Serpentine Belts?

[plasticblack]

Does anyone on here ave any personal experience of these kits please?

  I'd like to know what the beifits are with regard to freeing up a little extra horsepower and extending belt life? 

[Donny B.]

I personally see no advantage to the sepentine belt.  I can't see it freeing up any horsepower if it doesn't slip.  If you have an engine that never sees 6k rpm it would probably be fine.  On a high rpm engine I think it is a liability because it won't slip and you will eventually destroy the fan.  If it does not explode it will probably eat the center out of it then the fan will just slip on the shaft at high rpm.  JMO

[Hotrodvw]

I would avoid them.

[plasticblack]

Thanks for the info.

[notched]

I would avoid them.

X2, I think that they just got trendy.

The main reason that all modern cars run them is that they turn many pulleys. Air, Fan, Power Steering, etc. No reason to have one on the old aircooled motor. Two pulleys, one belt. Simple. Pull it off at the track, make a run, put it back on.

[plasticblack]

I'm not intending to race at all, but just hoped for a few extra hp from a very simple fit...

   I don't love the looks at all but  thought they might be of some use..

[Diederick/DVK]

how about hipo engines that lose the belt when revving hard. do they not serve any purpose?

[Gabetion2000]

I have ran one for several thousand miles. The only problem I have, is the belt wears on the fan side a little when reving over 6500. Other than that, I love it. It has seen 7k rpm several times. I do take it off at the track though, and put it back on at the end of the strip. I like it because I can put it back on in 10 seconds, as opposed to 2 minutes with the traditional belt setup. 

[vwxtc4free]

I have ran one for several thousand miles. The only problem I have, is the belt wears on the fan side a little when reving over 6500. Other than that, I love it. It has seen 7k rpm several times. I do take it off at the track though, and put it back on at the end of the strip. I like it because I can put it back on in 10 seconds, as opposed to 2 minutes with the traditional belt setup. 

x2   I run mine a lil loose and never a problem.

[stealth67vw]

how about hipo engines that lose the belt when revving hard. do they not serve any purpose?

When you throw the belt, it keeps you from blowing up your welded fan. I would rather throw the belt than replace the fan, fan shroud, oil cooler, alternator, alternator stand, weld the fins back on the heads, and replace the cylinders because all the fins are busted off. I've seen 2 street cars in one day blow up their welded fans with a serpentine set up. Boy what a mess!!!

[stealth67vw]

I'm not intending to race at all, but just hoped for a few extra hp from a very simple fit...

   I don't love the looks at all but  thought they might be of some use..

You won't make any more power, in fact you may loose power since the belt no longer slips like it is supposed to.

[SlingShot]

do they not serve any purpose?

They absolutely do serve a purpose, a purpose of being so overly blinging that it gets you an extra 10hp....with the ladies. 
                                                                                                                                                                                    Allllrrrright! Giggity, giggity, giggity.

[plasticblack]

Worth every penny then..........