Calling all Kiwis

[blacky]

 I have a VN V6 motor in my EK which still has the power steering pump mounted even though it doesnt have power steering. A certain company makes an idler pulley so I can get rid of the pump , however they want what I consider stupid money for the kit.
In the Holden parts lists there is a listing for a belt to suit a VN WITHOUT power steering , apparently they were sold in NZ only , so the belts are not available over here and people I have asked about getting me one say its all too hard.
Is there anyone on that side of the Tasman who is in the spare parts game or is prepared to try and source me a couple of these belts ?

[Ed]

hey Blacky,

Does the VN use a serpentine grooved belt or a V belt?

If a V belt - perhaps fab up a suitable adjustable ideler pulley to take up the slack.  I had to do this with my belt arrangement (5.0L), as off the shelf belts were too short or too long.

If a grooved belt perhaps make an idler using the grooved alternator pulley adapted to a power steering idler pulley?

just a thought.

Cheers

Ed

[fastjbav6]

Hey Blacky,
I've seen a VN v6 in a Rod without p/s and the belt was a slightly tight fit but the owner had no problems with anything breaking, ie water pump/alt bearings. The only thing is on one of the driven pullys from memory the grooves of the belt are face down with no abnormal wear. I made a mental note of the part number but forgot. I know the part number ended in ##55. Hope this helps.

Seb

[ACE]

Hi Blacky,
Have you tried a serpentine belt to suit a VN V6 without Air Conditioning?
Regards ACE  

[fastjbav6]

Forgot to add that it did'nt have air con.

Seb

[JB]

With my belt adjustment I made the pulley to suit the closest belt I could find. this was done by lowering the pulley to get the right tension as I have moved where the airconditioning sits.

Cheers
Jason.

[fc4kiwi]

hi kiwi over here in NZ will check with local holden dealership about V6 fan belt.
Now just to get things straight you are after a belt for a VN V6 without powersteering and no air conditioning.
Will see what i can find out tomorrow
Cheers Tony

[blacky]

 Thanks Tony , yes you have it right - no air cond and no power steer.

[fc4kiwi]

hi blacky went to local Holden dealership here in Christchurch NZ.
No VN V6 came out without powersteering or air con
BUT....... overhere in kiwiland Holden for the love of ""god knows what they where thinking "" bought out a 4 cylinder VN  these didn't have powersteering but did have air con!
Maybe this is the listing for the belt.
Cheers Tony

[blacky]

 Thanks for your efforts Tony , I cant recall where I read that about the no power steer / air cond. deal - I just filed it away in the memory bank thinking about a source for a drive belt.Obviously I was wrong - thanks again for taking the time to check it out.

[TorqueFC]

Blacky,
         i do believe that castlemaine auto elec's have the idler pulley to suit. i can get their number if you would like blacky?

[Dr_Terry]

Hi Guys.

The belt is the same size for VN V6 with or without power steering. There is a shorter belt for car without A/C,  & these are easy to find.

To explain that a little further, there were a small number of early VN V6 cars built without power steering, they just used a VL manual rack & mounted an idler pulley assembly in place of the power steer pump. The idler assembly simply bolts where the pump normally sits & the normal pump pulley is bolted to it. So the standard size belt fits the same way, in the same place.

These cars were not exported to NZ, to my knowledge they were for certain government fleets in Australia, that strangely wanted cars without power steering. The same thing happened back in VB-VH Commodore days, when some police departments ordered V8 Commodores without power steer even though it was standard fitting on the most basic model V8 sold to the public.

In defence of the mob that want a 'high' price for their idler assembly, it does cost time & money to produce 'one-off' custom built bits for modified cars. If you add a couple of hours machining to the price of the price of the parts & material to build it, you will get to a few hundred dollars very easily. One of the reasons you don't find too many workshops around these days building modified cars profitably. Most of the affordable bits & pieces are made by semi-retired types who make things in their spare time & for cash, they are not restricted by mountains of government rules, regulations, taxes & charges !! I should stop now before my blood begins to boil.

Dr Terry.

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Blacky, it might pay to head down to your local rice wrecker, not sure if you'd have one down your way.
Anyway, on the wife's Toyota Spacia there is a tension pulley that is adjustable, other models probably have similar and it might be something you can adapt for your project.
I'll try and get a photo, but those Spacia engine bays are a bitch.

[blacky]

 Cheers fellas , its one of those "one day" jobs , one day I will sort it out , it all works at the moment , just seems silly to have a power steering pump doing nothing under the bonnet . Stinky , there is a wreckers across the road from work so I will have a look at whats on offer - no need for a pic but thanks anyway.

[sgo]

You can pull the "vanes" out of the pump and then it will work as an idler-pulley, less drag on engine and no pressuerized fluid?