WOW I just got sticker shock for replacing all 4 pulley's $300 or $250 w/o
the power steering pulley. I would really like to try to explain that one to
my partners wife but we are in the verge of trying to sell the boat so if
that's what it comes to I think I will leave it for the new owner, Just put
the forsale sign on it last Mon., "My father said the happiest day of a boat
buyers life is when he buys the boat and when he sells it" but I'm not so
sure, it is allot of money to keep one, and allot of time to keep it in good
shape, but I still love that boat. Good Boating.
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 15:04:08 GMT, "Wildest Dream"
wrote:

Hi does anyone have problems with alternator belts breaking 2 or 3 times
a
yr. about 100 hrs./yr. Looks to me the cause is rust on the pulleys
grinding
down the belts and leaving a nasty rubber powder behind, I always keep a
spare on board never had to change out of port,(almost the last time out
but
I thought my partner lost the anchor and I was close to port.) never had
to
get towed yet thanks goodness. The pulleys look to be running true. I
think
it is when I start it the first time for the day I have to pump the carb.
alittle, (throttle) and leave it open some and the jump in rpm's and
first
rust of the day pops it off. What do u think? Thank u all, Need Help in
Jersey.


This is (very) excessive. Check alignment, fit for sheave to sheave
and belt to sheave(s), and proper tension. Use the manufacturer's
specs for setting all of the above. Beyond this might be an overload
caused by too great a pre load on alternator bearings or more esoteric
crap..... check the simple things first..... and report back....

--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/
Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/directions.asp Where
Southport,NC is located.
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/autoupdater.htm Real Time Pictures
at My Marina
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats Rec.boats
at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...
"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
How's the tension. Properly adjusted?

It is the pulley's. My 351 was also going through belts. The 351 is a
marine engine from Ford and Red Line Marine in Lewiston, ID is a parts
distributor. The pulleys are only one the marine engine. Red Line
ships,
the pulleys are not cheap. Pull the pulley's and check the numbers on
them.
They are stamped in to the metal.
Bill

Tell us, Bill, how are you 100% sure it's the pulleys, and all of
them? Could it not be just ONE pulley with a burr on it, or worn so
that it's not true anymore? Could it not be that one or more pulleys
are out of alignment with the others? Could it be that the harmonic
balancer is not aligned properly, thus allowing the crankshaft pulley
to run eccentric?

Because I had the same exact problem last year. Checked all the wrecking
yards for pulleys. Called the marineizer for the engine, and they sent me
to Red Line as the Ford authorized supplier. Changed the pulleys on the
harmonic balancer and the water pump with pulleys from Red Line, and the
alternator pulley with a pulley from the local parts house. Red Line said
they are industrial engines and the pulleys are only found on them. No
problems since. Since I, unlike you, have a brain. I know what the problem
is!

"Calif Bill" wrote in message link.net...
"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...
"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
How's the tension. Properly adjusted?

It is the pulley's. My 351 was also going through belts. The 351 is a
marine engine from Ford and Red Line Marine in Lewiston, ID is a parts
distributor. The pulleys are only one the marine engine. Red Line
ships,
the pulleys are not cheap. Pull the pulley's and check the numbers on
them.
They are stamped in to the metal.
Bill

Tell us, Bill, how are you 100% sure it's the pulleys, and all of
them? Could it not be just ONE pulley with a burr on it, or worn so
that it's not true anymore? Could it not be that one or more pulleys
are out of alignment with the others? Could it be that the harmonic
balancer is not aligned properly, thus allowing the crankshaft pulley
to run eccentric?

Because I had the same exact problem last year. Checked all the wrecking
yards for pulleys. Called the marineizer for the engine, and they sent me
to Red Line as the Ford authorized supplier. Changed the pulleys on the
harmonic balancer and the water pump with pulleys from Red Line, and the
alternator pulley with a pulley from the local parts house. Red Line said
they are industrial engines and the pulleys are only found on them. No
problems since. Since I, unlike you, have a brain. I know what the problem
is!

So, you are saying that you are 100% positive that it needs new
pulleys?????
You haven't SEEN them, nor heard them, nor seen the condition of the
broken drive belts, and because you had a problem with YOUR pulleys,
that you can diagnose his engine just from him saying his belts break
prematurely?????
And THEN you have the audacity to say I have no brain, and you do???
This is too funny!!!!

Hi Gene I don't know how a crank or rod about to break would affect just one
belt. I replaced the power steering belt 2 yrs. ago and it is still in good
shape. The damper could be a problem, I saw it is $100, but I still think it
would affect the other belt. I guess if the bracket for the alternator was
worn out it would be miss aligned. I could see that being a problem
especially after noticing the one bolt that holds it straight was alittle
loose. I could also see a bad pulley being the culprit, especially being it
has to be so tight, I will just have to check them all more carefully. Yes I
will try to fix the problem before I get rid of the boat, that is not why I
want to sell it, seemed to me that $4000 + this yr. just to take 5 or 6
short rides on the water was not worth it to me, I would like to get a
smaller boat w/out a partner, that I could trailer. I don't think I put 100
hrs. on it this yr. not even close, I just threw that # out for approx, I
know its not close, excessive if anything. Thanks for all the reply's Bill
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 12:58:13 GMT, "Wildest Dream"
wrote:

WOW I just got sticker shock for replacing all 4 pulley's $300 or $250
w/o
the power steering pulley. I would really like to try to explain that one
to
my partners wife but we are in the verge of trying to sell the boat so if
that's what it comes to I think I will leave it for the new owner, Just
put
the forsale sign on it last Mon., "My father said the happiest day of a
boat
buyers life is when he buys the boat and when he sells it" but I'm not so
sure, it is allot of money to keep one, and allot of time to keep it in
good
shape, but I still love that boat. Good Boating.


You know, this just dawned on me..... I've seen this sort of behavior
on some Continental aircraft engines. This can be caused with issues
of detuning the crankshaft... if this is the case, you may have a
crank or rod about to let go.

It is highly unlikely that the harmonic balancer is the culprit, but
it could be that the HB is unable to accomplish its job due to the
severity of the problem. Remove the belt(s) and see if the HB is
loose or sloppy feeling.

If rapid fluctuation in engine RPM causes this, it is likely the
problem I have described. If no internal damage exists changing the
HB may fix the problem, but if you had sticker shock over the pulleys
you will probably have coronary arrest with the HB price...

Selling the boat may be the best course, but you may have a really
unhappy buyer on your hands in the foreseeable future....

--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/
Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/directions.asp Where
Southport,NC is located.
http://www.southharbourvillage.com/autoupdater.htm Real Time Pictures
at My Marina
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats Rec.boats
at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

"Wildest Dream" wrote
especially being it has to be so tight

Do you have a particularly heavy electrical load on your DC system? We tend
to think of the alternator as just a roundy-roundy gadget, but it's actually
capable of transferring a good deal of power from the engine to the wires by
way of that little belt. Combine a heavy load with a somewhat damaged or
misaligned or mis-sized pulley and you could maybe possibly under just the
right circumstances have a recipe for excessive wear.

don't think the load is a problem everything is off when it happens, or when
I notice. the heaviest draw would be the trim and tabs. Thanks
"Joe Blizzard" wrote in message
news
"Wildest Dream" wrote
especially being it has to be so tight

Do you have a particularly heavy electrical load on your DC system? We
tend
to think of the alternator as just a roundy-roundy gadget, but it's
actually
capable of transferring a good deal of power from the engine to the wires
by
way of that little belt. Combine a heavy load with a somewhat damaged or
misaligned or mis-sized pulley and you could maybe possibly under just the
right circumstances have a recipe for excessive wear.

I think it was just over revving, just had it out yesterday and it worked
great, didn't rev it past 2000 on startup, think I will adj. the choke and
see if it runs better, should be easier startup anyway. Thanks


"Wildest Dream" wrote in message
news
don't think the load is a problem everything is off when it happens, or
when
I notice. the heaviest draw would be the trim and tabs. Thanks
"Joe Blizzard" wrote in message
news
"Wildest Dream" wrote
especially being it has to be so tight

Do you have a particularly heavy electrical load on your DC system? We
tend
to think of the alternator as just a roundy-roundy gadget, but it's
actually
capable of transferring a good deal of power from the engine to the
wires
by
way of that little belt. Combine a heavy load with a somewhat damaged or
misaligned or mis-sized pulley and you could maybe possibly under just
the
right circumstances have a recipe for excessive wear.

Is there any possibility that you are using the wrong belt?

They come in different widths, and a "too narrow" belt would rub the bottom of
the pulley(s), requiring extra tension, causing extra wear.

A properly sized belt will not touch the bottom of the vee in the pulley.

Joe Savard

No the belt is from OMC fits to the outside top of the pulley, I would have
noticed if it was the wrong size, was tight putting on the pulleys, thought
it would be easier to put on smaller alt. pulley last but it was easier to
put on waterpump pulley last, used it 2 times and no problem w/old
replacement (using the belt I had on last yr.). Only broke twice in 2 yrs.
so I guess I can deal with that, always keep a old one on board in the bilge
next to the batteries, saved the tow twice. Never been towed yet but only
been boating 2 yrs. Thanks for the reply
"JLSAVARD" wrote in message
...
Is there any possibility that you are using the wrong belt?

They come in different widths, and a "too narrow" belt would rub the
bottom of
the pulley(s), requiring extra tension, causing extra wear.

A properly sized belt will not touch the bottom of the vee in the pulley.

Joe Savard

"Wildest Dream" wrote
Only broke twice in 2 yrs.
so I guess I can deal with that

I'm pretty sure the belt on my merc is the original from 1978.