David Patrick

So, I have a 1996 Silverado 1500 with a 5.7 vortec. My ac compressor was going bad so I bought a bypass pulley and replaced the compressor with it.

This pulley sounds like ****. Sounds like the bearing is going out.

looking at the diagram under the hood, it shows routings for serp belt for both with ac and without ac. My question is... can I just go to autozone or another store and just buy a belt sized for without ac? I believe they made these exact trucks without ac so shouldn't it be the correct size so I can just bypass the whole compressor/bypass pulley situation all together?

oldchevy

Replace the bearing in the bypass pulley.

David Patrick

It's not even a month old. The bearing is already shot?

do you have any idea about my question regarding the smaller belt and asking for it like that?

kevinkpk

I don't understand your statement, you say you replaced the compressor, and replaced the bypass pulley, and am asking if there is a different serpentine belt? Is the bypass pulley the tensioner, then you ask about serpentine belt routing with, or without ac?

David Patrick

sorry it is confusing. So, the compressor was junk and I removed it. I installed the ac compressor bypass pulley. A month or so later it sounds like the bearing in the bypass pulley is going out. I'm wondering why and if I can just get a smaller belt to bypass the compressor area all together.

kevinkpk

What I would do, go to autozone, or where ever, give them model engine ect. and ask for a serpentine belt to fit that. As you posted thinking that model came with/without a/c, there you go. I had an 02 Taurus with that issue no a/c compressor, but it had a tower pulley instead, so the belt was the same. Best of luck, I'm sure you can fix it. Remember this is a bulletin board, we try to help each other.

David Patrick

that's what I want to do. Im curious though. Technically my truck has ac. When they ask if it has ac and I say no, will the belt they give me fit? Like if I remove the compressor bypass pulley and intend for nothing to be there at all. If that makes sense.

David Patrick

Mr. Dude with a face

Judging by what I have seen and a picture of the diagram under the hood, I see no reason you could not just get a smaller belt. I don't think you would even have to bother taking of your bypass pully you installed.

oldchevy

I would just replace the bypass pulley bearing with a high quality bearing, New parts fail all the time and you may have bought one that had a poor quality bearing in it.