Belt life

[Wiggo]

All this talk of rip-off servicing got me thinking - anyone know what is the expected life of the belts on a Vilevo lump? And how do you know when they're on their way out, short of having them fail on you? I'm getting a little belt slip on both engines now, as the superchargers come in - should I replace the belts, or try belt dressing?

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[Moose]

Ours have lasted over 350 hours, however when I did change the belt it didn't have long to go!!

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[Wiggo]

Hmm. 330 hours on the clocks, and no idea when they were last changed (if ever)...

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[Cymraeg]

If you've got dust around the engine bay where the belts have been wearing then I'd probably change them. If it's not very bad then maybe an adjustment would suffice.

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[muchy_]

You want to change them long before they are " on their way out".
Inspect them for damage, cracks, wear etc. But there again, if you have no idea when they were last changed you should be thinking about having them done. The other option is VERY expensive and a whole lot of wasted sailing time besides.

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[Wiggo]

my thoughts exactly. There is evidence of at least one belt having shredded in the past, but I have no idea when. They look fine, but are beginning to slip, which I suspect means they are hardening, prior to going crappy - can anyone confirm this?

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[kimhollamby]

As said here look for belt dust and also for signs of rusting on any of the pulleys -- rusted surfaces eat the rubber very quickly.

Would agree earlier change rather than later recommended. On the Volvo supercharged engines the big belt failing means you lose the cam drive, which might get ugly. The smaller of the two flat belts means you lose the supercharger, which you can do without but when that belt fails it sometimes flails around and does other damage.

Also well worth keeping an eye on the idler wheel (the pulley that provides for belt adjustment) -- if you are getting ugly screaming noises from time to time the bearing (sealed for life) might be failing. I've seen a few of those that have come apart completely and one that seized, blowing the belt anyway.

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[Moose]

Change then then, I forgot you had 2 belts.

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[peterandjeanette]

"Ugly screaming noises" can be just the belt slipping, usually the one driving the turbo. Having experienced this once - changed my trousers - I was relieved to find it was not too serious. A squirt of belt dressing cured the problem for the rest of the journey home.

Now, regardless of expense or advice from engineers, I insist on replacing all belts every year. Just need to keep the correct tension. Average usage of engines 200 hours per year varying between pottering on the Thames and full blown dash around the Normandy coast. But that's just me. Over cautious perhaps.

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[Renegade_Master]

Yup Kim the circular tensioner is vumnerable we had one go recently on the port engine (ask Martin whiteley) and now the one on the stb engine is worn. Also I believe it is worth keeping an eye on the water pump which is driven by the same belt I believe, cos if the bearing on the pump wears it can throw the belt.

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