Should I be getting a layer of belt dust already?

[KIMMER]

Well, I have about 40 miles on the s/c and there is a pretty good layer of belt dust/particles on the bottom edge of the alt and the plate that hold the small tensioner that whipple gives you in the kit. Wondering if the belt is slipping and thats why the car feels like its not at full power?

 

[ChevyKiller]

How does the belt itself look? Any fraying of the edges on either side?

 

[KIMMER]

Dont see any frays, and nothing comes close to the edge of it anywhere. If I get on it alittle bit and shift into 3rd, it will make the car buck at first. I know I need to hit the dyno asap, but still looking for one close to me

 

[ChevyKiller]

Wipe the dust down and cruise some more. If it's not there - then it's just a little dust from the new belt settling. Remember that you ARE going to get some slip on any serpentine FI - the degree various with the power.

If it's not fraying or rubbing anything, then chances are it may just be the break in of the belt. If it truly is slipping too much, then it may be a little too tight/loose and a different size belt may be in order but my money is on the belt just settling itself in.

 

[psfracer]

Well, if you keep finding belt dust everywhere you know what I am going to say: GI Joe 8-rib kit. Mine has worked great, and at about 3K miles, with numerous WOT runs, burnouts hitting the rev limiter at 7000rpm, haven't lost one belt.

 

[KIMMER]

Well, if you keep finding belt dust everywhere you know what I am going to say: GI Joe 8-rib kit. Mine has worked great, and at about 3K miles, with numerous WOT runs, burnouts hitting the rev limiter at 7000rpm, haven't lost one belt.

I know, I want his kit, but unfortunately the only green I can send him is the leaves on my trees. The whipple pretty much drained me.

 

[Hawgman]

Make sure you don't have a rub somewhere. When my SC first went on I had a nice layer of dust and it was because the belt was rubbing on the alternator bracket. I know the Whipple setup is different than the Saleen, just saying look around for some rubbing.

 

[RedFury]

Congrats on getting your Whipple running. I'm glad you were able to work through the bugs and get er' done!

I get a healthy dose of black belt dust buildup when I frequently accelerate/decelerate hard (every day, lol). I believe it is normal. I see no evidence of a rub anywhere. I'm sure an 8 rib setup would help. I don't care so much on the street, but when I go drag racing, I spray on belt dressing to make the belt stickier.

 

[MattD]

I bet it's just the new belt 'breaking-in' if you want to call it that.

 

[cekim]

I'd do as suggested above - wipe off the dust and see if it comes back...

If it does, I'd start looking for either:
a. slippage - yes some is inevitable, but I had 3K miles on my 6 rib setup and with the right belt/tension had virtually no dust. I went with an 8 rib setup eventually, but short of a chirp now and then when I shifted above 5K RPM the 6 rib was working reasonably well after some experimentation with belt sizes...
b. misalignment. You've added parts to the belt system that may not be lined up...

 

[KIMMER]

Wiped it off, it came back and noticed that the edges of the belt front and back are showing some more white material. I cannot find anywhere that it is rubbing, and nothing is adjustable front to back to align anything. Guess I will keep looking at it. Once in awhile the car loses power when I start getting into it. I have a dyno time setup for next monday to check the tune out and have adam adjust it.

 

[cekim]

I cannot find anywhere that it is rubbing, and nothing is adjustable front to back to align anything.

Well, the loss of power sounds like slippage, but as for alignment - if something were loose, the tension of the belt might hide it (i.e. check for loose components with the belt off). Even still, there can be parts at the extremes of tolerance and/or loose here and there to add up to misalignment which requires wiggling things around prior to torquing them down...

Sounds like you get dust pretty fast? Did you romp on it? If that's the case (getting lots of dust fast), I'd keep looking for interference, loose parts, or loose belt to make sure you don't have something wrong that is going to cut/throw a belt...

 

[ChevyKiller]

I know you are waiting on funds - but GI Joe should be bumped up on your list to call. The 8 rib should be top on your list now.

Sound like slip to me. If it was rubbing or not aligned, I'd think the belt would be fraying.

 

[cekim]

IThe 8 rib should be top on your list now.

Eh, just sell that lame ol' whipple and get a turbo, er, 2 turbos, er, a saleen, no, no I got it! a KB! Scratch all that, just get a 500ci Aluminum alcohol engine... No F'ing power adders to worry about... :beat:

 

[pcdrj]

Also take a look accross the belt to make sure the pulley lines up properly with your alt, etc. For some reason some s/c installs I've seen required a pulley to be modified for allignment.

 

[GI Joe]

I know, I want his kit, but unfortunately the only green I can send him is the leaves on my trees. The whipple pretty much drained me.

hmmmmm what kind of tree's you got?....... The kind that grows free advertising?????hehehehehe

 

[G.T]

i tend to see white dust on the SC pulley itself only.. belt looks great
boost gauge goes up to 10PSI without a problem.
i did have a minor issue over the first few days with the sliding idler not being tight enough.. just make sure you push the sliding idler (to the right of the alternator) all the way down and tighten it.
i'd double check your tensioner and make sure you have the 100mm steel smooth idler pulley installed on the driver side.

finally, you mentioned your stumble if you get on it and shift up..
i've suffered from this since day one.. it's actualy the fuel pressure dropping as the load decreases.
with my FP gauge in place, i see it dropping from 55PSI at WOT to 18-20 as i'm shifting gear, then raises slowly back to ~30.
if i get on it before the pressure is back up, the car would fall on its face.

the only solution for me is to shift fast.
i'm still researching the proper solution, as this does seem quite similar to the well documented hesitation that terminator owners with upgraded fuel pump experience (google pprv delete).

 

[Error404]

do you have the stock hood? it's possible that you are rubbing the hood liner (or the hood!) with the belt? My pulley ate through the hood liner pretty quick. I don't think it's rubbing the actual hood though.

 

[KIMMER]

i tend to see white dust on the SC pulley itself only.. belt looks great
boost gauge goes up to 10PSI without a problem.
i did have a minor issue over the first few days with the sliding idler not being tight enough.. just make sure you push the sliding idler (to the right of the alternator) all the way down and tighten it.
i'd double check your tensioner and make sure you have the 100mm steel smooth idler pulley installed on the driver side.

finally, you mentioned your stumble if you get on it and shift up..
i've suffered from this since day one.. it's actualy the fuel pressure dropping as the load decreases.
with my FP gauge in place, i see it dropping from 55PSI at WOT to 18-20 as i'm shifting gear, then raises slowly back to ~30.
if i get on it before the pressure is back up, the car would fall on its face.

the only solution for me is to shift fast.
i'm still researching the proper solution, as this does seem quite similar to the well documented hesitation that terminator owners with upgraded fuel pump experience (google pprv delete).

I'm talking to someone today about a possible harness issue with the fuel pumps. I'll let you know what I find out.

The hood is stock, but the cover is off.

hmmmmm what kind of tree's you got?....... The kind that grows free advertising?????hehehehehe

I do have some of those kinds of trees..lol.

 

[G.T]

I'm talking to someone today about a possible harness issue with the fuel pumps. I'll let you know what I find out.]

great.. please keep me posted.
i've spent countless hours with Whipple (Jeff Tiller) over the phone trying to get to the bottom of this to no avail