Mystery Plastic Chips 6BTA

[John]

See the picture below.  Found the larger plastic chips on the floor, in the front of my 6BTA 5.9 M1 a couple of years ago.  Recently a bunch more smaller pieces showed up.  They’re hard, black plastic, about 1/8″ thick.  Can’t see anything on the front of engine.  Are they possibly some dust/debris cover on the back of the belt tensioner or idler pulley?  Engine powers my 2006 Nordic Tug 32, 2700+ hours.

Topic

[Tony Athens]

Single engine boat–18 yrs old & 2700 hours..

Nothing to inspect———————–Replace it and the idler,  and along a new genuine belt

[John]

Winter haul next week.  I pull the belt to plastic wrap alternator over the winter (I’ve had alternator components fail over the winter in cold, damp, salt air).  I’ll pull the tensioner off to inspect and replace if necessary.  Thanks.

[Clark Leighs]

You won’t see them untill you remove the belt  tensioner.

It needs to be replaced pretty quick

[Bob Neill]

 Belt tensioner? That’s the only thing I can think of that as black plastic in the front of the engine.

[Author]

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