What condenser did you use?

Ya know I always wonder why all the hype on the serpentine belt setup. Yes, one belt to deal with, yes the A/C compressor gets moved to the pass side the result is shorter line set and the condenser in/out moved to pass side, yes self adjusting tensioner, yes one belt. But I never viewed any of them as much of an advantage for spending the time of money to do it. The Sanden compressor may be an advantage.

My 95 Astro is a 4.3 with serpentine, and as we know the 4.3 is just a 350 with 2 cylinders removed, and everything that bolts to the front of a Vortec head 4.3 will bolt to a later head V8. My 4.3 has a Sanden comp located on the drivers side. The alt is located on the pass side. The P/S pump is located under the A/C comp and has a remote reservoir located 16" above the pump.

I always felt that 4.3 serp setup was a much simpler to swap into a Monte. The thing people didn't like was it didn't clean up the line set coming from the compressor. Alt and P/S pump are simple.

Ok, saw my first serp setup when my brother bought his brand new 87 F body, just a 305 LG4 with 700R, so 35 years ago. He learned a lesson when be had to put a water pump on that car and they gave him the wrong rotation. 87 was a serp transition year, some had it some didn't.

My Astro serp, idlers replaced numerous times along with a couple belts, a couple Sanden comp done and the one in the van now is junk, alt twice, two water pumps and smells like another on it's way. Cyl heads off three times on this engine in the near 17 years I've owned it. So the Serp setup has been unbolted each side and just pulled forward to get the heads off. Can say once you do that the second time you realize it may be easier than dealing with separate alt and compressor on a non serp engine.

Still not sold on the serp setup even though it was the latest stock accessory setup for the front of a SBC but don't think they did that for us, they did that because it was easier and cheaper for them, them meaning GM.

My wife's 3.8 Monte has a serp, belts and idlers, pump, and alt done a couple times.
Daughter's supercharged 3.8 is serp and has two belts and three idlers (two being tensioners), all being replaced twice.

After all that still think i will stay with V-belts on the 86.
Bob

Serpentine belt setups have a couple of disadvantages. Bing a single belt means if it snaps you lose everything. With the multi V belts if one snaps, you just lose one system. Other issue are idler pulleys are wesk links as they often fail before any of the belt driven accessories, this includes the tensor pulley. If the tensor pulley or idler pulleys develop any wobble they will quickly chew up the belt. I seen tensors and idler pulleys having much shorter lives than the belt. Finally the belt tensor is hazardous to work on as they can snap back with a lot of force, still have the scar on my finger to remind me of this.

One additional advantage with serpentine belts not mentioned is that the aluminum mounting brackets should reduce weight. The stock V belt setups use heavier steel brackets. Everything has its pros and cons.

Serpentine belt setups have a couple of disadvantages. Bing a single belt means if it snaps you lose everything. With the multi V belts if one snaps, you just lose one system. Other issue are idler pulleys are wesk links as they often fail before any of the belt driven accessories, this includes the tensor pulley. If the tensor pulley or idler pulleys develop any wobble they will quickly chew up the belt. I seen tensors and idler pulleys having much shorter lives than the belt. Finally the belt tensor is hazardous to work on as they can snap back with a lot of force, still have the scar on my finger to remind me of this.

One additional advantage with serpentine belts not mentioned is that the aluminum mounting brackets should reduce weight. The stock V belt setups use heaviver steel brackets. Everything has its pros and cons.

Not sure what your issues were but I've had 2 trucks with the near same configuration of serpentine that I'm putting on and never had the first issue. Over 100,000 on one and over 150,000 on the other and never touched a thing except throw a new belt on the one at 100,000. A different serp on my wife's mazda has close to 190,000 and I've not touched it. Probably had 7 or 8 different vehicles with serpentine and never had 1 issue. On the same note I've never had issues with any v belts.

Well, the lines coming out of condenser are too low and hit the core support. I could bend the lines or trim the core support but not really wanting to do that. The condenser Bob mentioned above is on Amazon for $88, Looks like I'll try that one.