Planer Belt Soot & Oil Change

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

I have a Delta DC-380 15 inch planer which has 3 drive belts. Ever since I purchased this planer a odd odor has been emanating from it. The best way I can describe the odor is almost skunk like. Anyway, I decided to check the belts today because of a slight squeaking when the motor turned off and much to my surprise the entire area was covered in black rubber soot.

The odor I described is coming from the belts but why? I understand a break in period is possible but is this normal? I can pinch the belts in the center and I get a decent amount of deflection, more like half an inch. If I was to tighten the belts would the squeaking and black soot issue go away? Is it better to just replace the belts?

As far as oil changes in this planer does anyone know a good way to change the oil? Granted it's not a problem draining it but filling it back up is a completely different story. The fill hole is so small plus it's on the side of the unit behind one of the columns. I'm hoping someone has a trick for getting the oil in there with ease.

Thank you for the help :)

[Ruperto Mendiones]

Try a large syringe or a turkey baster connected to plastic tubing.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Try a large syringe or a turkey baster connected to plastic tubing.

This method will definitely work for filling the gear case with oil. Now the soot issue needs to be resolved.

[M Toupin]

Belts are wear items, and the "soot" is just rubber wearing off them. It sounds like your belts might be a touch loose if there's lots of wear dust, a little is normal though. Tighten them a little but don't go crazy, the most common mistake is to over tighten belts which puts excessive pressure on the bearings and shafts which leads to expensive repairs when the bearings fail. For filling the oil pick up a marine lower unit fill pump for $5 or so. It's just a little pump that crews on the top of your oil bottle with a hose, handy for filling stuff with the fill holes on the sides.

Mike

[Marty Tippin]

Pennzoil 80 wt gear oil comes in a bottle with a tip that will fit right in the hole, you can squeeze the oil in. I just changed the oil in mine a couple weeks ago, tool maybe 10 minutes.

http://www.pennzoil.com/other-car-products/transmission-fluids-and-gear-oil/pennzoil-gearplus-sae-80w-90-gl-5/

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Thank you, Mike and Marty. Much appreciated. :)

[David Masters]

I used a cheap $4 transfer pump from Harbor Freight.

[Lee Schierer]

The rubber powder is from slipping belts. Depending upon how hard you are squeezing, 1/2" deflection is too much. Tighten the belts and order a replacement set. It sounds like you are going to need them soon.

[Jeff Duncan]

A little black coating is OK, if it's a lot though it could mean problems, especially with the odor you describe. I would double check the alignment of your belts and condition of the pulleys. While there are many factors we don't know, (like belt length and size of belts etc.), 1/2" of deflection does not sound excessively loose by any means. I would not tighten it much, or at all really, as it is true that overtightening can lead to more problems than running a little loose. Pulleys that are out of alignment however will cause pre-mature belt wear.

good luck,
JeffD

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

The squeaking noise got considerably louder after I sprayed some belt lubricant on them. I tightened the belts a slight amount but the odor and noise are still there. I think my best bet will be to take a short video of the problem and post it here. I appreciate everyone's help so far in resolving this issue. Are the bearings difficult to replace? Does anyone have a link to a write up on how to do this? Thank you.

[Tom Welch]

Take the belt off, turn the cutter head pully and the motor by hand. Do you feel any binding, rough feeling? If not, the bearings are fine. Get a new belt, put the proper tension on it, and your problem should be gone.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Take the belt off, turn the cutter head pully and the motor by hand. Do you feel any binding, rough feeling? If not, the bearings are fine. Get a new belt, put the proper tension on it, and your problem should be gone.


I removed the belts and turned both pulleys. Quiet as can be. No binding or roughness either. I turned the machine on to make sure and the motor was humming along without any issue or sound.

As I stated earlier here is a short video of the belts and pulleys. Mind you the majority of rubber belt powder has been removed. The tan/dark colored blotches is the spatter from the belt lubricant.

https://vimeo.com/120404205

[Marty Tippin]

Is this an old planer that you recently purchased or that sat idle for a long time? Looks to me from the video like the belts are old and stiff. New belts will almost certainly fix the problem.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Is this an old planer that you recently purchased or that sat idle for a long time? Looks to me from the video like the belts are old and stiff. New belts will almost certainly fix the problem.

I just purchased it last weekend.

Well the seller was the 2nd owner, the first owner he said barely used it because he was deployed for long periods of time. The 2nd owner said he only ran about 200 bf through it. So yes, it probably did sit for a long time with the 1st owner. Another sign that it hasn't been used much is that the knives are still sharp and have never been sharpened since purchased according to the guy I bought it from.

[glenn bradley]

Link belts solve many such ills. I know some folks resist them for some reason. Nearly every machine in my shop that will take one, has one. Oddly, I think the only one I haven't switched over is my planer. It too has the belt shedding more than any other machine I have owned to date.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Received the new belts earlier and put them in today. The squealing, soot, and smell are gone. Thank you to everyone who helped!

[Ira Matheny]

if you replace the belts, replace all belts. And be sure the belts match. Not just the 'same size' but from the same batch. A pro in V-belts will know exactly what you need. Do Not just purchase at any old auto parts store.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

I replaced all 3 belts. How can one be sure that the 3 belts are from the same batch?

[Jerry Bruette]

I did some checking around to belt manufacturers websites. Apparently the RMA (rubber manufacturers association)has tightened up the specs for making v belts. And most of the belt companies claim to be making their belts to tighter specs than what the RMA has. So I could find only one company,Browning, which still puts match numbers on some of their belts.

So I guess after all is said your belts qualify as a matched set according to the manufacturers production specs.

Years ago the makers would put a set of numbers in small print close by the belt size on the belts. These numbers were used to pick out belts that would be used in a matched set. I haven't seen these numbers on belts for a number of years.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Thank you for the detailed response, Jerry. I just picked up 3 Goodyear belts that another DC-380 owner used on his machine with no issues. If they fail, they don't cost an arm and a leg to replace.

[Lee Schierer]

if you replace the belts, replace all belts. And be sure the belts match. Not just the 'same size' but from the same batch. A pro in V-belts will know exactly what you need. Do Not just purchase at any old auto parts store.

Modern manufacturing methods has eliminated the need for matched sets. If you buy all the same size belts by the same manufacturer you should be good to go. Automotive belts are not equivalent to power drive belts used on industrial type machinery. Leave the car belts at the auto store unless you are fixing you car.