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Date:         Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:54:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: V-Belt tightness -- how to determine?
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY152-ds79585D9516EE5E06BD222A0110@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Jeez, Dennis -- you're the very embodiment of the bearer of good tidings, aren't you?

See everyone? No wonder I've developed a worrywart complex w/r/t my Vanagon! Dennis is one of the Wise Men of the List, knows whereof he speaks, and what he speaketh here be doom and gloom.

-- Dolorous Edd

(On the other hand, I learn something! Last week the alternator lamp comes on on the dash and battery voltage drops. My first thought [hope, actually, since I have a spare belt] is that I've dropped a belt. But was I sensible enough to pull over alongside the road immediately, unload the camping gear and open the engine compartment to inspect? No. Not at all. It was hot, the road dusty. I drove a mile or more to a prospective campsite, thinking I might be stuck there for a couple days before taking a look. I figured I had tens of minutes before the battery didn't have enough power to run the engine. BUT, a dropped belt would have meant that coolant flow would have stopped so, I had no business driving another hundred meters.

My question is: if a belt is dropped, do the temp gauge/coolant lamp give sufficient time to warn of engine bakage so one can pull over?)

-- RJS

On 08/24/2011 04:19 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote: > Those multiple steam traumas may also done some engine damage. The likely > future repairs are melted outer head gaskets, loose studs or cracked heads. > Since there was enough pressure to blow out that manifold consider the > heater cores and maybe the radiator to need future attention as well. > > Sorry, > Dennis > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > Mike > Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 6:56 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: V-Belt tightness -- how to determine? > > It caused mine to fail within minutes! (It must have been on the edge, > apparently and that was the last straw) I was hearing a new squeal after > snugging both belts a bit, so I broke out my mechanic's stethoscope and that > confirmed that it was coming from inside the W/P. > I decided to take it on along trip the next weekend, figuring that it > wouldn't cause any immediate problem, as it wasn't leaking a drop. Well, I > was wrong! > About 50 miles from home cruising down the highway @ 65 mph, with my 3 kids > on board, I though maybe I had smelled burning rubber, and wondered why. A > minute later the charging light came on and confirmed my suspicion that it > must have thrown the alternator belt. I slowed down and considered pulling > over on the Mass Pike, but traffic was heavy, so I figured that I could make > it a few more miles to the next rest area with no alternator. It'd probably > run on a good battery for a lot longer that that, so I figured no problem, > right? Well, I forgot that the alternator belt was also the W/P belt, and > within another minute I heard a pop and saw steam fill my rear view. I > immediately shut it down and pulled over into the breakdown lane and coasted > to a stop. I got out to survey and saw a lot of antifreeze pouring out from > the right rear side of the van. I opened the decklid and found the belt > laying there and all else looked good. I poured a whole gallon of > antifreeze into it, in hopes of limping to the Ludlow rest-stop. I ran the > engine for very short bursts and coasted the majority of the way into the > rest-stop. I couldn't see the source of the leak, and had no extra belt, so > I called triple-A. The MA state trooper said that they had to handle any > tows off the Pike, so I got them to arrange towing it off the pike. They > towed it all the way to my house (AAA PLUS!), and when I finally got a > closer look, I found that the right plastic octopus (hiding behind the > firewall) had blown out one of the large plastic plugs that's glued-in. I > took it out and found that the dealer still carries them. I may need a new > large hose, as I may have damaged it removing it. It has a molded tee going > over the top of the auto trans and it looks hard-to-find and expensive, not > to mention difficult to replace. > So now, I need a W/P, a belt, an octopus, a molded hose, some jugs of > coolant and then I'll see how it goes from there. No money available right > now, so it'll have to wait a bit. Oh well..... > > Mike B. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Roland > Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 12:11 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: V-Belt tightness -- how to determine? > > I've wondered about this also: > > - too loose, and the belt may squeal (maybe other problems if it is too > loose). > - too tight, and the water pump bearing might wear out more quickly (pretty > sure an overly tight belt caused my last water pump failure). > > Roland > > On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 7:13 AM, Rocket J Squirrel< > camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Something I've never understood about tightening the belt. >> Instructions usually say something like: >> >> "Be careful not to get the belts too tight. You should have slight >> (1/8" - 1/4") deflection in the belts after they are adjusted. >> This of course depends on the length of the belt." >> >> <http://www.vanagonauts.com/**printable.phtml?&catid=215<http://www.va >> nagonauts.com/printable.phtml?&catid=215> >>> >> >> How much pressure do you put behind your thumb when testing? I can >> deflect the belt anywhere from not much to a lot more by pressing harder! >> >> -- >> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott >> Bend, Ore. >> 1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people. >> 1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company >> in San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia. >> >> Sent from my kitchen. >>


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