tlkenyon
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2010
- Messages
- 679
- Fluid Motion Model
- R-25 SC
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- 3 kayaks, 1 canoe; R-21 (Nellie May I)
- Vessel Name
- Nellie May
- MMSI Number
- 338219131
The seawater pump belt was worn such that it was slipping occasionally, so I replaced it. Information on this forum suggested that I could cut the old belt off and coax the new one on with a screwdriver and a breaker bar to turn the engine over. I looked at the pump and it looked to me that because of the rotation direction, it would be nigh impossible to coax the new belt on with the screwdriver because the belt comes off the pulley on the top and, of course, goes on the pulley on the bottom, where the bracket for the pump gets in the way. And, don't forget, the alternator belt has to come off as it is the outer belt.
So I took the pump off the motor by taking out two bolts holding the bracket to the motor (one on the front of the block and one way underneath) and one nut (on the top of the bracket). This loosened thing enough to slip the old belt off and the new one on. Getting the new belt on the pulley past a nut on the bracket and past the nut on the pulley axle was a challenge.
The bolt underneath has a spacer that rides on top of the bracket and is almost impossible to get to. My wife's small hands were able to get the spacer back in the proper position and get the bolt started. The other bolt and the nut went on easily. I cannot imaging doing this in a seaway...we were on a stable boat lift and it was enough of a challenge.
Anyone else go this route to change this important belt?
The new belt is a lot tighter and does not slip. The change took me about an hour.
So I took the pump off the motor by taking out two bolts holding the bracket to the motor (one on the front of the block and one way underneath) and one nut (on the top of the bracket). This loosened thing enough to slip the old belt off and the new one on. Getting the new belt on the pulley past a nut on the bracket and past the nut on the pulley axle was a challenge.
The bolt underneath has a spacer that rides on top of the bracket and is almost impossible to get to. My wife's small hands were able to get the spacer back in the proper position and get the bolt started. The other bolt and the nut went on easily. I cannot imaging doing this in a seaway...we were on a stable boat lift and it was enough of a challenge.
Anyone else go this route to change this important belt?
The new belt is a lot tighter and does not slip. The change took me about an hour.