1997 Mercruiser 5.7L EFI -- serpentine belt god awful squeel, please advise

[BoatingTimbo]

I've got a new sea ray sundancer 260 with 1997 merc 5.7L efi and i'd like to find a pdf version of service manual. searched around and can't find anything. Anyone help?

One of the first things i need to do is figure out how to tighten the serpentine belt as it's squeaking a tiny bit... and the other day after idling for about 5 mins, then revving up a little, the belt starting slipping to a point the squeal was so unbearably bad it almost made my ears bleed!!! had to shut down and test re-starting a few times with same squeal present. Started it up a few hours later and fine. let idle for 10 mins., revving again to try and duplicate, and nothing (except the very minor squeak... a squeak so minor i would never have thought to tighten the belt). It's a new boat so i'm learning my way around it and would love the manual if anyone knows where to download?

[QC]

Did you check out the Adults Only sticky ^^^^^

[BoatingTimbo]

Well, adults only sticky eh... now i know. Good summary post, strange non-descript name for the sticky!

The problem i'm trying to figure out is if i had something locking up that that the serpentine belt turns. after idle for about 5 mins it started squeeking a tiny bit like belt was loose then started into the worst squeel you've ever heard until i shut down. tried firing it up a few more times and still same thing with burning rubber smell from the belt slipping! Let it sit for 3-4 hours then fired up and nothing... revved up and let run for 10 mins. and wasn't able to duplicate

I'm worried something is about to seize up and i want to find out and replace before we are out on the water. What pump is common that would seize up like this and the serpentine belt spins over the powersteering pump pulley, or water pump, or alternator, or a roller?? I have powersteering and internal cooling.

i'm going to take the serpentine belt off on Sat. and see if the slipping damaged it and i should replace, then i'll spin all pulley's and hope i can tell what might be getting close to seizing up and needs replacing... but i'm not sure how obvious it will be when spinning PS pump, alternator or water pump? If any of those pumps go could they seize up and not spin?

Any guidance, suggestions or help would be very much appreciated! Thanks

[Black as]

Take the belt off and do a check on your pulleys, you could have a bearing on the way out or ready to cease up. You also need to buy another belt refit and check you have the belt at the correct tension.

[Don S]

Well, adults only sticky eh... now i know. Good summary post, strange non-descript name for the sticky!

Did you by any chance look at the other sticky right below it? It's title is a bit more discriptive MUST HAVE Technical Information for DIYers.

[BoatingTimbo]

Ya, this weekend i'll go down and see if i can duplicate it again to spot which one's not spinning or just take the belt off and test spinning them all. Good point about a new belt... thanks!

[BoatingTimbo]

Inspected today; Serpentine belt was pretty loose. manual says 1/4" give when pushing at longest point. I was getting almost 2" so guessing that was my problem. Took belt off and carefully inspected and put back on while i wait on replacement. Tightened to spec and runs nicely.

I checked all the pulleys, alternator and powersteering pump. All spinning nicely with no feel of bearings going... HOWEVER...

how easily should it be to spin the water pump??? Should it spin with as easily as the other pulley's, alternotor and powersteering pump?? Wondering if the pump is what was binding up or if it was just that the belt was really loose???

Anyone know how much pressure it takes or how easy it is to spin the water pump when testing by hand??

[TilliamWe]

Which water pump are you talking about? The circulating pump, that looks just like one on a car? or the raw water pump that is mounted way low on the starboard side of the engine? The raw water pump will be "hard" to turn by hand. The circulating pump will not.

[BoatingTimbo]

Yes, raw water pump. I think i have closed cooling system... so would that mean no smaller water pump? It was for sure the larger pump at lower starboard side. Good to hear that is hard to turn... that means the only problem with the slipping belt was that it was loose. Good news.

[TilliamWe]

Well, even if you have closed cooling, you still have a circulation pump.

Regarding how hard the raw water pump is to turn, my serpentine belt wasn't super tight once, and the motor rocked back a little at shutoff. Well the vanes on the impeller in that pump flipped the wrong way, and my belt couldn't turn that pump and it squealed like crazy too. It's probably what happened to yours.

[BoatingTimbo]

That is exactly what happened. Motor stalled on cold idle and then squeel happened on restart.

So where is the circulating water pump?

[TilliamWe]

So where is the circulating water pump?

Where it is on every small block based Chevy engine, in the front center, above the crankshaft damper pulley. It will have a pulley on it, also.

[SRossRobertson]

Well, even if you have closed cooling, you still have a circulation pump.

Regarding how hard the raw water pump is to turn, my serpentine belt wasn't super tight once, and the motor rocked back a little at shutoff. Well the vanes on the impeller in that pump flipped the wrong way, and my belt couldn't turn that pump and it squealed like crazy too. It's probably what happened to yours.

I believe I have just experienced the same thing, how did you correct the problem of the flipped vanes ? Thanks Ross

[Don S]

Welcome to iboats Ross.
You must have missed the sticky at the top of this forum.
http://forums.iboats.com/omc-i-o-inboard-engines-outdrives/have-question-start-new-thread-462748.html