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Alpha 1 alternator belt squealing

wbmiller

New member
"I have a Alpha 1 and have had

"I have a Alpha 1 and have had continuous problems with the alternator belt. I have a 1997 (purchased new, very low hours) and have had to replace the belt every 3 seasons. When the belt begins to squeal I adjust it, but eventually run out of adjustment and belt keeps wearing thin and riding lower and lower in the pulley and squealing. I cannot visually see any alignment problem. Has anyone else seen this problem? How to I correct it?

Thanks - Brad"
 
"Rust alone on a pulley will w

"Rust alone on a pulley will wear the belt really fast. A glazed belt and pulley will squeal. A battery that doesn't hold a charge will present more of a load to the alternator and since there's no such thing as free power and it takes more work to rotate an alternator with a heavy load, the motor moves the belt but when the alternator is harder to rotate, the belt will slip, causing squealing, stretching and wear. Clean the pulleys, get a new belt and check the battery and alternator, to make sure they're holding a charge and providing adequate charge, respectively. Also, make sure there isn't any excessive current draw when the key is off.

OK, now think about what a belt sees in three seasons- sitting over the winter (in cold places) with extreme temperature cycles, moisture, oils, rust forming on pulleys because of sitting and collecting condensation, high RPM while the alternator charges a battery that may have been discharged more than a few times. Three years isn't bad, considering.

Divide the cost of a belt by three and think about how hard it is to change- not much and it's not hard. Why is this a problem?"
 
"I've checked - there is n

"I've checked - there is no rust on the pulleys. We use this boat about 5 times a year and it is in covered dry storage for the remainder, in Georgia."
 
"OK, but there can be dust, gr

"OK, but there can be dust, grit, condensation, oils and other contaminants on the pulleys and belt(s). The fact that it's only used 5 time a year tells me that unless there's a trickle charger on it (and I haven't read that there is one), the battery voltage will drop and present more of a load to the alternator, which will resist rotation and cause the belt to slip. This glazes the belt and it won't grip as well as it should, causing the squeal."
 
"Jim, Thanks for your replies

"Jim, Thanks for your replies on this I was having the same problem on my 3.0L and the Pulley was considerably rusted I took some steel wool and a dremel to it and retightened the belt and things seem much better now.

thanks,
Chris"
 
"When you put it to bed for th

"When you put it to bed for the winter, you might want to think about removing the pulley, clean it (maybe blast it) and have it powder coated. More durable than paint if it's done right. Or, you could take it to a body shop and have them do it, painting it whenever they need to shoot polyurethane paint (like Imron). That way, you don't need to spend a lot for the paint, since it's about $100/gallon. Rustoleum has some good paints that are really durable, as long as the prep work is meticulous."
 
Maybe check your alternator be

Maybe check your alternator bearing while you are changing belts. It might be trashed and on the verge of seizing up. Not good.
Rod
 
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