Fourtraxjay Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hello, I searched aroung and could not find any information on Magnacharger belt slippage. All posts were related to pro charger. Here is what I notice. I pin my truck from a stop. Before every shift at high rpm's, the lights dim (easily noticed at night) . I assume I am experiencing belt slippage. I have pinned the crank I am running the stock 3.3 pulley with plans for a 3.00 to go on next week or so. when I ordered the pullery from magnacharger the guy also sold me the 'upgraded tensioner'. With the upgraded tensioner and new 160am alternator and stock 3.3 pully, I had minor belt sqeak at idle and the light dimming issue. Purchased a belt 1 size smaller. It is a goodyear gatorback with the funny groove pattern. No more sqeak at idle, Belt is extremely tight which I figured would be fine once I put the 3.00pulley on it. Lights still dim at peak rpm's when hammering on it. Truck has 100,000 miles on it. do the crank pulley grooves wear with time and allow slippage with applications such as this? Anyone else experiece this? I will try installing the stock magnacharger pulley, but I doubt that will help, it seems to have less tension than the new one. Thanks in advance for any help Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm3907 Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 You should try going with an hd tensioner, solved my buddy's problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANGRYGREG Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hello, I searched aroung and could not find any information on Magnacharger belt slippage. All posts were related to pro charger. Here is what I notice. I pin my truck from a stop. Before every shift at high rpm's, the lights dim (easily noticed at night) . I assume I am experiencing belt slippage. I have pinned the crank I am running the stock 3.3 pulley with plans for a 3.00 to go on next week or so. when I ordered the pullery from magnacharger the guy also sold me the 'upgraded tensioner'. With the upgraded tensioner and new 160am alternator and stock 3.3 pully, I had minor belt sqeak at idle and the light dimming issue. Purchased a belt 1 size smaller. It is a goodyear gatorback with the funny groove pattern. No more sqeak at idle, Belt is extremely tight which I figured would be fine once I put the 3.00pulley on it. Lights still dim at peak rpm's when hammering on it. Truck has 100,000 miles on it. do the crank pulley grooves wear with time and allow slippage with applications such as this? Anyone else experiece this? I will try installing the stock magnacharger pulley, but I doubt that will help, it seems to have less tension than the new one. Thanks in advance for any help Jay You should be fine with a 3.0 pulley. I have a 2.7 on mine. Is the "upgraded" tensioner the HD tensioner? I also use a gatorback belt, some people don't like them but I havn't had any problems with them. What is the part # on your belt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourtraxjay Posted June 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Thanks guys, The tensioner I got from magnacharger could be 'HD' it is much beefier than the one that came stock with the kit. It comes around the front of the belt rather than behind it like the stock magnacharger tensioner. The belt I am running is the gatorback 4061115 (6pk2830). I tried it again last night and I think it is going away. perhaps there is some mold release on these rubber belts that had to be scrubbed off? Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Personally I hate the Gatorbacks- in general, we've had much better experience with the top-of-the-line Gates belts. The Gatorbacks go away too soon, they don't last long. And, the Gatorbacks IMO seem to 'stretch' more in little time; but other people run the Gatorbacks with decent results so YMMV. IMO the hot setup is to use a good "strong" belt that won't fatigue or stretch on you, and use a "grippy" 2.9-inch Reichard's Racing pulley (or similar); combine this with a pair of aftermarket 100mm idler pulleys and a Gates premium belt. The 100mm idlers give you more 'belt wrap' around the Radix snout pulley, and yes they are expensive. The belt size is critical, you need a belt that is "like putting on panty hose 2-sizes too small", at installation time the spring-loaded tensioner should be bottomed-out and you still have to fight the belt on with a screwdriver (seriously a 2-man job) and after the belt is on there the spring tensioner will snap back (loosen) about 1/4-3/8 inch, that will give you lots of tension but still enough travel in the spring-loaded idler to not break anything, and remember the new belt will stretch in time making the tensioner have even more slack in it. When adusting the idlers and sizing the belt, you want the idler pulleys to be as 'high' on the bracket as possible (closest to the Radix snout pulley) that way you get the maximum possible belt wrap around the pulley. BELT WRAP is KEY. By the time it's all said and done, doing all this pulley upgrade business for a Radix will cost a few hundred bones. Search the site for underhood pics from brobrad77h's truck, he runs the setup described here, and I believe krambo did as well. And watch for black belt dust on the motor, it will accumulate in the area of the Radix snout pulley, that is the sign of belt slippage (burning). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krambo Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Not quite as pretty as Brad's however did just fine IMHO. When I was doing this modification, the R-Racing pulley was a newer thing for the Radix so I opted for a standard blower pulley. I agree the R-Racing pulley is top notch. I had good luck with the Gatorback and would reccommend it. I had the earlier Magna bracketry therefore I did not have the adjustable idler option (mine was in a fixed location. Brad - did you use 100mm or 90mm pulleys? It seems to me that the 100's will be too large and hit the alternator bolt? Close up of mine with the 90mm option (pretty close fit): Search around for Holty's pictures as he did the same as Brads... Now, all this pulley and belt wrap is a good conversation however may not be your issue. Have you don the big-3 upgrade yet? What are your current demands now...keep in mind that you are now adding a second fuel pump and an intercooler pump to the mix and the stock alt is barely enough for a stock truck IMHO. When was your battery last changed out or the contacts cleaned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANGRYGREG Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 That part # you posted should be the right length belt. 4061115 is the same one i use. Gatorback's work great, 2.7 pulley is pretty small and I haven't had any issues. When I did have problems in the past it was my tensioner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chpspecial Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 this problem could also be your voltage regulator in your alternator and not belt slippage. My first 145amp alternator new from gm lasted about 4 months then it would only charge when idling or cruising. But when ever I got on the throttle it would stop charging. to the point where the truck would start to run off the battery till the battery would drain. BTW conventional test will not test negative if it is the voltage regulator since there is no way of putting a heavy load on the alternator while been tested. Try swapping alternators with someone and see if the problem persist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Brad - did you use 100mm or 90mm pulleys? It seems to me that the 100's will be too large and hit the alternator bolt? Close up of mine with the 90mm option (pretty close fit): I run 100mm pulleys....I have to use a spacer on altenator side..I had same problem with 90mm though....the bracket on that side is a PITA..thats what my pulley would hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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