M1009 chewing up belts??

It seems another member on here is having issues with thier blazer chewing up belts....first issue is that this is a rebuilt motor...second it has been made a 12v with the alt on the driver side. we have been running two belts....one around crank waterpumpand powersteering and one from powersteering to alt. first it was alt belts but That was a size issue....that has been fixed..now the main belt has snapped twice....first time I thought too tight or too loose...second time....IDK????? maybe misalignment of pulleys?? if that is it...can it be fixed... or are there other causes....it has only been about a month with the new belt before it popped..... any suggestions would be helpful.....we are gonna put another belt on it for now...we will try and diagnose the problem more....

oh......pulleys seem straight when running with no wobble and belt looks to be traveling in a even pattern...

If everything seems ok with the pulleys.

My only question is what belts are you using?

OK..OK... One more question.


Did you change belt manufacture after the first event and second?

here's another possiblity. Check the powersteering pump and its bracket. This is a common fail item IMHO. mine had been broken before I got it and a PO used the wrong hardware including stacks of washers to jerry rig it. I boutght a new bracket and all has been good thus far. I found that there was a tab at the main pivot that was broken. once I backed off the bolt I had metal bits falling down and was rather bummed. It took some time to replace but it has been well worth it. When the belt would brake it took out the pass side alternator belt too.

Well when we first got looking at the truck before the first main belt popped found a bracket on Powersteering pump that had been missing a bolt and was just hanging there. we ordered a new bolt and washer and bam all was good....we found the bracket loose after the alt belt popped.....mis typed....anyway...we have been getting the civy versions from Advanced both times... dont have belt numbers in front of me will have to post that later... but I wanna say either a 44" or a 54" or something like that...dont quote me on that!!....also that powersteering tension is a PIA just while I am here I will say it!!! the member whose truck it is is deployed and I am helping his step-son keep it running while he is away...I am at work otherwise I would have more info for you.... This has to be more than just a belt issue....can a waterpump or powersteering pump bind a little and cause a snap...but just intermitent? when we change them we watch it run a while to see if there are any bounce issues or play in the belt.... then we drive it a little then...check the belts again...I have told the boy that if he starts to hear any squealing to check to see if belt is loose and if so tighten it. for stretch..... any more possibilities??

Hmm, wonder if the powersteering pump is going bad? and maybe when cranked too hard one way or the other is bindign up? is it full of fliuid? over full? also I wonder if the pulleys have a nick on them that could be causing them to fail, or when they flex they are hitting a bolt or something that is stickign out where it shouldn't be?

if the pump is heating up it might cause them to start dragging?

I'm baffled too.


I wonder if ditching the fan wuld help? maybe convertign to a 12v electric fan,

would converting to hummvee pulleys make a difference ? I know where some are.

with all the groves, can more then one belt be run?
( not havign one in front of me to look at I'm visualizing)

ANyone else have a problem like this?

I would like to make a suggestion. If all the wiring is still there move the alternator to the right side of the engine. This is the normal area for a single alternaotr application due to it's beefier support system. The power steering pump is the weak link in the system and can cause problems.
Two reasons for this suggestion, OEM application always works best and if you continue to chew belts up then the problem was not related to the alternator but to the pump.
The pump does have to be properly aligned as mentioned earlier in this thread and is a very poorly designed installation and very very hard to adjust the tension. You can tolerate a slightly-too-loose power steering pump belt but the alternator belt can not be loose or it will slip and you will not charge your electrical system. There is a large physical drag on the alternator as you load the system up so tension is the key and there are no other items on the belt this way if it is on ht eight side.
Left side can be power steering only and right side alternator only.
Good luck.

Note: Left and right area always as you are sitting in the operators seat and facing forward.

jimm1009

Has anyone else had this problem?

Its just really wierd that the belts will just snap after a few days.

its been through 3-4 belts on each one.

is it possible to do this from driving it wrong? IE flooring it at every stoplight?

or is this somethign wierd we just havent figured out.

they last about a week, and weve been buying the good belts.

all the pullys are from the original engine, and the pumps seem to be functioning fine, PWR Steering works, water pump etc.

when it starts and idles there are no surges or slipping..


is there a stronger belt out there?