Belts

Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi all,
Just a short question about belts. For a winter layover, who loosens the belts on their engines?

All U Get
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
why would you do that..... are you going to be onboard with it if so you may want to fire it up at least once a week just to keep it lubed and if you do you would be for ever loosing and tightening the belts...besides that you have a long trip to make sampling libations ........ you have no time for laying up
 
Sep 23, 2009
1,477
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
I do. I may be a shadetree mechanic but I'm a by the book shadetree mechanic.
 
Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
Don't know if it's really true but they say leaving it tight will damage the alt bearings, so I usually loosen or remove my alt belt over the winter. Right now I've got the starter in being rebuilt, had to remove the alt to get to it, so its still off. Won't put it back on til spring.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Mine was a little loose on the genset after having the boat out for a bottom job last winter. It just happened to be tight enough to run the raw water pump most of the time. I was thinking a plug because when I was looking at it, the belt wouldn't slip and everything was fine pumping water. When it was started in the evening for power however, no water was mixing in the exhaust. I changed hoses and impeller running water through strainer to Hx several times before I considered the belt. Just a little loose and I expect would slip when loads changed. Lesson learned, its always the simple things. BTW I don't loosen belts.

All U Get
 
Aug 2, 2009
651
Catalina 315 Muskegon
I remove my belts each fall and sleep with them throughout the winter months. I usually tell them a bedtime story before we turn off the lights each night. I'm pretty sure my engine will be more reliable if I continue this practice.