496 mag

[h2otech]

[In my dealings with the 496 the black dust is probably comming fro the delt making contact with the clamp that holds the heat exchanger in place, or your water pump bracket is distorted.

[James'SS-24]

I Have noticed the black dust in my engine compartment and I have been keeping a close eye on the belt. It doesn't seem to be fraying yet. 35 hours on mine so far but I am having fuel starvation problems. The local mercruiser dealer can't even look at it until next week (maybe) he says :ROLLEYES:

[AWelsh]

I also have a new boat with a 496mag, at approximately 20 hours I noticed black bits of rubber all over the engine compartment. Brought the boat in for its 20 hour service and told the service manager my serpentine belt was disintegrating. The service manager called yesterday said the boat was ready. He said that the serpentine belt "problem" was a normal part of the break in process. I'm afraid to take my boat on the water. I don't want to get stuck in the middle of the lake with a broken belt. Does anyone have an updates on this strange problem?

[AWelsh]

James'SS-24, can you update me with any changes in your situation? I too have the "black dust" problem. I'd appreciate any responses.
Thanks
AWelsh

[James'SS-24]

I checked everything over really close as far as pully alignment and the possibility of something rubbing the belt but I can find nothing wrong. The belt itself is showing no unusual signs of wear so I intend to keep running and just keep an eye on things. About every ten hours I clean the dust from engine compartment. My theory is that the belt has to make so many turns that it is wearing more than I'm used to seeing. Another thing I've thought of is with a similar setup on a car the dust can get out of the engine compartment were as in a boat it can't. I did get my fuel problem fixed. I wound up doing it myself. Turns out there is a screen in the inlet of the transfer pump that was plugged with dirt, metal shavings, and even a bug! To date this is the only problem this engine has given me. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif

[James'SS-24]

The season's almost over now but next season I will carry a spare belt! 36 hours so far without a belt problem http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[AWelsh]

Thanks for the reply James'SS-24. I guess I'll need to pick up a spare belt also. I still have the feeling my belt is going to break, there is just to much of the black bits of rubber in my engine bay. I even had little slivers of rubber about 1/4 to 3/8's inches long scattered on both sides of the engine bay.

[James'SS-24]

Wow! Mine has never been any more than a fine dust about the consistancy of sand. In another post I read where some one found a clamp on the heat exchanger rubbing the belt. Maybe check that. All of that stuff is really close. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/eek.gif