Decoding fan belt stamping--ideas?

[Mike E.]

This is what's stamped on the power steering belt on a 70 350/350 with N40. The car is a one-owner car with 62k miles. The belt is heat-stamped, and has been on there since long before reproductions have come out. (The car last was run in September 1980). The alternator belt has been replaced.
GM 3848255 YO 43.50X380 5-0725
The 7-digit part number doesn't correspond with AIM part numbers. I'm guessing the 43.50 is 43 1/2 inches long, and the 380 is 3/8 wide. The car is a mid-march build; does the 5-0725 decode to a specific date?

[Joe L.]

Re: Decoding fan belt stamping--ideas?

This is what's stamped on the power steering belt on a 70 350/350 with N40. The car is a one-owner car with 62k miles. The belt is heat-stamped, and has been on there since long before reproductions have come out. (The car last was run in September 1980). The alternator belt has been replaced.
GM 3848255 YO 43.50X380 5-0725
The 7-digit part number doesn't correspond with AIM part numbers. I'm guessing the 43.50 is 43 1/2 inches long, and the 380 is 3/8 wide. The car is a mid-march build; does the 5-0725 decode to a specific date?

Mike-----

I show the GM #3848255 as the PRODUCTION power steering belt used for 1970 L-46. However, the belt was not available in SERVICE as of the time the car was built. GM #3848255 was discontinued from SERVICE in November, 1968 and replaced by GM #3940992. The latter was discontinued from SERVICE in November, 1970 and replaced by GM #1485398.

The "YO" is the ID code for the belt. It is used for PRODUCTION as well as GM SERVICE purposes. As you surmise, the "43.50" does represent the belt's length and the "380" does identify it as a 3/8" wide belt. I do not know how the "5-0725" decodes. It's probably either a date, manufacturer's ID, or manufacturing code.

[Mike E.]

Re: Decoding fan belt stamping--ideas?

Joe,
Thanks. That is the original belt, according to the original owner, so that adds up. It's the other belt that has been replaced.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Decoding fan belt stamping--ideas?

Here's two more NOS examples: 3847710 ('64 w/C60, no L76), codes TL and 5-0757. Parts history says this # was replaced in service by 3885047 on 10-67;

and 3847702 ('64 and '65 L76 w/air), no double letter code, 5-0727, and a 3-3 (date ?).