a caution, they're inexpensive.

Additional information,

8.1 Serpentine belt R & R

Fred

It is best to start it from above and then finish the install from below. You need a 3/8" breaker bar to pull back the idler pulley while you slip the belt over the various pulleys. It will only fit one way. You need the longer 108.5" belt, not the shorter 102" belt that goes on the P chassis.