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How do I install the belt on a PCM EX343?!?

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    #1

    How do I install the belt on a PCM EX343?!?

    Sorry for the cross-post from Maintenance, but I've been fighting this for over an hour, searched all over Google, etc. and cannot figure it out.

    -----
    I have the belt tensioner fully compressed, but I simply cannot get the belt around everything. I've tried seating it on everything but the tensioner (the manual's suggestion). I've tried seating it on everything but the raw water pump, figuring that since it's smooth it would be easier to slip the belt around it. Nope. There is simply not enough slack to put it on there.

    There must be a trick I'm missing. I had an incredibly hard time getting the belt off last Fall for winterization, and now have that original belt plus a brand new PCM in-the-box belt too. Neither one will install. They are the same part number, same length, and are the same distance "too short" to install.

    What's the magic trick?

    More:

    I've reconfirmed that I have the belt tensioner completely compressed. It takes a 15mm socket and I have it turned until it reaches a hard stop. It's not going to move any farther. Yet there is still no way the belt will slip over the last pulley. I've tried the tensioner pulley, the alternator pulley, and the raw water pump pulley (smooth, since it rides the back of the belt). This is with the wrench holding the tensioner strapped, so I have two hands to work with.

    I'd swear I have the wrong belt (too short) for this engine, except that it has the correct PCM part number on it. I am bothered by the fact that it was darned near impossible to remove last Fall, though... are there any other adjustments possible beyond just the tensioner's normal spring?

    I really want to start the engine today. Any help greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!
    Last edited by IDBoating; 05-29-2011, 06:10 PM.
    Tags: None
    #2
    More: With the belt properly seated in all pulleys and properly wrapped around the smooth raw water pump pulley, I can hold the belt against the side of the tensioner pulley and see that the belt would JUST BARELY fit into the tensioner pulley with the tensioner spring completely compressed. However, this leaves no slack to get the belt around the outer ridge on the tensioner pulley.

    Stated another way: If I could get the belt installed, it looks like the tensioner would only move the barest fraction when I release it. There would be basically zero slack for the tensioner to take up.

    So far I've spent nearly two hours on something that normally takes about five minutes. I've got to be missing something obvious. HELP!

    Comment

      #3
      Wish I could help. Good luck!

      Does PCM usually require the belt to be removed for winterization?
      Be excellent to one another.

      Comment

        #4
        If the belt is too short, double check your routing.

        In almost every serp belt/spring tensioner setup, there is at least one smooth (non grooved) pulley with no lip. This is the last pulley that the belt gets slipped over. Hope this helps. Best i can do without seeing it 1st hand.
        Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by talltigeguy View Post
          Does PCM usually require the belt to be removed for winterization?
          To remove the impeller (so it doesn't take a set over winter), yes.

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by chpthril View Post
            If the belt is too short, double check your routing.

            In almost every serp belt/spring tensioner setup, there is at least one smooth (non grooved) pulley with no lip. This is the last pulley that the belt gets slipped over. Hope this helps.
            I tried slipping it over the raw water pump pulley instead of the manual's recommendation of the tensioner pulley. No luck, there's simply not enough slack in the belt. This was with TWO hands straining as hard as possible.

            Best i can do without seeing it 1st hand.
            OK, hopefully this will help. Here it is at normal tension:



            ...and here it is with all tension removed (the tensioner is at its hard stop):



            I'm holding it roughly circular in that last photo.

            I agree, the first thing to check is improper routing. I've quadruple checked that, so I'm certain it's correct. More importantly, this belt was incredibly difficult to remove last Fall - and since the engine was running then, I'm pretty sure the belt was installed properly {grin}.

            Is there some sort of coarse adjustment for the tensioner for situations like this? Something that could be off?

            Thanks for the help. This has frustrated me all day.

            Comment

              #7
              Like chpthrill said the smooth pulley that the back of the belt rides on is the easiest pulley to install the belt on.Hope this helps.
              I do all my own stunt work. hey ya'll watch dis.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by robert theisen View Post
                Like chpthrill said the smooth pulley that the back of the belt rides on is the easiest pulley to install the belt on.
                I have tried that - no luck. There's simply not enough slack to make it. I had the same thought, that slipping it over the smooth pulley would be easiest (despite what the PCM manual says), but there's no way. I had fingers of both hands on the belt, with my feet and legs braced against the engine stringer, and couldn't make it happen.

                If you get more ideas, I'd love to hear them. I'm stumped.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Problem solved - but I don't know why!

                  My wife Mary flew back into town this evening from a family funeral. I asked her to climb into the boat with me and double check everything. I had printed out the belt routing illustration from the PCM manual, and she agreed the belt was routed properly.

                  She said "Let's give it a try." So I cranked on the wrench. She could not get the belt over the tensioner pulley, but after a bit of work did manage to get it over the smooth raw water pump pulley! I actually had her do it a second time just so I could watch.

                  Then I tried it, and it worked for me as well. It was still very tight, very close, but it could be done. The only explanation I can think of is that having a second person and that extra pair of hands made the difference.

                  My thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Seriously, I wasted 2+ hours trying to get that belt on today but with an extra set of hands it went on in just a few seconds.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Well i think you can tell from the picture , 1st your not useing snap on tools, right Robert, and 2nd it required a womens touch.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by dom w. forte View Post
                      Well i think you can tell from the picture , 1st your not useing snap on tools, right Robert, and 2nd it required a womens touch.
                      Yes, my wife has this simultaneously endearing and annoying habit of walking up to something I'm having trouble with and taking one simple step to fix it. It's really nice because it solves problems, but it can be rough on the ego!

                      I suspect that having a second pair of hands on the other side of the engine worked just a bit more slack out of the system than I could with one pair of hands on one side. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it's fixed!

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by WABoating View Post
                        Yes, my wife has this simultaneously endearing and annoying habit of walking up to something I'm having trouble with and taking one simple step to fix it. It's really nice because it solves problems, but it can be rough on the ego!

                        I suspect that having a second pair of hands on the other side of the engine worked just a bit more slack out of the system than I could with one pair of hands on one side. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it's fixed!
                        Don't worry W.A. Shirley is always my savior too.Some of us guys need a womens touch more often than we will admit.
                        I do all my own stunt work. hey ya'll watch dis.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          No question about that. My wife saves me from myself all the time!

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