Belt Dust

[matt ciarpella]

I replaced the belts on both engines last year. I am getting dust particles building up on the front of the engines. Not sure why this would be happening. Belts too loose? Rough pulleys? Is anyone familiar with this problem. Thanks for any input.
Matt

[Charlie J]

yes loose belts will do it, let me guess yanmar engines

[CaptPatrick]

Many engine companies paint their pulleys and when the paint wears off rust sets in. On an engine that isn't frequently run the rust starts to pit the pulley face and can become abrasive. Also not all belts and pulleys have the same angle of bevel. Improper matching leads to belt failure because it isn't seating properly.

I've had occassional problems ranging from various belt driven equipment, (from table saws to auto engines), and one of the best solutions, after proper tension has been restored, is a belt dressing, such as Loctite 37581: Loctite Belt Dressing and Conditioner. If the engine has a spring loaded tension pulley, shoot a little CX into the spring bearing, (not on the belt or pulley).

[TailhookTom]

If the engine has a spring loaded tension pulley, shoot a little CX into the spring bearing, (not on the belt or pulley).

UV just smiled.

[Bruce]

To tight, to loose, rusted or corroded pullies, miss aligned pullies, non matched set on dual belt set up, using inch v dimensions on pullies designed for metric dimensions.

Belt dust on serpentine belts is common also with loose tensioner and belt flap.

Proper tensioning on v belts is a must. A 3' screw driver or pry bar pulled tight is not it.

Many engine makers also don't allow enough surface contact between belt and pully due to design and the belts slip.
Belt dressing used properly does help as Pat said. Most have the thinking, if a little works more is better. Not so.

[matt ciarpella]

Thanks for the info. What I think is going on is a combination of rough pulleys and some slight loosening of the belts.
Bruce, the double belt has one belt a bit tighter than the other. Just replaced the tension pulley on that engine.

Is sanding the roughness out of the pulleys and some paint a solution.

Engines are UVs favorite vulvas.

[Bruce]

As long as the rust hasn't pitted the pulley.

All dual belt v setups should be bought as a matched set. It will be a package with two belts and a tag around them indicating a matched set.

If a parts guy hands you two loose belts and says they are matched, he is full of crap.

[matt ciarpella]

Bruce, Thanks again. Wouldn't have figured that out on my own. All the best.
Matt

[gplume]

I got a good tip from Harry Babb. Had a major belt dust problem with mine...Clean every bit of rust off your pulleys.....did the best i could with 40 year old engines. ..and not removing the pulleys. Dust problem nearly gone.

[matt ciarpella]

10-4 Giff. I'm going to go with a tapered block, sticky back 120 then finish with 220. Prime and paint. Should be fun with 3" clearance to the bulkhead.

[Carl]

If by some chance you plan on doing this with engine running...please remember that engine ain't gonna stop if a finger, hand, arm, sleeve ect, ect get caught on a spinning pulley and drag you in...

[matt ciarpella]

Now thats funny, is that something you"ve tried Carl? ;)

[Carl]

Not exactly.
Machining for the last 20 years has given me a good amount of respect for machinery.
Put a piece of emery to a spinning object and it or you get caught your screwed.
Happened last year to a fellow shop owner...guy who has yelled at employees for years to never wear a glove when running a lathe.
Decided to polish a part, didn't want to get dirty so put on a glove and started to polish with a strip of emery...something got caught pulled the glove into machine, luckily the glove ripped apart, but took part of his thumb. He considers himself lucky...stupid, but lucky.

Seemingly simple actions around machinery can get you in trouble...
Like the ocean, give it the respect it is due.

[IRGuy]

In a previous life I spent a lot of time in paper mills throughout North America and Europe. I worked with a customer's engineer in a mill in Finland who was lead maintenance engineer for his company's paper machines.. he was adjusting a calendar.. a vertical series of 16" diameter high speed polished stainless steel rolls, used to smooth and "polish" newsprint paper, and doing so his right hand slipped and got caught in the pinch area between two rolls.. pulling his right arm into the machine.. his reflex action was to reach with his left hand to pull his right arm back.. pulling his left arm into the machine as well. He lost both arms up to his elbows.

NEVER trust your reactions (or luck) when working with moving machinery.. especially when belts or gears are involved. In less time than it takes you to feel the pain your finger, hand, or arm can be seperated from your body!

[matt ciarpella]

Not here fellas. No ones sanding rust off pulleys with engines running. That has been all your perception on the issue, but I will thank you for your concern. And I would recommend that you not do the same.
Br,
Matt

[Carl]

Glad to hear that Matt!!

Unfortunately sometimes a seemingly good idea to save a bunch of time and /or work under the appearance of little consequence is all that is needed to make a bad decision.

I'd rather be thought of as an idiot for pointing out the obvious, then hearing about a near miss or worse.

Carl

[Rawleigh]

It never hurts to hear the warnings repeated often.

If we didn't say anything and something bad happened to you we would feel terrible. We have to restate the obvious often to keep each other focused and safe.

Had a friend who almost lost his arm last year when he got wound up in the prop shaft of his workboat. He reached for some trash in the bilge and a string on his hoodie got grabbed by the shaft and he instinctively put his hand down on the shaft as it pulled him in. He lost half of his bicep, but miraculously he has had a pretty complete recovery and has only lost feeling in his pinkie finger. He knew better, but . . . !!

[Tony Meola]

It never hurts to hear the warnings repeated often.

If we didn't say anything and something bad happened to you we would feel terrible. We have to restate the obvious often to keep each other focused and safe.

Had a friend who almost lost his arm last year when he got wound up in the prop shaft of his workboat. He reached for some trash in the bilge and a string on his hoodie got grabbed by the shaft and he instinctively put his hand down on the shaft as it pulled him in. He lost half of his bicep, but miraculously he has had a pretty complete recovery and has only lost feeling in his pinkie finger. He knew better, but . . . !!

Otherwise the next post would be about one of the faithfull winning the Darwin award.