Belt material transfer to pulley

[JHZR2]

Idler pulley has less than 1000 miles on it. It is an engineering plastic on a rubber belt.

The belt feels fine. Groove depth check out fine.

I’m planning to replace the belt, but thoughts on causes? I don’t think the belt has seen much petroleum on it.

 

[Tman220]

Your belt looks perfectly fine. Ever use belt dressing? What is on your fan blades? looks terrible! and This is coming from another poor chap with salt belt vehicles.

 

[JHZR2]

Your belt looks perfectly fine. Ever use belt dressing? What is on your fan blades? looks terrible! and This is coming from another poor chap with salt belt vehicles.

I’ve never used it. I don’t know the history of the belt; there is no noise from the belt system.

It’s an aluminum fan on a 292k mile car… aluminum oxidation and maybe some cosmoline from back in the day.

 

[HankHill]

That's not normal, at all. Get that belt off the pully, and see if the pulley is loose at all. Try and wiggle it if there's play, replace it. If it were me I'd just replace the belt and pulley. While your at it check the tensioner assembly and maybe it needs replacing too.

 

[Lubener]

Belt too tight or something's binding.

 

[JHZR2]

That's not normal, at all. Get that belt off the pully, and see if the pulley is loose at all. Try and wiggle it if there's play, replace it. If it were me I'd just replace the belt and pulley. While your at it check the tensioner assembly and maybe it needs replacing too.

I just replaced the pulley in the last 1000 miles. INA pulley, not some junk. No play, I checked that.

I can replace the belt but wasn’t sure if this was something indicating something else.

Belt too tight or something's binding.

This isnt the only car I own with this engine/belt/tensioner. Tensioner was refurbished with the idler. Belt is correct size and not too tight. Tensioner is in the right location and spins properly.

I suspect the belt could be too old and slightly loose so it isn’t hard against the idler. That might make sense. I know that old and new belts deflect to different amounts. I don’t see the belt bouncing or not contacting the idler, but who knows when auxiliaries start and stop or one is driving at speed.

 

[HankHill]

How many miles / age of the belt? I'd take the belt off, clean the pulley with brake cleaner and re-install. If there is material transfer again, I'd buy a new belt.
Hell, if I replace a pulley or tensioner unit, I generally replace the belt and throw the used one in my "emergency" load out kit in my trunk.

 

[JHZR2]

How many miles / age of the belt? I'd take the belt off, clean the pulley with brake cleaner and re-install. If there is material transfer again, I'd buy a new belt.
Hell, if I replace a pulley or tensioner unit, I generally replace the belt and throw the used one in my "emergency" load out kit in my trunk.

That is a wild card. No idea. It looks fine, no cracks, deep grooves. No issues. But it could indeed be stretched, had been exposed to something at some point… who knows.

I had to deal with a. Bad shock on the tensioner. Then I wasn’t sure if the idler was bad since it spun so nice and freely. So it’s been a bit more piecewise than I’d prefer.

 

[HankHill]

I would get a new belt and idler pulley. Its so cheap why not right? (assuming your idler is cheap). WIth the old belt on and engine running, spray down the pulleys with brake cleaner. Get all of them, get the crank real good too. Then you should have nice clean pulleys for your new belt!

 

[JHZR2]

I would get a new belt and idler pulley. Its so cheap why not right? (assuming your idler is cheap). WIth the old belt on and engine running, spray down the pulleys with brake cleaner. Get all of them, get the crank real good too. Then you should have nice clean pulleys for your new belt!

The idler is brand new. I’m not going to replace it. I will swap the belt.

 

[HankHill]

The idler is brand new. I’m not going to replace it. I will swap the belt.

didn't know it was new, yeah I would def. not replace it. Apparently I missed that.