The belt keeps flying off!!!

[coetzeeh]

Gents,

From a non mechanic:

The "serp" belt on my Griff has now developed a habit of coming off - three times in the last week.

A bit of background, end of last year the camshafts and rocker assembly's were replaced by my Indie at 36k miles. The heads also came off for a bit of a tidy up. Shortly after I got the car back the serp belt started shredding after jumping half off the top right hand idler pulley, and was replaced by the Indie. No problem since.

9 months later and all of a sudden the belt has now come off three times in a week. It appears as if the top right hand idler pulley (facing the engine from the front of the car) is the source of the problem, and is out of alignment of the rest of the pulley's.

I now check the belt after every trip, and noticed that on every occasion, the belt was on the way off the "big" pulley at the bottom of the engine, jumping off towards the front of the car (the belt was half off on every occasion).

Problem is that the pulley I suspect to be out of alignment appears fixed, and not adjustable.

Any suggestions please please.

Henk

[2Munkys]

Sure sounds like malalignment somewhere. Maybe you need to do some alignment checks with a 'straight edge'. I'd suggest checking the pulley's for security and play in bearings ets too, especially the tensioner assembly.

I'm guessing that the grooving in the pulleys is clear of debris and in good condition.

Edited by 2Munkys on Friday 15th September 10:43

[red griff roger]

2Munkys said:

especially the tensioner assembly.

Edited by 2Munkys on Friday 15th September 10:43

If it has been running for so long with no problem, check the tensioner first. This is the one on the left hand side (looking front on the engine) by the alternator. You should be able to move it back and forth with a big screwdriver. Make sure it is't stuck.

[Ashy2]

Have had experiance with this before with the idle (dummy) pulley being at fault.The bearing inside the pulley works it's way forward causing the bad alignment and hence the belt falls off.
Quick fix is to press the shaft back into the pulley body, block of wood on the front of the shaft and tap away with hammer until it's home.Permanent solution is to replace the dummy pulley.

[coetzeeh]

Thanks very much for all responses.

H

[tgriff]

Stand to one side of the car and eye the line of the belt pulleys. You will see the idler pulley is not in line the bearing is coming out the housing, if you leave it eventually the pulley will come up against the swirl tank, that becomes interesting.
Centre pop the bearing houssing and bearing locktight.
Steve

[coetzeeh]

Thanks all,

Did the bearing lock tite thing and problem solved.

H

[cornish boy]

had the same recently, shredded a belt. turned out the tensioner wheel was out of alignment. new tensioner wheel and all sorted.