alternator belt sqeek

cezeta · Post by **cezeta** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:24 pm

this gets even more silly as it goes on.....

I just came back from Gatwick Airport where my firm is doing a electrical system design for network rail via their mechanical and electrical maintenance contractor Osbourns.

I always beg borrow and .....ok not steal...... from my customers and end up with nice cnc machined bits and bobs or tyres for not a lot etc.

I asked the maintenance guys about the best preventative maintenance for rubber belts and I almost sprayed the room with coffee when one of the older boys said "SOAP"

He said that prior to stuff in a can they used soap on a brush then would wipe it off with a rag. Turns out they can not use this method anymore as all the equipment is now installed with guards and the method of application was a bit iffy

They now use a spray which I have been promised a can of on my next visit

Lets just hope its a well known brand and Kylie likes the smell

.....Dove

I wonder if they do a deodorising under wheel arch waxoil too......

cezeta · Post by **cezeta** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:15 pm

keefysher wrote:A word of caution on using soap on the belts, the best lubricant for rubber is soapy water. Find and old car tyre then try to cut the tread with a dry stanley knife blade, then wipe soapy water on the blade and cut again.

the idea is to lube and condition the belt daft as it sounds.

but in all seriousness if you use any of these ideas then use one with manufacturers instructions.

there will be a good reason that they went from natural soap to a manufactured spray version so I will trust the judgement of the r&d that goes into such a process by the likes of 3m and loctite. I'm not sure the contents of my bathroom could compete and I don't want to be responsible for 100s of bongo owners driving around with slipping belts and suds coming from their engine bays.

ferdyb · Post by **ferdyb** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:56 pm

You will look in vain for a power steering belt on the Bongo

ferdy

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:56 pm

Sounds ominous ferdyb to us new and non techincal owners - why's that. Doesnt it have one?

ferdyb · Post by **ferdyb** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:15 pm

Nothing to worry about, it's just a bonus. The power steering pump is driven off the gear train up the front, so there's no danger of the sudden loss of power steering as can happen with other vehicles when a belt breaks.

Our belts only drive alternator, water pump and air con. Does on mine anyway.

ferdy

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:20 pm

I feel better already ferdyb - and I've the best part of a glass of cold beer right beside me to improve things further

ferdyb · Post by **ferdyb** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:59 pm

Good one, my glass is now empty and I'm off up the wooden hill.

ferdy

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:12 am

I had the serpentine belt replaced on a v6 mondeo i had a few years back,wasn,t too chuffed with the £300 bill! As i recall, i think the belt was about£40 the rest was labour. Then it started making the same squeaking noise about three months later! (it was the squeaking noise that made me replace it in the first place) So then began a ritual spraying with wd 40 every three months, it didn,t appear to weaken the belt in any way just quietened it down. a mechanic said i,d been ripped off by the other garage, he reckoned it was common knowledge that the perrenial belt on the v6 engine was prone to squeaking due to it "drying out", and that he,d always suggest spraying it lightly with wd. a very small spray was all that was required,with the nozzle barely pressed,the silencing effect was immediate, and quite astonishing. That particular engine was so very smooth and quiet, that the little squeaking noise was very apparent, and drove you bloody mad!

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:27 am

You learn something new every day bigdaddy...I've been in this motor game all my life and never heard of a "perrenial belt"

A PERENNIAL is a plant which lasts more than 2 years - maybe the belt has no life expectancy.........

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:41 am

yes dandy, the perennial belt drives the daffodil pulley which in turn, causes the tulip tensioner to exert pressure on the accelerator petal...

sorry dandy i meant SERPENTINE belt! dunno where i got pirennial from

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:47 am

P.S. i,ve edited the original post now, to minimize the stick i'll get for the blunder...

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:55 pm

....just keep takin' the pills bigdaddy..............

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:04 pm

i have been mate! thats prob why i got it wrong!