Serpentine Belt

J3ff

Another gates user here. Screw 100+ dollar belt. 30-40 bucks on amazon everyday of the week. 

captkevin

How often should you change belt?

aero3113

captkevin said:

How often should you change belt?

I would say every 2-3 years.

Cableguy Greg

Does anyone have a cross reference sheet from the Mercury belt to the Gates belts?

YYZRC

On my current boat, the belts are probably original and still in good shape. I carry two spares and I will install both when one shows wear or gives up. I don’t consider belts to be a preventative maintenance item like impellers because a visual inspection is easy. They’re also easy and quick to replace. Just my opinion. 

aero3113

@YYZRC , I somewhat agree but I would want to replace before they fail. Would hate to have to have a bunch of guests get up off the back seat and watch me change a belt during our cruise to dinner.

YYZRC

Of course @aero3113 - any fraying or bad cracking and I would replace them. I’m in the bilge every week and I always check them. 

Dream_Inn

I'm on the same page as @YYZRC .  I'm in the bilge every week and I have two new belts ready if needed.  I don't believe I need to change them just because it has been so many years, but I do visually inspect them.  Impellers, yes I change those every two years.

rasbury

I have put 250 hours on our 270. With 100 hrs at time of purchase, I assume it was the orgional belt when it failed shortly after...but it was the water pump impeller. I figured out the pump was gummed up when I ran up the street to the local auto parts , matched it up going through belts. Found one that looked like it fit, bought 2 and back to the ramp. Belt was smoking! But did not break...and I have the spare. 150 hours on my something for a dodge belt.

davidbrooks

Unfortunately, I have gone through a few belts.  Mostly due to me just not getting the steering pump on correctly.  Lesson learned.  Always double check with a straight edge that the pulleys are at the same depth.  I have noticed that if i run at WOT for any length of time i will get some belt fibers in the engine compartment.  I keep a spare or two because i have had to replace one while out and have also had to limp in with just one engine.  It is always the engine with the PS pump that has the issues and coming back with no steering just isn't fun.  My belt is a different part number than mentioned above as I am closed cooling.  I just recently purchased  "OEM MerCruiser V6/V8 Alpha Serpentine Belt 861758Q 57-861758 57-861758Q" for $120 as i couldn't find a comparison to anything else...Gates included.  So if anyone does find a comparison chart please post it.  I would love to have another spare.

YYZRC

@davidbrooks my boat neighbor was having an issue with excessive wear and spitting belts on one of this motors.  There was a bracket that holds an idler pulley in place and the PO bolted it on the wrong way around and the washer was on the wrong side.  It was only a hair out of alignment but it was enough to cause chaos.

davidbrooks

@YYZRC I had the same issue with the PS pump.  Once i finally got it figured out i had gone through a few belts.  The trouble is that they seem fine at the dock at low RPM's.  It is at WOT that you really see it when you have an issue you didnt know you had.

aero3113

New belts are on the way!!
This is my port engine. I heard a clicking sound the last run of the season. Figured it was a pulley going bad. Everything spun freely when I checked the pulleys, then I found this….

YYZRC

Is one of the pulleys out of alignment?

aero3113

I don’t know, I’ll have to look further into it before the new belt goes on.

rasbury

that looks odd....any recent repairs to get it out of align? I would not think ( and I'm no mechanic) it would separate like that even if the pulley was not aligned....maybe just old?

aero3113

@rasbury no recent work and the belt is 3 seasons old.

rasbury

Maybe just a bad belt...I have on here somewhere mine is from a dodge van I put on in a pinch. Bought2, figured it would leave me...still going!

davidbrooks

Grab a carpenters square or 2ft level and run it across the outside edge of your pulleys. It is a very quick way to see if there is one not aligned. Was it an OEM belt or a different brand? 

aero3113

@davidbrooks it’s a Quicksilver belt was $112.00 🙄

aero3113

Is there a way to adjust a pulley if it’s not aligned? Bend the bracket??

aero3113

I ordered 2 Gates belts to replace them.

davidbrooks

Just spacers. Grab one or two washers if needed. Any more than that and you have other issues.

aero3113

Received the belts today. Now I need spring to come along so I can use them!

YYZRC

@aero3113 are you wincing at the lack of Merc logo on those?? 

aero3113

LoL! Yes… but liking the $180 savings for the two!

oscar1

Anyone knows the Mercruiser 57-865615003 cross reference belt. I can not find anything online about it. Thx

Black_Diamond

There are but a few belt makers, they brand for other OEM’s and even other “belt suppliers.”  Those Merc belts are probably either Gates or Conti supplied. 

PickleRick

If you've never tried them there is a belt called gator back. Used to be a good year belt but now it's continental. 

Especially if you have a vehicle an engine that likes to squeak the belt under hard acceleration even after you've installed all new tensioner, idler's and all pulleys align with straight edge. 

Dutch320

@PickleRick to add to your post, you are correct, they are made by Continental. They are the Continental Elite series. Been using them for about three years, they work great and are completely silent. Best part is they are around $25.