Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I have a 48 custom. What manufacturer are people using for their fan belts? When I replaced mine the new one was ribbed and now the engine whines. There has to be something better than this out there.

Thanks

For a good many years now John Ulrich has been the source for an OEM replica belt. I haven't heard recently if they are still available but an answer is just a phone call away.

Do you mean ribbed like this one? I put this on my 53 Cavalier a month or so ago and didn't notice any change in sound. Actually it got rid of one noise, which was the voice in my head telling me it was probably a bad idea to drive around with a 50 year old fan belt!

Maybe your belt is too tight and causing your generator or water pump to make noise?

Personally I avoid the notched belts but for me it's mainly the cosmetics and it's getting harder to find them without. On the 1948 Custom, though, the belt is very wide so I can imagine it making noise.

Last I heard John Ulrich no longer had a belt supplier and did not have any more wide 356 belts to sell. If that is the case I believe the Napa and Dayco belts that are listed in the parts x-ref are the only current options. Photos of those belts on the Napa and Summit websites would indicate both have the notches on the back side.

Gates TR30537 from Rockauto fits very well and is not noisy.

I just purchased a Gates 6439BR from O'Reillys. I have not installed it yet but it seems to be a good fit on my 1949 with a 288. Waiting for some more parts to instal.

Try Mike Chirco, Tucson Packard (520) 336-0057. Just replaced my "Gates Green Stripe" belt because the fabric matrix coming loose even tho' the belt's probably good for another couple centuries. Packard 356 fan belts are half again or twice as thick as what Cad used on their 346-ci flathead. Typical Packard over-engineering.

Off topic, but wonder if Packard's over-building partly lack of confidence, not having GM's army of engineers to determine "good enough." Because i'm sure you can visit a Cad/LaSalle website and read all kinds of glowing reports of high mileage 346s. Or 1937-42 Buick devotees raving about cross-continent trips then or now, racking up high mileage without a hitch. Hudson in the '30s was big on using one bolt instead of two if sufficient, always aiming for lightness even before Railton rebodied their stock chassis.

The 1940-50 356 is an enlarged 282, itself a Pontiac design tho' with Packard finesse and refinement, with four more unnecessary main bearings for marketing sake, and the Wilcox Rich hydraulic lifters Cad used since 1936.

I preferred the smooth belt decades ago, but learned the cogs help better dissipate heat.

Please tell Mike that Mike, '47 Super Clipper, Walnut Creek, CA referred you.

Took a break from yardwork in 95 degree heat to take these. 68 is larger than the 82 stamped after "Extra Service Made in USA" third view which wouldn't upload:

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  Gates Green Stripe.jpg (216.70 KB)

I have a 47 super clipper 356 engine. I had to cut the fan belt to change the water pump-I tried John's fan belt was not able to get it on-thus I went to Napa and found a napa belt 28522 which works.

Why should you have to cut the fan belt to change the water pump? I can think of no reason to need to do that.