Re: 875KTQ list of problems

[brettd@tiac.net (Brett Dikeman)]

>On 27 Jan 96 at 23:49, ScottB2460@aol.com wrote:
>
>> Rich, your suggestion about spraying the alternator belt begs a question.
>>  The top "pulley" (next to timing belt plastic cover and first one you see)
>> which I believe my A/C belt is attached to; often, not always makes a noise
>> usually starting on cold mornings.  Sounds like it needs lubercating.  Well,
>> sure enought I sprayed lubercant (wd40 one time another type the next) and as
>> soon as some stayed on the pulley, noise went away.  This lasts for a few
>> days, sometimes weeks before having to do it again.  What is belt dressing
>> and do you think it could help me in my situation better than the lubercants
>> I have been using?   TIA,
>>
>Belt dressing isn't a lubricant.  I think it makes the belt surface
>somewhat tacky (similar to sticky) and/or swells the belt a bit to
>keep it from slipping on the pulley.  If your belt is slipping on the
>top pulley, maybe the WD-40 is letting the belt slip, albeit without
>squealing.  If that's the case, the WD-40 isn't fixing the problem at
>all, it's just keeping things quiet for a few days.  Then again,
>maybe the pulley really needed lubrication.  I'd doubt it, but...
>
>Can anyone else comment on this?
>
>   -Rich
A while ago I saw somewhere an ad for stuff that I think was a cleaner, not
a lubricator.  Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought that for belts
that don't have notches(+pulleys that don't have teeth), you weren't
supposed to lube the belt, because that would defeat the purpose of having
a belt...Also, lubricants like WD40, silicone, and teflon don't work well
for stuff that's out in the air moving a lot-it evaporates or something and
dissapears.  Sort of like Armor All if you know what I mean...
   Perhaps something to try would be what's known as Freon TF (I think
that's the name)-it's a cleaner for electronics parts/contacts, and other
things where all organic contamination has to be removed.  (Though it takes
off most stuff)  Check first to make sure it's safe for rubber(it might
cause the belt to crack), but it will remove all the gook you sprayed on
before.  Do the pulleys too, or you'll just recoat the belt.
   That stuff is expensive, though, and you usually can't find it anywhere
except heavy-duty electronics places.  What might work much better is good
old Isopropyl Alcohol.  Much less expensive, and you can drench the belt
with it and then dry it off with a cloth/towel(with engine off, of course
:).  I don't think iso. alcohol hurts rubber, but you might want some
others to comment on this-_does_ anybody know of any problems?  If not, I
would suggest using the alcohol first.  That will clean up the belt and the
pulley-the rubber will grip the pulley much better, and no squeaks.  Works
great for walkmans+tapedecks on the belt drives too!  I guess it's the same
idea-only you drive the car, not the tape! Oh-one thing!  Will cleaning the
belt totally cause some added friction from the sides of the pulley and the
belt?  Maybe you need a little something to keep the edges running smooth?
Hope this helps+I haven't said anything stupid!

Oh-one quick thing-my address, if anybody cares, has changed.
Brettd516@aol.com has snapped into reality and is now AOL-less at
Brettd@tiac.net *-<:)  Apologies to any mail I didn't recieve-I haven't
logged on to AOL in 7-8 days and I just canceled that account's
subscription to the quattro list.  Sorry if your mail got deleted, so if
you zapped me something and I didn't reply, please forgive me and sent it
again :(


Brett Dikeman
'87 5KCST

"Vegitarians eat vegitables.  Watch out for Humanitarians."