Tar forming on serpentine roller bearing. 96 318TI bmw 80K m44, e36

This automobile is haunted by a strange deposits problem on the
serpentine roller bearing. This substance appears to resemble the
properties of tar. When the tars collect on the roller bearing, the belt
will stress then rips into two individual genuine belts. Each time the tar
is spotted then removed it will come back in about a year, which have
already shorted the life of two belts. The tars have coincided with a
small leak on the front crank seal. The pulley isn't saturated with oil.
This affects only one of the two rollers seen here. Here, take a look
at this photo http://snipurl.com/ay93 and see what you think.

Thanks

"Leroy Mowry" > wrote in message
. com...
> This automobile is haunted by a strange deposits problem on the
> serpentine roller bearing. This substance appears to resemble the
> properties of tar. When the tars collect on the roller bearing, the belt
> will stress then rips into two individual genuine belts. Each time the tar
> is spotted then removed it will come back in about a year, which have
> already shorted the life of two belts. The tars have coincided with a
> small leak on the front crank seal. The pulley isn't saturated with oil.
> This affects only one of the two rollers seen here. Here, take a look
> at this photo http://snipurl.com/ay93 and see what you think.
>

I think the tensioner has lost it's spring, as a result the serpentine belt
is
slipping, heating up, and over time rubber is being deposited on the
tensioner. The reason it's not slipping on the other pulleys is that
they are larger, thus more surface area and more friction.

Ted

"Ted Mittelstaedt" wrote in message
> "Leroy Mowry" wrote in message

> > http://snipurl.com/ay93 and see what you think.

> I think the tensioner has lost it's spring, as a result the serpentine belt
> is slipping, heating up, and over time rubber is being deposited on the
> tensioner. The reason it's not slipping on the other pulleys is that
> they are larger, thus more surface area and more friction.
> Ted

Thanks. I notice that the current belt's top side (the printed side) is worn
in the median. This spring tensioner is so tight that it takes a cheater bar
to budge it. Say, maybe 20-30-lbs. Once budge, I would remove and
replace the belt. Both rollers are the same size. The bearings are still
good by sound and feel.

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 13:08:30 GMT, "Leroy Mowry" > wrote:

>"Ted Mittelstaedt" wrote in message
>> "Leroy Mowry" wrote in message
>
>> > http://snipurl.com/ay93 and see what you think.
>
>> I think the tensioner has lost it's spring, as a result the serpentine belt
>> is slipping, heating up, and over time rubber is being deposited on the
>> tensioner. The reason it's not slipping on the other pulleys is that
>> they are larger, thus more surface area and more friction.
>> Ted
>
>Thanks. I notice that the current belt's top side (the printed side) is worn
>in the median. This spring tensioner is so tight that it takes a cheater bar
>to budge it. Say, maybe 20-30-lbs. Once budge, I would remove and
>replace the belt. Both rollers are the same size. The bearings are still
>good by sound and feel.
>

I'm not sure what you mean by "so tight". If you mean it's nearly
frozen in one position and very hard to move that's hardly what you
want in a tensioner - it needs to move freely without binding and
should only have the spring pressure to work against you and the
cheater bar. So if it's binding that's probably your problem.
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

"AZGuy" > wrote in message ...
> On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 13:08:30 GMT, "Leroy Mowry" > wrote:
> >"Ted Mittelstaedt" wrote in message
> >> "Leroy Mowry" wrote in message
> >> > http://snipurl.com/ay93 and see what you think.

> >Thanks. I notice that the current belt's top side (the printed side) is worn
> >in the median. This spring tensioner is so tight that it takes a cheater bar
> >to budge it. Say, maybe 20-30-lbs. Once budge, I would remove and
> >replace the belt. Both rollers are the same size. The bearings are still
> >good by sound and feel.

> I'm not sure what you mean by "so tight". If you mean it's nearly
> frozen in one position and very hard to move that's hardly what you
> want in a tensioner - it needs to move freely without binding and
> should only have the spring pressure to work against you and the
> cheater bar. So if it's binding that's probably your problem.
> Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

Tight meaning that if you set a torque wrench to 25-lbs it will
move freely then click when there is enough clearance to
remove the belt. It does move freely but the spring tension just
feels tighter than expected.