How To Repair Dethatcher Engine With Burning Rubber Smell
- Rated as REALLY EASY
- 2 step by step videos
Belts
If at any point you detect the smell of burning rubber while the engine is in operation, discontinue use immediately. The belts that power the dethatcher mechanism are made of rubber, and this smell indicates that there is stress on the belts causing them to melt while the engine is running. If the belts are too loose, they can slip off of the pulleys or have the drive pulley that powers them spin without actually turning the belt. The friction can cause enough heat to melt the belt entirely. If the belts are too tightly fastened, they can overheat which will cause the rubber in them to wear. In either of these cases, burning rubber indicates that the belts are not adjusted properly. The idler assembly should be inspected to ensure that the tightness of the belts is within a range that the machine is still safe to operate at. If the belts on your machine require adjustments, refer to your owner manual for more specific instructions on how to perform this type of adjustment. If you notice issues with the belt not fitting properly, being too tight or having too much slack (outside of a range that can be corrected with minor adjustments), you may have a belt installed that is not meant for your machine.
Engine
If your engine is used at or beyond peak capacity for sustained periods of time and you notice the smell of burning rubber coming from the machine, discontinue use immediately. An overloaded engine can heat up, vibrate excessively, and cause damage to one or more integral components. The smell of melting rubber suggests that the belts or related components are working harder than they are intended to, which is causing the rubber belts to heat up and melt. Continually running your engine at a load outside of its range is dangerous and can cause irreparable damage to various components.
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