T80 at high altitudes, pulleys?

[WildernessAU]

I finally got a air setup and am ready to try her out but have afew questions regarding pulleys.
I'm working at right around 9,000ft
I have a honda gx200 driving the pump and compressor. I have a 2.5 pulley on the engine shaft and a 4" pulley on the compressor. I don't want to burn up the comp but also want enough air for dredging and chucking rocks at 9,000ft.

I had one manufacturer tell me that the 2.5" x 4" would be good just not to use below...6,500ft.
Another told me that only a 6" pulley on the compressor but after some discussion came to the conclusion that I would be safe with a 5".
The 5" pulley sounds like a good medium.........but I have a 4" and want to dredge tomorrow, and am wondering if the compressor will be ok and last if I run it 3/4throttle +.
What do you guys think...or know? Will I be ok with the 2.5 x 4? or should I just get the 5" pulley and be safe?
Thanks, Dainis

[Dawgmining]

having taken apart a hundred, yes it'll be fine
hope you have to make a exstra trip for the gold

[WildernessAU]

I've got everything hooked up and tested out the air system. I breathed on it for 5 min on land......seems to work good, though I did have a mild headache afterward. I'm guessing that I need to get used to breathing through a regulator......it also made me think of (CO) which lead me to fashion up a air snorkel.
Originally I was thinking that a muffler deflector would work just fine, but why risk it especially underwater...

The belt bounces.....is this normal? or the pulleys might be slightly out of alignment.

If anyone else has any input on the 2.5" X 4" pulley...holler back.
Thanks John...I'm gonna be searching hard for that paystreak and honey layer

D

[trick]

Hey D, I have 2.5x5 on my T-80 and have plenty of air and I dredge just outside of Buena Vista. In my experience that belt needs to be some what snug. It'll heat up and stretch and start slipping, I found out the hard way(why is it so hard to breathe ). Good luck.

[Hoser John]

Adjust the pressure release valve on the t-80 for more air--regulator also has a tensioner on the diaphram inside too. 9000' is pretty high and I've never dredged that altitude before but at 8000+ at DC wyoming was a education in altitude for this old dredge dog fer sure!! I've run t-80 with 5" quite a few times with no problems. By the by did you clean the felt filter on that t-80 intake as they dirty up pretty fast also. Drill out the metal holes on the filter retainer so that lil'ol'comp can breathe better for mo' air and a cooler running compressor. Snorkles are a waste,just point the directional diffuser "up " away from the engine as hot exhaust rises and right into them snorkel dorkels-tons a au 2 u 2 -John