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8mm Blower Belt Squeal?

BUSTI

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Ok, here the set up. 461' BBC with a TBS 8-71. The 8-71 is new to my set up as well as new to me. I followed the instructions and tensioned the belt to 1"-3/4" cold tension. I've been running it for the past 5 days and am starting to notice what sounds like a belt squeal. Its non of the accessory belts as the sound is coming from the top pulley/tensioner area. It comes and goes. Can 8mm belts squeal? The Blower turns smooth with the belt off as does the tensioner. The only thing I find odd is there is a lot of belt dust being flung around. Did I tension it to tight?

It is a distinctive squeal so I'm almost positive it's not a bearing in the Blower as it turns so smooth.

Any thoughts?
 

BDMar

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Check the bearings in the tensioner. Use a hose, put it to your ear and then to the pulley.
 

BUSTI

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I really think it's the tensioner. What's funny is it's quiet when you first start the motor in the morning then 5-10 min in to the ride it squeals. Then stays that way. It's just odd.
 

SFOcean

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I really think it's the tensioner. What's funny is it's quiet when you first start the motor in the morning then 5-10 min in to the ride it squeals. Then stays that way. It's just odd.

Test where the noise is coming from with the hose or screwdriver as stated above. I have replaced a tensioner, it squealed just as you describe.
 

obnoxious001

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I really think it's the tensioner. What's funny is it's quiet when you first start the motor in the morning then 5-10 min in to the ride it squeals. Then stays that way. It's just odd.

That's likely because the parts expand with engine temperature, and the reason the belt should not be too tight.

Since you mentioned the dust, is the belt running against an edge somewhere?
 

Riodog

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Where did the blower come from? Was it new, rebuilt or whatever?
Short story-> bunch of years ago I put a 12/71 on a motor, let it warm up a bit and put my foot in it. When we combed all of the rubber, etc out of our hair, checked out the seized up blower and thought about it a while I realized that the blower had come off of an alcohol motor and the clearances were too tight for a gas motor,,,dah! It sqealed like a b**ch right before the unit tighted up and didn't worky no more.
Let it warm up til it starts sqealing then pull the belt and see if the blower turns over with no extra effort.
Rio
 

BUSTI

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Where did the blower come from? Was it new, rebuilt or whatever?
Short story-> bunch of years ago I put a 12/71 on a motor, let it warm up a bit and put my foot in it. When we combed all of the rubber, etc out of our hair, checked out the seized up blower and thought about it a while I realized that the blower had come off of an alcohol motor and the clearances were too tight for a gas motor,,,dah! It sqealed like a b**ch right before the unit tighted up and didn't worky no more.
Let it warm up til it starts sqealing then pull the belt and see if the blower turns over with no extra effort.
Rio

Well the Blower was used. Purchased from someone who said it was used in gas and in good shape. It looked great as he stated. I took it to Littlefield and they said it looked to be in good shape but without a full rebuild they couldn't tell me exactly. They recommended a re-strip and bearings in a season or two just to be safe.

The Blower came without an intake, drive, carb adapter, tensioner and pulleys. I purchased them new from TBS.

It ran for 5 days up and down the river without any odd sounds. Plus the two weekends prior no problems.

The tensioner pulley has some funny marks on them. I think I didn't have the pulley aligned right and it's eating at the belt.

IMG_5860.jpg IMG_5861.jpg
 

obnoxious001

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The tensioner pulley has some funny marks on them. I think I didn't have the pulley aligned right and it's eating at the belt.

That's why I asked earlier if it was rubbing an edge. I fixed a squeal exactly like that once on the water here.
 

BUSTI

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Well, I just left Littlefield. It looks like the brand new tensioner pulley was locking up. One look and they said pulley stopped rolling. Littlefield is going to do a complete rebuild and get me dialed in. It's always something.
 

BUSTI

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That's why I asked earlier if it was rubbing an edge. I fixed a squeal exactly like that once on the water here.

I honestly couldn't see it running on the sides. After looking at the belt I can see little flat spots on them from the tensioner.
 
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