Dust from fan belts....

[WoodyP]

I nearly made a sensible reply until I checked the date.

 

[ean_p]

Their's nothing like a blast from the past!
All those, now lost, contributers ☹

When you say 'lost' do you mean drifted away or............?

 

[Refueler]

I always use Gates belts, the Cogged Raw Edge belts which transmits more horse power than a standard vee belt which I fitted to my last boat, a 19hp Perkins but my current boat has a multi-vee belt which has lasted 14 years. I did replace it last year but that's another story... They must be tensioned correctly though.

My belt is older than this thread !! and no signs of ever needing replacement.

Having now said that - once I am mobile again - I will get to Motor Factors and buy a spare !!

 

[steveeasy]

ok same problem on my Yanmar 2ym15. I can do two belts in a short season. Having looked at this earlier in the year the pulleys were rusty. ive sanded them down and waiting for positive results.
Steveeasy

 

[LittleSister]

The thread is old, but most of the suggestions are still valid, should the OP or anyone else be suffering from the problem.

Other causes I don't think have been mentioned are -
a) some engines (no names, no pack drill!) were supplied with undersized belts for the loads they had to drive, and so they tend to scrub and dispense dust (note also the loads placed on alternators have generally increased over the years, exacerbating the problem). The solution there is to replace the pulleys and belt with something beefier, or just live with it; and
b) if the engine compartment is (regularly) too hot it results in belt dust.

 

[penberth3]

Your advice is 19 years too late!

And possibly wrong! Brake FLUID will strip paint. Brake CLEANER evaporates very quickly, I'd be surprised if it did any damage to good paintwork.

 

[mattonthesea]

Exactly my thought when I saw Snowleopard.

I wondered what had happened to Snowy. He gave me good advice before my travels.

 

[LadyInBed]

When you say 'lost' do you mean drifted away?

Yes

 

[Moncersaweigh]

The thread is old, but most of the suggestions are still valid, should the OP or anyone else be suffering from the problem.

Other causes I don't think have been mentioned are -
a) some engines (no names, no pack drill!) were supplied with undersized belts for the loads they had to drive, and so they tend to scrub and dispense dust (note also the loads placed on alternators have generally increased over the years, exacerbating the problem). The solution there is to replace the pulleys and belt with something beefier, or just live with it; and
b) if the engine compartment is (regularly) too hot it results in belt dust.

I understand the reasons for belt dust that you and others have provided, and remedies for avoiding it. What I really need to know is the best way to clean it off the engine, the inside of the engine insulation and out of the bilge beneath the engine.

 

[LittleSister]

I understand the reasons for belt dust that you and others have provided, and remedies for avoiding it. What I really need to know is the best way to clean it off the engine, the inside of the engine insulation and out of the bilge beneath the engine.

Vacuum cleaner - preferably with a small brush tool on it, to remove as much dust as possible/accessible, especially the insulation and e.g. alternator where some will have got inside. (You might want to buy a replacement small brush tool in advance rather than the original going back into service contaminated by oil or whatever from this operation. )
Then damp cloth, to remove the remains, aided by a variety of small brushes (e.g. old toothbrushes, washing up brushes, etc.) to clean the dust from nooks, crannies and crevices.

If you have a lot of dust in the bilges that is either inaccessible or wet, flush/hose out using plenty of water and the bilge pump.