Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 14:30:45 -0700
Reply-To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Subject: Re: Fan belt noise
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Gerald:
I lump "belt dressing" in the same category with "Engine Rebuild In A Can"
and other such snake oil that FLAPS all seem to put on the same eye-level
shelf near the tune up parts. If you have a properly-tensioned belt, that
is in good condition, and your alternator is sound, there is no need for
such "dressing" IMHO. The WD-40 trick is kinda like squirting carb cleaner
at an intake manifold looking for vacuum leaks; it helps pinpoint the
problem, but does nothing to solve it.
What I would be suspicious of would be a glazed belt caused by slipping
(caused in turn by improper tension), or possibly problems with the bearings
in your alternator. Look carefully at the condition of the belt and see if
it looks shiny, glazed, or cracked. If so, spend the $15 for a new one and
I'll bet that will solve the problem.
If the belt is not visibly worn, etc. then remove it and check the
alternator pulley for excess play (Ken Wilfey posted the procedure a while
back). If it thunks back and forth or up and down, this will cause the
belt to move erratically in the guides and possibly create the noise.
Of course, YMMV. Let us know what you come up with
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Gerald Masar
> Sent: Friday, May 12, 2000 1:47 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Fan belt noise
>
>
> A while back I posed a question to the list re a sort of
> chuffing noise from
> the engine when cold. This was on a '90 Westy after having the heads
> rebuilt. On a recent trip to San Diego, where I did some
> stealth camping in
> La Jolla, I also spent one night on the lot of a Texaco station so the
> knowledgeable mechanic there could listen to the engine when
> cold. He ID'd
> the noise quickly as coming from the belts, and sprayed some
> WD-40 on them.
> Much better but he said they really needed proper belt
> dressing. SO, what do
> others on the list use as a belt dressing or to quiet the
> noisy belts. I got
> some Prestone belt dressing and sprayed that on, which
> quieted them for a
> few seconds but then came back worse. Recommendations??
> Jerry
>
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