<VV> RE: Belt Slippage

[Frank DuVal]

In a message dated 12/28/2005 10:47:47 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
NicolCS at aol.com writes:

Slippage  would be even worse at lower rpm.   I'm going to try this 
again  someday with a brand-new belt to see if the results  change.




In actual experience, a glazed belt will alow more power throughput at lower RPM. I have a 1981 Caddy Eldorado with the diesel engine. When I first got the car in 1991, I broke an alternator belt while driving and bought one at the closest parts store, Advance auto. It was a cheap belt, but it was only "temporary" use until I could remember to buy a high quality belt. That 100 amp alternator needs a few horsepower at full output. Anyway, about three weeks and 2000 miles later I'm going up I-95 at night when just north of Fredericksburg (beginning at Richmond, VA and going to Washington D.C. area) I think, gee the lights are looking dim. I pull off at the next exit and get out with the engine still running, as I knew if I turned it off that diesel would never start with a weak battery, check under the hood that the belt was still there, couldn't check tension!, lights started looking brighter. I turned off all possible electrical accessories and waited 15 minutes. Drove until the lights loked dim again, and pulled off for another 15 minute stop. Several stops later I'm at my destination. I leave it in front of our townhouse running for 2 hours. Next morning I check tension, not too loose but not great, I install the new good quality belt that I had actually remembered to buy and the batteries had charged up fine, car started right up for the trip back to Richmond. Old belt looked fine except the glazed surface. I think the more throughput at lower RPM is due to the alternator putting out less power at low RPM so it taxes the belt less, therefore slip is less at lower RPM compared to the power output is greater at higher RPM so the slip is greater so the output falls off, but the RPM doesn't so the slip gets even higher and the glazing gets worse.

Frank DuVal