Wandering Belt

[TRAXN]

Hey guys, I have a bit of an issue with my belt wearing on the edge closest to the engine, furthest from radiator. What I see with the engine running is, as the belt rotates off the power steering pulley and to the water pump pulley is a slight shift. The belt is rubbing on the backside of the water pump pulley and causing excessive wear and a slight squeal. But not a constant squeal, more like a squeek.........squeek......squeek...... as the belt is moving back and forth and rubbing the back of the pulley. You can see the belt shifting back and forth and back and forth like something is out of round. Everywhere else on the path looks good. I just put a new water pump on last night as the other one starting leaking. The belt wander was a problem before the new water pump install. While I had the front all apart I looked over all the pulleys and checked for play in bearings but it all seemed o.k. It has a new tensioner, what was a new belt, and new idler pulley below the tensioner. Any help, ideas, or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks Fellas!!!

[Diesel_brad]

P/S pulley SLIGHTLY out of line

[Patrick Feeley]

X2 what Brad said. Cheers!

[TRAXN]

Sounds like a good possibility. As I watch the pulleys turn they all seem to spin very true. The balancer is the only one that has a bit of out of round rotation that I can see. Are you thinking maybe the P/S pulley has moved on it's shaft and needs to go either back or forwards a bit? Also, shouldn't the pulley be pressed on until it bottoms out?

[Diesel_brad]

I am thinking somewhere along the line the P?S pump was changed and the pulley was either put on too far or not enough. NO, the pulley does NOT go on till it bottoms. It could be off by 1/32 and make a squeal

[TRAXN]

I just pulled the belt off and looked over things once more. First, I found the lower bolt that holds the P/S pump on was loose. tightened it up. I also noticed that I can push and pull the P/S pulley on it's axis, In and Out. maybe an 1/8" or so. Is that normal Brad?
The part of the pulley where you would use a puller/installer, the flat front, sits exactly flush with the front of the shaft for the pump. While it's running the pump pulley does not move in and out but seems to stay "in", towards the pump.
I put the belt back on but still had a squeal and the movement. You think I should get a puller/installer and try moving the pulley? Thanks again

[Diesel_brad]

Yes, the shaft will have some play. But you can try moving the pulley in and out and see if the squeal lessens

[TRAXN]

After a trip to the gettin' place and picking up a puller I pulled the P/S pulley out just a smidge. Improvement. Put it back on for another smidge. BAM!! Perfect. No more squeak and belt rides much smoother now.
Thanks again for the input brad and patrick

[Diesel_brad]

No problem, glad it worked out