Change that Belt

I have been following the saga of a rider on the road with a broken alternator belt, by the time he got going again it must have cost hundreds of dollars.

IMHO ITSec gives good advice on how often to change, I will swap mine out before I take another long trip and carry the original as a spare.

Quoting ITSec from another thread
The belt should be changed every 3-4 years (based on age) or at about 40,000 miles. Remember that it's in a fairly harsh environment, with fumes, heat, etc. In fact, the only thing it isn't exposed to is ultraviolet! The factory belt is not too outrageous, and the following belts are all very close relatives (some fit slightly better than others):

Alternative to the Guzzi belt is a Gates 4PK740, as well as the following:

Bando            Dayco           Gates           Napa                  Goodyear   Cadna   Pix
4PK740      5040290        K040292      25-K040292            4040290   290K4   291K4

Belt is used in 94 Subaru Justy for alternator with no A/C
End of quote

Another part No from Pete Roper is K040292 (I think this is an auto part No)
The Bando 4PK750 will also fit
The Guzzi part No is Moto Guzzi 05702530

I wonder if the 1400 uses the same belt?

I changed my G11 belt @ 50,000 miles and 10 years. It looked like it could have gone another 25,000.

Which IS the Gates belt. Available from the bay of fleas locally for forty odd bucks.

LATE MAIL - just purchased one for 44.07 pacific pesos...

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Tony
Thanks for link, had a look, now out of stock, 38 AUD
Will look back later ...
take care

'Local' Gentlemen, I just got a Guzzi one from Mario for 29.95...
with a few other little rubbery things, shipping was 16 scheckles...

G'day Pat
Greetings from Tas ...hope all is going well with your move to the north island ...
Your right of course, sometimes we think that prices are more expensive 'local' ...
I suppose it's a case of always 'buyer beware' and check your prices ..
Stay warm and safe

Cheers Trev,
I'm the worst at spending hours researching the thing I can get down the road  

Yeah things are good up here near Byron Bay...
I do miss the endless great roads down there however - and the apparent lack of Mr Plod!!
Bright side (?) is I do get to ride and hang with some of these strange northerners on a semi regular basis.    

Staying warm is a priority right now, currently off the coast near St Helens, due to dock in Triabunna, tomorrow morning!!
Fortunately I have a pressurised aluminium tube to hurtle me back towards the sun.

Give my regards to the boys and girls at Pier One Sundays.
Pat

EDIT: oops, that ran off topic

I changed my belt over the weekend. Although I was in the comfort of the garage I deliberately restricted myself to the tools I normally carry on the bike.
Allen Keys, 4,5 & 6mm (these have a ball end but it's just a nice to have)
Ring/Open end wrench 13mm, a small adjustable would do at a pinch.

Remove bottom 4 cover screws
Remove ECU cover and ECU holding bolts, swing it out of the way.
Remove the 5th cover screw and the breather box standoff which also acts as a cover screw.
Loosen the 6mm clamping screw at about 11 o'clock with regard to the alternator pulley.
Remove the cheek from the right hand side of tank
Loosen the locknut on the belt adjuster, easily accessed once the cheek is out of the way.
Back off the belt adjuster until at least 1/2" of thread is exposed
Squeeze the belt together so the alternator swings down, if the belt is broken lever the alternator down

Place new belt around alternator pulley, start it around crank pulley
Turn the crank with a wrench or crank it with the starter and the belt will pop on.
Re-tighten the belt tensioner and the locknut. I just put it back where it was but also noted it was easy to twist the belt through 90° in between pulleys. It should also be possible to turn the motor over using a small wrench on the alternator pulley nut, a little slip would be ok.
Re-tighten the 6mm Allen clamp screw
Refit cover
Bolt back the ECU and cover.

The original belt at 40,000 km has a few small stones embedded in it probably from the Dempster trip but still has plenty of life left, I will carry it as a spare.

I probably missed a step or two, I will review the notes I made this evening\

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Showing the breather standoff bolt/cover screw.

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Cover removed showing top two fasteners

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Showing the Allen key in alternator clamp bolt
You can also see the Belt tension adjuster

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It's much easier to access the adjuster if you remove the right tank cheek

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Back the screw off at least 1/2" (15mm)

Good heads up Roy-many thanks

Put my new belt on last week (the Gates unit). If anything, it is a tad large, as the adjustment/tension screw is nearly all the way in. However, these belts really do not stretch (in my experience) so should be all good for another 60,000 km. Had genuine belts for the last two.

I will hit 120,000 km in the next few weeks. When I get back from the Ragged Fringe Rally, I will do the rest of the service bits. Must order some oil filters...

Took a look at doing my belt today and got a little intimidated. It seems almost impossible to get at a couple of the allen screws.
In the first picture I'd like to know how to deal with the "little guy" at the top left that's connected to the bottom of the blow by reservoir. Very hard to get at even after removing the header, ECU etc.
In the second picture these two allen screws (especially the one at the very top) seem impossible to have enough room to get them out. What am I missing??

Many thanks,

John

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From memory you drop the condensor box off the long hexagonal *Thingy* and tug it out of the way. Then the *Thingy* can be removed and you have just enough room to get to the two remaining Allen bolts.

It’s a bit fiddly but not too awful. Have you got the tank off?

Hi Pete,
Didn’t take the tank off but maybe need to. Wasn’t in Kiwi Roy’s write up. At least lift it up some to get the condenser moved some. It was firm where it was as I was cleaning the gunk off of it. There was no pushing it out of the way without doing something else. Is the top hole an Allen too? I tried putting a key in there but it didn’t seem to fit in to anything.
Many thanks.

From memory the condensor box bracket is held to the *Thingy* with a button head screw. I think it’s a 4mm Allen.

Oh, and having the tank off makes loosening the alternator a lot easier too.

Thanks Pete. I was hoping you had some magical answer to make it easy, either that or that you would soon be vacationing in Tucson Arizona and would come over…..
Thanks again.

I did not remove that hex long bolt, was able to undo and tweet out of the way to remove the cover... some tiny hands would make the job easier.

When I did my Breva 1100, I found this mini ratchet indispensable for reaching those tight screws. The bits weren't suitable but one from another set fitted.

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It's a bent back, crooked neck, shit ton of a pain in the arse to get to the bloody belt. They last over 50thou with ease from the stats of pro wrench gurus.

If it isn't over tightened and is the oem belt I'd wager 60thou miles. It's a sealed compartment that helps the life of belt immeasurably.

I’m liking the sound of that. I’ve only got 32K and I never go on long journeys so I’ll probably wait some before I man up and take it apart.

Pete Roper wrote:

It’s a bit fiddly but not too awful. Have you got the tank off?

Pete; You minimize your knowledge & mechanical mastery,especially with the CARC bikes.

Ime this qualifies,as I've heard you describe other tasks,as a right front bottom of a job;what a collection & collision of hardware & bits,omfg: .

Here's my thoughts for John or anyone else contemplating it.

It's a gas tank I'd rather not remove if I can help it,so I loosened the front of the tank & wedged it up with rags. I don't think the headache of taking the tank all the way off would've made it any easier for me. idk

My 17 yr old belt had 55k kms on it,looked fine. Definitely no sign or indication of imminent failure;but under a strong light & glasses I could see tiny micro checking fwiw idk.

The bolt up at the 11 o'clock position is threaded into a boss on the alternator assembly with an open end to the elements & perfectly sized to break,rather than break free;use caution here,depending on your bikes environment & level of corrosion,I've read of a few nightmares.

The 11 o'clock alternator bolt was seized solid on mine. None of my fancy Allen key drivers & bits would fit in there with any confidence. The OP Roy, used a round end Allen key but mine were on the crappy side. I used an old,small, Snap On Allen key with good steel & sharp edges,placed the long end of it inside a 1/4" deep well socket on a 1/4" drive screw driver for extra leverage.

I protected as best I could the sensitive electrical pieces with paper towels and liberally soaked the bolt from every angle possible with atf/acetone often. It took me 2 weeks of patient sharp loosening shots,with an odd tightening jolt before it finally broke loose.  

Re the belt tension on install, I used the 90 degree twist as a baseline,did err on the looser side.

Re the belts that are available; I sourced a Continental USA belt locally,but when I went to pick it up, it looked a little too cheap plasticky to my eye & on the back in fine print made in Mexico. I'd read accounts of Continental Micro V belts; the same model but made in different countries & markets & price/quality points. I ended up with one from MGCycle made in Italy.

Tldr. Be patient & wise;don't phq up the 11 o'clock bolt going into the alternator