Timing Belts

[gapl1953]

I had a unusual timing belt issue. After revving to the red line, on my 1979 GL1000, and backing off I blew a timing belt. The belts had only about 1500 miles on them so I was perturbed. When I disassembled the timing belt covers, I found that the left belt had come off and was wedged in the front of the right side pulley. It was wedged so tight between the pulley and the front cover that it blew the cover forward 1/8 of a inch. I could not get the cover off until I used a slide hammer to pull out the right belt from in front of the pulley. It was in perfect condition. The left belt was broken. I was lucky, no piston damage, 3 bent valves. It appears that the left belt slingshot to the right jammed up the right pulley and broke the right belt when it stopped.

[Rat]

I had a unusual timing belt issue. After revving to the red line, on my 1979 GL1000, and backing off I blew a timing belt. The belts had only about 1500 miles on them so I was perturbed. When I disassembled the timing belt covers, I found that the left belt had come off and was wedged in the front of the right side pulley. It was wedged so tight between the pulley and the front cover that it blew the cover forward 1/8 of a inch. I could not get the cover off until I used a slide hammer to pull out the right belt from in front of the pulley. It was in perfect condition. The left belt was broken. I was lucky, no piston damage, 3 bent valves. It appears that the left belt slingshot to the right jammed up the right pulley and broke the right belt when it stopped.

Yikes ... where did you get those belts.

Gord

[Cookie]

Eeek! I'd wonder is an adjuster is bad or it is slightly out of alignment?

[ericheath]

Yikes!! I replaced mine yesterday. I hope they're good. What kind did you put on and where did you get them?

[gapl1953]

They were the NAPA brand.
I don't see how they can get misaligned. I think they developed a wave in them, with the acceleration and deceleration. That caused the left one to jump the pulley. Or maybe the one belt's compound was defective causing it to stretch. I don't know. I was hoping someone else would have some insight.

[Roady]

Moved to Tech Discussions.

Were you just free-revving it? No load, or was that on the go?

I don't think I've ever revved an engine to redline when I wasn't going somewhere.

[wilf]

seems to me randdakk had belts blow out on one of his bikes not to long ago.
I'm planning on staying well below redline with my napa belts
Wilf

[mtclimited]

I am not downing NAPA by any means, but they are not what they use to be anymore.

My local NAPA didn't even have a way to look up the belts for a GL1000. They said the part was not available. I then gave them the part number. Then it came up. They had one at one location and the other half way across the country.

Then they told me that the cost would be higher because they would have to charge freight on one of them.

I asked about the date (I was looking at the screen with them) that was listed next to the part. The guy told me it was the date it was entered into that location. It was 2001. So one of the belts had been sitting in the whse for 9 years.

Go figure.

[wilf]

Mine was not a shot at napa belts. Just can't see them or any other's made now been the qaulity of the factory ones back in the day.
Wilf

[mtclimited]

Mine was not a shot at napa belts. Just can't see them or any other's made now been the qaulity of the factory ones back in the day.
Wilf

didn't mean you. I was talking about me. I love my NAPA store, but not like it was when I worked there back in the early 80's. I miss the books. Those damn computers make you stupid.

[Cookie]

The way it happened on the unwind I'd wonder if the difficult belt was a bit loose.

[Whiskerfish]

My first impression would be a tensioner problem or improper tension when installed as Cookie mentioned. I have reved every GL I own to redline and beyond numerous times without incident.

[Sagebrush]

My first thought was tensioner as well. These belts do need some tension on them, perhaps your tensioner spring was weak when you installed the belt and left it loose? Hard to say after the fact I know but certainly a possibility.

[heraldhamster]

Mine was not a shot at napa belts. Just can't see them or any other's made now been the qaulity of the factory ones back in the day.
Wilf

actually it's my understanding that Gates belts are exactingly designed, rigorously tested and obviously capable of being made of better materials than belts made 30+ years ago. I'd hesitate to fault the new belts being inferior to OEM Honda belts, even new OEMs.

just my .02 worth.

[morganfrmn]

I just bought a nice set of used belts off ebay... but I never go to the red line....

I think the bike was telling you something....

You must sense the spirit of the bike, you must be one with your bike....I dont think your
bike liked the red line thing and it was communicating it to you.