Date:         Fri, 7 Feb 2003 10:57:33 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Power steering belt problems...
Comments: To: Neil Wasbrikoff <wasbrikoff@NETSCAPE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <74B6F1BD.3D182563.10C3CA4A@netscape.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 09:59 AM 2/6/2003, Neil Wasbrikoff wrote:
>In the last month, my power steering belt has come off twice while I'm
>driving. The circumstances each time were both very similar. Each time the
>belt came off, I was going 55 mph, taking a turn, and decelerating at the
>time time: i.e. coming off the freeway, on an off ramp while turning to
>the right. I'll have power steering, until about the middle of the turn.
>Then I will notice it's not working. I have been able to pull over, and
>start the belt back on the pulley and slowly spin the pulleys to get it
>back on.

If you can do that, either the belt was too loose before or you damaged it
(or bent something) putting it on.  Those  belts are carefully built to
stretch very little -- if you force them the cords will rupture and you'll
have some form of rubber band instead of a belt.

>The problem has never happened while driving straight, or at slow speeds.
>It's always

N of two is not conclusive...but.  Look for misalignment either
horizontally or angular, possible looseness or cocking of PS pump bracket,
wear on pulley or belt or both that lets belt bottom out in the groove.

>  when I decelerate from 55 while turning. While the belt is on, it feels
> very tight

See if it actually meets the spec -- doesn't seem to be in Bentley, bless
them, but should be in the manual.  The spec for the other belts seems to
be that you can depress it 1-1.5 cm by pressing hard with your thumb in the
middle of the longest free section.

david

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"