I purchased my 2006 G35x last June with 37,500 miles on it, and after putting about 10k on it since then I decided to swap out the belts because they were developing some significant cracks. I purchased dayco replacement belts at autozone after checking the online part matcher, thinking they would be a drop in fit.

The AC belt fit fine, but when I tried to tighten the larger belt (46.5 in) the tensioner pulley bottomed out before the belt reached sufficient tension. I thought at first that my bolt was corroded, but upon comparing the oem belt with the Dayco part realized the oem was a inch shorter. After checking the service manual, I also discovered that my motor has only one idler/tension pulley on the alt/ps belt instead of the two (one tension, one plain idler pulley) depicted in the manual. Thoroughly confused, I went to multiple stores trying to match the oem belt. A guy at NAPA eventually told me the part matches a 2006 M35, not my G, and gave my NAPA branded 45.5" belt to try out. The part fit perfectly and tensions to spec, but I'm still baffled as to why I was unable to find a drop in replacement for such a popular car...

Does anybody have any insight into why my car would have a VQ35DE with a single idler pulley configuration and shorter belt spec than what the service manual describes? It's not a rev up motor as it's a 5AT, just to be clear.

Thanks in advance!

return the belt and get one from the dealer..i paid 40$ for both belts

I eventually found the right belt, that's not the point. Not to mention that my dealer wanted $30/belt...

Nobody?