www.iFourWinns.com

For those of you that frequent iboats youve probably already read this. Since buying thist boat in 08, it has always had a belt sqeual. Dealt with it for a bit then decided to look into it. Quickly discovered that the power steering pump wasnt inline with the rest of the pullies. Started adding washers and for a season, adding 4 washers above the top mounting bolt fixed it. Fast forward to this spring and when I first started the boat it was back! While we prob wont sell the boat Im to the point with this that I want to get rid of it.

Does anyone have any known solutions? If you search on this all sorts of threads pop up but there is never a solution. It does appear the rear mount pushes the ps pump out at the bottom port. I would need to have another bracket made to verify. Ive used a straight edge and washers behind every mount in different configs. If I bump the top of the pulley out to somewhat square it up then the squeal moves to the water pump pulley.

The flange on the (recirculation) water pump that the pulley is mounted on is pressed onto the water pump shaft. There is a possibility for misalignment due to that ( I had to use washers as spacers to get the pulleys to line up on a previous boat when I fitted a new water pump).

The water pump pulley is smooth. The backside of the belt rides on it. It shouldnt matter where the belt rides on it should it? It doesnt appear to wobble or anything.

Have you tried replacing the belt? I would not expect a slight misalignment to cause a squeal, and if you can make the noise move to a different pulley, that doesn't seem like the problem is in the pump.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Ive ordered whats hopefully the new cross hatched volvo belt. It currently has the original belt on it.. Maybe the new design makes up for the unsquare pulley.

Please let us know. Belt squeal problems can end up being... interesting.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Seems for now the new volvo belt has stopped the dreaded squeak! Ive not tested it on the lake just yet, this is just on the hose rev'd up to 2k rpms for a moment. I left the washers in place behind the upper mount since that stopped the squeak last summer. They must be doing something good.

Cool. Thanks for the update.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Something that I forgot to mention, there was a fine black dust all around the front port side of the engine. So much that the white belt routing sticker couldnt be seen anymore. Ive since cleaned it all off but that always told me for sure that something was misaligned. Im hoping that leaving the washers in there will keep the new belt from being shaved. The belt did have an obvious bend in it when sighting down from the alternator to the PS pump and now with the washers it does not.

FYI my 5.0 GI-G is similar. There has always been rubber shavings/dust on the port side of the bilge indicating it has been wearing.
However, the original belt on the '07 didn't squeal til last year. I replaced it this year and it's quiet again. I guess 10 years of life is good enough for me even if it is slightly misaligned. Fortunately mines not bad enough to always squeal.

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

Same issue here. 07 4.3 GL-G Had the power steering pump replaced 2 years ago (it failed in spectacular fashion!), and ever since then I had a belt squeal. I'm not too mechanical, so just lived with it for the most part. I switched mechanics last summer and he called me to tell me the front of the engine was covered in belt dust. So thick he (also) couldn't read the belt routing sticker. He was like, wasn't this thing squealing? I was like, well yea (with a dumb look on my face). He realigned the power steering pump and replaced the belt, air filter (clogged with belt dust), adjusted the tensioner, and it seems to have gone away.

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Mac
2007 Four Winns Horizon 190