Questions and Answers

Buick LeSabre Eating Serpentine Belts Q. I drive a 1995 Buick LeSabre with the 3800 V-6 engine. Several months ago, a tire shop downtown installed a new serpentine belt, Gates Micro-V distributed through Carquest, and a new tension pulley. The belt has been running quietly at low and high revs, but very recently I noticed loss of the thin surface layer of rubber from part of the smooth side of the belt.

The loss starts at the edge closest to the engine and the band of loss is 1/8 to 1/4" wide. Where the rubber is gone and the underlying fiber-reinforced material is exposed, the belt is clean, not cut or gouged or frayed. What would cause the rubber loss? Do I need a new belt at this point? If not, what would be the sign to replace the belt?

Thanks,
Sincerely,
Bob

A. You need to inspect all the surfaces of all the pulleys that this side of the belt rides on for a problem. Sounds like an idler pulley is causing this. Any pulley that has grooves in it rides on the grooved side of the belt. All smooth pulleys ride on the back side. The tensioner should be smooth but there should also be one or two other smooth pulleys there.

If there is a plastic one it may be the problem or you just picked up some road dirt and that caused the damage. If so, just keep an eye on it as the rest of the belt should last a while.