Serpentine Belt

[SilentOption]

Hopefully from someone who has done it, what's the advantage to switching my Yanmar over to the Balmar serpentine belt?

[deluxe68]

If your alternator is over (about) 100 amps then you will have much less slipping with a serpentine belt. Once aligned and tensioned correctly a serpentine is less likely to create belt dust or break. I put the Balmar kit on my Yanmar when I installed their 165 alternator. The spacing was off on the pump pulley and I had to have spacers added.

[SilentOption]

Great That's all I needed. Right now I have the stock 80amp alternator but we are moving to a higher amperage unit. The switch seems straight forward enough.



Thanks Again!

[a64pilot]

It’s an easy install, two beer Job tops.
I’d wait until you got a bigger Alt though and do both at the same time.

[rgleason]

Long discussion
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-203442.html

[SailRedemption]

Do you have an existing Yanmar serpentine belt? The difference is Yanmars is a 6 groove and Balmar and pretty much everyone else in the world use 8 groove belts. The Yanmar belt should turn a 165a alt no problem. You just need to have Balmar or whatever alternator you'll use put the old Yanmar alt pulley on the new alt. Not hard, just need an impact wrench to get the nut off. Easy peasy.

[Bleemus]

Serpentine with belt dust . . .

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

Serpentine with belt dust . . .

Attachment 176757

Did you use a gauge to tension the belt?

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Did you use a gauge to tension the belt?

Nope. That is on a boat I am considering buying. I am sure I can figure it out if we buy it. Just wanted to point out that you can get belt dust from a serpentine if not adjusted properly.

[a64pilot]

I’m suspicious of that motor, even the filter is the exact same color as the engine?

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I’m suspicious of that motor, even the filter is the exact same color as the engine?

It's a brand new Beta with less than 200 hours. They come that way.

[a64pilot]

New would explain it.
In truth I thought what we call down South a "Mary Carter overhaul"

New engine, unless belt sloppy loose doesn't make sense.
Just me, but I'd like to see a spring tensioned idler pulley on a serpentine belt, but guess that is too hard.