After seeing some of the great help people have provided on this site I'm hoping someone will be able to help me out. I have a 68 SS396 with the factory alternator and power steering. I'm running March aluminum pulleys on it with a flex fan and I'm having a problem with the belt squeeling. I have a 3-groove pulley on the crank and a 2-groove pulley on the water pump and was told to run a 2-groove pulley on the alternator and run 2 belts but I can't find anyone who makes an aluminum one. Has anyone had this same problem?

1. How tight is the belt? Buy a "Kriket" tension tester at any "real" parts store and find out. Be sure to get the one for V-belts, not serpentine.

2. Are you using the correct width belt? Belt should be ABOVE the top of the groove.

3. How is the alignment of the pulleys? Have you put a straight edge across them to verify?

4. Resist the urge to use "belt dressing" or other forms of "panther **** ". If the pulleys are good, clean and aligned, if the belts are correct and at the proper tension, you will not have squeel.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do know better then to use belt dressing. The belt is above the pulley and I did check the straightness and it is right on. I've been told this is a common problem when using a flex fan because of the extra resistance. I've even been thinking of going to a dual electric fan.

I think the problem is the slick surface the March pulleys have. They put a clear powder coat over billet aluminum. I would think if you were to roughen up the surface a bit, or just keep driving it, it might stop, but maybe try calling march to see if they have some suggestions.

I thought it may be the clear coat too. I scuffed them up pretty good with 220 sand paper and it didn't help. I've had them on my car for a while now. I'm guessing no one else has had this problem?

what is the state of the battery charge? i'm using the marchs that slow the pumps and alt down and have had no problems using the pulleys straight out of the boxs. but a low battery will create your problem. also i'm using a clutch fan and a becool radiator. i have not seen a water pump pulley cause a belt to squeel, the pulley is too big and runs too slow

My battery charge is great. My belt doesn't squeel all the time just when I try to rev it quickly in neutral or park and I think what's happening is the motor is reving so quickly that the belt slips on the water pump pulley trying to overcome the drag of the flex fan. Once it does (usually in a second or two) it doesn't squeel. I noticed that of all three of the pulleys the water pump is the one that gets the least contact on the belt. In your case you wouldn't have that problem because you are running the clutch fan. I didn't want to run one of those but I'm begining to rethink it.