So I went into NAPA today to get a serpentine belt, and I noticed there were two options for the 3.0L V6, a VIN code U and a VIN code V. I asked what the difference was (mine is U ) and he the only difference he knew of was the amount of "ribs" on the belt. Mine has 6 and IIRC, he said the other one has 8. So whats the real difference?

 

I think there were actually at least two variants of the 3.0. One would burn E-85 and the other wouldn't. I think there was a stretch where Ford stopped w/ the whole E-85 thing. The two codes could be that..

Although the VIN guide at TRS (link) doesn't show a 'V' engine code..

 

V is for the flex feul motor that allows for lower octane gas to be put in it most of ours are U not V

 

You will use the same belt, if you have a problem with belt squeal, use the Good Year GatorBack, you can look on the old GE site, and there is a post by N3LE or what ever his screen name was, and it has the part number in there, it makes a world of differance, and solved my problem with the squeal.